It’s sad that the United States of America is being turned into an object of ridicule in most countries except for India
On February 28, 2026, the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ elementary school in Minab, Iran, was destroyed by a missile strike, killing 175 to 180 people, primarily schoolgirls. Investigations by various news organisations indicate the school was hit three times, with the US Armed Forces suspected of being responsible. PIC/AFP
This column is usually dedicated to documenting the many ways in which Bombay is becoming one of the world’s most liveable cities. This time around, however, I wanted to pause and spare a thought for a place that isn’t getting the kind of amazing publicity we have long grown used to: the United States of America. For those paying attention, it doesn’t appear to be doing so well these days, and I couldn’t help worrying about it.
When I was little, in an era before colour television or Wikipedia, the USA was looked upon as the promised land by my friends and neighbours. It was a place many wanted to settle in, attracted by the long-running ‘American Dream Advertising Campaign’ and its promise of prosperity. It was thought of as a country where the world’s most honourable Caucasian men and women gathered to reinvent the wheel and make everything better. But that was then, and I think a lot of us can see how that view has shifted in recent years. That once golden glow has started to give way to something dull and rusted.
When I compare that optimistic period with the disgust now directed towards the US by most places except Punjab, Gujarat or Hyderabad, I can’t help wondering why and how things came to this. What could the reason be, I ask: was it the constant interference in affairs of other countries? The wars? Economic bullying? All-pervasive racism? The chokehold of a powerful gun lobby? I couldn’t come up with just one explanation that fit. And then, a few weeks ago, America was accused of violating humanitarian law just because missiles reportedly destroyed a girl’s primary school in Iran. Around 150 children died, prompting millions of people online to call it a bloodthirsty nation without proof.
I understand that one other country involved in this war can never be called out, of course, but it still felt unfair to lay the blame at America’s doorstep just because the missiles were American. Do we call our ministers murderers just because they have been accused of killing people? Where is one to draw the line? Also, given that a far larger number of children have been murdered in West Asia with impunity over the past couple of years with no accountability, I couldn’t help wondering if this hate was being manufactured. It started to feel as if the US was being picked upon by jealous, insecure forces.
It’s easy to refer to America as a country obsessed with war just because it has been involved in approximately 237 military conflicts and has engaged in over 100 foreign military interventions over its short history. But just because a country has a pathological need to invade other places or interfere with how they are run does not mean it is controlled by the mentally ill.
It appalled me that critics could use mere facts and figures to attach an inappropriate label to a country that has been such a strong ally to India over the past decade and a half. Just this month, for instance, the White House kindly gave India permission to buy Russian oil after forbidding it a while ago. The Americans are also actively promoting the growth of India’s tech sector by compelling thousands of Indian engineers to give up their H1B visas and return. If we sit by and do nothing to counter this false narrative against them when they need all the positive endorsements they can get, what does it say about us?
Since when have India’s politicians been ashamed to embrace foreign leaders just because they are referred to as war criminals? How can we forget the courage shown by the Prime Minister just weeks ago when he publicly embraced another beleaguered Prime Minister?
My belief is that all this negativity can be countered by building the right narratives. People need positive stories to make them change their minds about something awful, and this is where Indian expertise can make all the difference. I hope senior members of the US administration turn to India for advice on turning the tide of public opinion. We have a history of transforming bad press into examples of good governance, and I’m sure the Americans can learn useful lessons on how the murder of innocent people need not lead to ostracisation.
Donald Trump and his band of god-fearing men probably don’t know that, in India, it’s possible for someone to oversee a massacre and still win an election.
When he isn’t ranting about all things Mumbai, Lindsay Pereira can be almost sweet. He can be contacted at www.lindsaypereira.com
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The views expressed in this column are the individual’s and don’t represent those of the paper.
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