Obama personifies ‘Change’
Gen Mirza Aslam Beg
Obama emerged on the global arena with the courtesy of the media and the
negative contributions and poor image of Bush and his team. He was not a
popularly known figure, nor he was known for his statesmanship, or his
extraordinary intellect, that were the hallmark of great breed of
Presidents, who made America a bastion of hope for the oppressed people
of the world.
His triumph also does not signal the end of prejudice that goes with the
colour of the individual - black, white or brown. It shall linger, on
but perhaps with lesser intensity and violence. Abraham Lincoln was a
visionary who initiated measures to uproot slavery nearly hundred and
forty years ago. Martin Luther Jr. unfolded the ‘dream he dreamt’, forty
years ago, to eliminate the scourge of racial discrimination and laid
down his life for the cause. All these had incremental effect but
discrimination will not vanish because in this age of globalization, he
is a perfect Global brid. He is an American and also a Kenyan; a
Christian as well as a Muslim; a Black and also a White, and he will
occupy the white House, for the first time in the US history. A perfect
blend, for an achiever, to change the destiny of his people and restore
global peace.
The democrats now have majority in the Senate and the House of
Representatives, and it will help facilitate Obama in achieving his
‘mission,’ but he will face strong opposition, within the country. For
instance, the Zionist lobby will be a great neutralizing factor and
pro-Israel policies will be vigorously pursued. India has emerged as a
wielder of much influence in the US policies and the inclusion of
Afghanistan into the geographical orbit of South Asia, as against its
legitimate location in Central Asia, was to have India as a surrogate
power to play its role in the region, just as Israel was to project the
interests of USA in the Middle East. The Military Industrial Cartel,
will continue to act, as a drag on Obamas peace initiatives, as it had
restricted Eisenhower, to establish a new peace paradigm, after World
War II.
The most serious challenge Obama encounters, is to rescue the economy
which has been shattered due to the jingoistic ambitions of Bush, which
Bill Clinton had so assiduously strengthened to augment USA’s economic
power, to match with its military prowess. The US citizens, by and
large, are inward looking and for them what matters is economic
resilience, job opportunities, health-care and old age benefits. Obama’s
policy of change, therefore must first of all permeate into the economic
health of the country, which requires curtailment of massive financial
burden of ‘imperialistic’ ventures’ to dominate the world through
military means. There are nearly seven hundred military out posts around
the globe, to project American power and influence, entailing colossal
economic wastage, whereas the world has undergone an attitudinal
transformation and a new ethos has emerged, where the propensity to rule
over the world is being detested. The days of colonial subordination and
the loot and plunder of their resources are the remnants of the 19th
century.
After World War II many colonised countries including a number of Muslim
countries were liberated. There are few who are still struggling for
freedom. Some are occupied, who tend to tenaciously hold on to their
sovereignty no matter what price they have to pay. And to curb such
movements of freedom, excessive military force has been used, with the
result that only in the four Muslim countries – Afghanistan, Iraq,
Pakistan and Iran – in the last twenty five years human bloodshed has
taken a heavy toll of over five million lives. Such brutality at that
mega level defies all humanistic norms and invites the natural
resistance from those who are being brutalized. Jean Paul Sartre,
rightly said: “When the rich wage war, it is the poor who die.”
Despite all the orgy of death and destruction, USA has not achieved
anything except the humiliation of defeat in Iraq and Afghanistan. How
to extract USA out of the quagmire without losing face, is the challenge
which Obama will have to dexterously resolve. The future is ripe for
renunciation of the culture of aggression, terrorism, violence and
domination. Persuasion and dialogue are the respectable means of
resolving conflicts. Military means have their limitations. For
instance, after Israel’s defeat in Lebanon the design for ‘Greater
Israel’ has come to an ignonimous end and a marked strategic shift of
USA towards India with a role in South Asia and Afghanistan. Therefore
an even handed policy of USA, can be a precursor of peace in the region.
The contentious issue of Kashmir must be resolved. It is heartening to
know that Bill Clinton has been entrusted to accomplish this mission.
Once the problem of Kashmir is resolved, a paradigm of peace and
economic interdependence will help reduce the scourge of poverty, in
which millions are languishing in this ghetto of the world called South
Asia.
It would be a big step forward if USA abandons the cold war policy of
confrontation and lends its hand of cooperation to China and Russia, to
help the cause of peace. Similarly Israel has come to realize that the
policy of terror and brute power, has not achieved anything and the
problem of Palestine has to be honourably settled. Obama may prove a
catalyst in this respect. What is intended to convey is, that Palestine
and Kashmir are the two main impediments to peace and need to be
dealt-with on priority. ‘Terrorism’, cannot be wiped out through counter
terrorism. In this respect China has set a very sagacious global peace
paradigm into operation based on three fundamental principles - peace,
cooperation and engagement, as the imperative for global peace and
well-being. A similar approach must be followed in dealing with the
people of the tribal areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan. There is a
realization among the military commanders of USA and NATO that dialogue
with Mullah Omer would be the best option under the present chaotic
situation in Afghanistan. USA has to evolve a strategy to pull out
forces from Afghanistan as soon as possible. The policy of ‘surge and
pre-emptive strikes’ will be counter productive and dangerous. Pakistan
is facing serious economic problems, and help may be forthcoming on the
specific conditions that it lends full cooperation to oust the militants
from the tribal areas, which would be a self-defeating demand. The
present government of Pakistan, also carries the baggage of NRO and will
swallow the bitter pill of US demands and their military operations,
inside Pakistan’s territory, blatantly violating its sovereignty. This
policy must change. Obama is the symbol of the down trodden people of
the world. He will have the real opportunity of improving USA’s image,
in South Asia in particular, using his political acumen and the resolve
for change.
Obama radiates hope and there is a sense of relief among the war ravaged
countries, suffering massive human rights violations. The US citizens
are also fed up with Bush’s policy of global domination through military
means. Obama may pay heed to the opinions of the American defense
analysts, who say that “America cannot win the war in Afghanistan”- a
situation which demands change in policy but unfortunately there is an
“intellectual blockade”, which has kept out Ideas that could strengthen
homeland security. No doubt, “the US has the world best universities and
attracts the world’s finest minds. It dominates discoveries, in science
and medicine. Its wealth and power depend on the application of
knowledge, yet a genuine intellectual elite, like the neo-cons has
managed to pitch the political conflict, as battle between America and
the rest of the world.” It is the ‘Soft Image’ of America, which is the
prime need of time. Obama has a great humanitarian task to accomplish,
to achieve his mission transcending the depressing and the morbid world
Bush has crated. If peace is to be the destiny of the world – Obama may
emerge as a President like Jefferson and Wilson. |
