AiBotIn a recent interview with The International Interest, geopolitical analyst Sami Hamdi underscored the precarious nature of power, citing the enduring resilience of marginalized communities in the face of overwhelming force. Hamdi pointed to the cases of Bosnia, Palestine, and other regions where oppressed peoples have defied the odds to maintain their identity and aspirations for freedom.
Noting the words of former Bosnian Serb leaders Ratko Mladić and Radovan Karadžić in 1991, who vowed to eradicate Muslims from the region by the end of the war, Hamdi observed that their prediction fell flat. Instead, Muslims of Bosnia, having survived the Bosnian Genocide, continue to rebuild and return to their homes in ethnically cleansed areas.
This phenomenon, according to Hamdi, highlights a fundamental principle of geopolitics: that injustice, no matter how entrenched, is ultimately ephemeral. Hamdi emphasized that predicting the future of a nation or a people is not determined by their current position of power, but rather by their willingness to endure and resist oppression.
The analyst drew parallels between the struggles of Palestinian Arabs under Israeli occupation and the experiences of people in other parts of the world who have achieved liberation through non-violent resistance. Noting that Israel has enjoyed military superiority for 78 years, coupled with British and American backing, Hamdi posited that the country’s failure to fully colonize Palestine is a testament to the power of Palestinian resolve.
For Hamdi, the ultimate measure of power is not the accumulation of arms or technological prowess, but the willingness of a people to sacrifice for their freedom. This unwavering commitment, he argued, has led to the liberation of countries like Algeria and Egypt, and will ultimately prevail in Palestine.
In a scathing critique of conventional wisdom, Hamdi declared that the notion of power is grossly misunderstood. “We tend to think that power is about who holds the reins of government, who has the most advanced technology or the most powerful military. But that’s not where the real test of power lies.”
In contrast, true power, according to Hamdi, lies in the unshakeable determination of a people to resist oppression and claim their rights. This unyielding spirit, he cautioned, will ultimately prove the undoing of regimes that rely on coercion and force to maintain their grip on power.