Is the World Ready for Change At Last?

Eric S. Margolis

10 November 2008

Americans are still euphoric after the historic victory last week of Senator - and now, president-elect - Barack Obama. In spite of mounting a gallant fight, Sen. John McCain and his embarrassingly ignorant running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin, were crushed at the polls.

The once mighty Republicans have been reduced to a party of uneducated rural dwellers in the Deep South and farm belt and a rightwing religious movement of Protestant evangelicals.
The election was an amazing triumph for Obama, but his honeymoon will be brief. He inherits a nation mired in bankruptcy caused by an orgy of reckless borrowing and criminal fraud.

Obama’s victory, and the Democratic control of House and Senate, offer him a unique opportunity to resolve some of America’s most vexing foreign problems. His first step should be to demilitarise US foreign policy by taking policy-making away from the Pentagon and returning it to the State Department. Next:

Resurgent Russia

The Kremlin greeted Obama’s victory with warnings over Georgia and Ukraine, and plans to deploy missiles in its Kaliningrad enclave to counter the Bush administration’s anti-missile system in Poland and the Czech Republic.

America’s most important national security challenge is not Osama bin Laden or Iraq, but relations with Russia, which has thousands of nuclear warheads targeted on the US.
Bush and Cheney enraged and provoked Russia with their foolish anti-missile plan, and their backing of Georgia’s attack on South Ossetia which was designed to boost McCain’s electoral chances.

Obama should terminate the useless anti-missile programme, tell Georgia to settle down, and renew President Dwight Eisenhower’s calls for worldwide nuclear disarmament.

Ukraine will be the next crisis. Washington and Moscow must work out an agreement that guarantees Ukraine’s continued independence but avoids making it a NATO spear pointed at Russia’s heart. NATO forces must move away from Russia’s borders.

China Challenge

Managing China’s emergence as a new world power is the second most important US foreign policy issue. Washington must gracefully accept this fact and end Republican fantasies of a future war with China.

In Step with Iraq - Obama should accelerate his pledge to remove US troops from Iraq. Let the Arab League assume security responsibility. Bankrupt Washington can’t afford the $10 billion monthly occupation of Iraq.

Powwow with Palestinians

The Palestine-Israel conflict generates much of the anti-Western violence coming from the Muslim world. Obama should throw his weight behind Israel’s centre and left parties who support a genuine land for peace deal.

However, Middle East peace is unlikely without direct US intervention and pressure. Failing this, and continued American support for undemocratic regimes in the region, the conflict with the Muslim world will continue to bedevil US foreign policy and national security.

But there are strong signs Obama’s policy towards the Muslim world may not be very different than those of George Bush. Obama has pledged allegiance to the US Israeli lobby and accepted its most extreme positions. His new chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, is an ardent pro-Israel neoconservative.

The Afghan Angle

Obama fails to understand the deep tribal complexities of the Afghan War. He vows to send more troops and even attack Pakistan. Obama should listen to senior officers who say the war cannot be won militarily but only through negotiations that include Taleban and its allies. It’s urgent to end this unnecessary war before it further destabilises nuclear-armed Pakistan.

North Korea’s Nukes

Obama’s call for direct talks with these two problem nations was wise. Both eagerly await a show of respect from America, and assurances they will not be attacked.

Europe

Europe is joyous over Obama’s victory and expecting improved relations. Washington should treat the EU as an equal and partner, not a subordinate. The US has a lot to learn from the EU, which is far ahead of America in human rights and social issues.

An Obama administration should swiftly shut Guantanamo Bay gulag, improve relations with Latin America, and end the shameful blockade of Cuba.

But hopes for more sensible, mature US foreign policy will be immediately challenged by Washington’s mighty special interests like the military-industrial-petroleum complex, Israel lobby, auto industry, and farm lobby.

Obama faces Bush’s mess and other grave problems. But not since the days of another new president John F. Kennedy, has the world’s heart been so open and filled with good feelings for the United States of America.

Eric S MargoFlis is a veteran American journalist and contributing foreign editor of The Toronto Sun

source : http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/opinion/2008/November/opinion_November40.xml&section=opinion&col=