From: awetnayu@hotmail.com
Date: Fri Jan 02 2009 - 16:07:02 EST
President George W. Bush and Governor Rod Blagojevich
Amanuel Biedemariam
What do they have in common? The nation desperately wants to see them out office, yesterday! They have the lowest approval ratings consistently, a record low on both cases. They have lost confidence of the public that elected them. Both are in denial that their time to be effective is behind them. There is a great deal of resentment for their ways, the way they handled their affairs in office, hubris and their defiant attitude in the face of public rejection. A disconnect with reality, lack of empathy and denial of the anguish, frustration and economic hardship the public is enduring.
But the most important thing they have in common is their power. With a stroke of a pen, the President and the Governor can decide the fate of millions! In addition, the President can wage wars and give other countries permission to wage wars. The case of the Gaza bombings by Israel on the Palestinians is an example and a clear indication of a desire to see it continued by the incoming administration.
In the case of Governor Blagojevich there appears to be mechanisms in place impede him. However, President George W. Bush can make decisions without the consent of the general public and congress. The President’s decisions impacts the work place, the environment, healthcare, economy, business environment, education and all aspects of the American life while providing little or no information to Americans or the media.
President Bush is also making decisions that will impact the life of millions of people around the world without scrutiny or public knowledge in the wee hours of a lame duck administration possibly with deadly consequences for years to come. The president is with in his rights to make these decisions but these are major policy decisions that need to be debated and worked out. However, they are not and they are mainly done to enhance legacy, further ideology and to tie the hands of the incoming administration with policy and notion that one who controls the past will control the future. In some cases it is punitive. It is an effective way of passing unwanted torch.
Generally there is awareness of a new decision giving some the opportunity to fight and reverse the decisions. Most of these last minute regulations and decisions could be reviewed even reversed by the incoming administration. However, when the decisions are foreign policy matters it carries a different weight. First, the impact is on the life of poor and unaware people in other countries. Secondly, the affected people and their countries have no way to fight or the ability to reverse the decisions.
Away from the view of American people and graced with blank-check of trust by Americans, President Bush made disastrous foreign policy decisions that hurt many millions around the world unnecessarily. Many lives have been lost, millions displaced, cultures and norms disrupted, wealth earned destroyed, social infrastructures disrupted, public institutions disbanded and medical and legal schools have been lost. Irreparable harm is done to many around the world. The world is dissatisfied about US foreign policies and as a result US public opinion is the lowest ever. The President handled US foreign policy and particularly African issues in the same manner he handled the US economy, Katrina, the mortgage crisis financial meltdown and the government, disastrously.
President Bush runs a process that lacks transparency, cohesiveness, focus, direction, creativity and fraught with bad decisions. The President’s key figure in Africa Dr. Jendayi E. Frazer failed American people by squandering opportunities to leave positive imprints for future US Africa relations and left a negative impression of the US by bullying and disrespecting Africans.
President Bush disregarded international laws, introduced a new system of imprisonment to circumvent US judicial process by rendition and by placing prisoners outside US judicial system. He basically did what he wanted regardless. He ignored international consensus to pursue ill conceived policy objectives, bullied countries, manipulated international organizations in a manner that will have repercussion for future US-international relations. He damaged US credibility, tainted the US Dollar and truly damaged US stature. By pushing allies away, President Bush allowed other powers like China to easily fill the void he created. But worst, after the world and the US rejected President Bush and his failed policies, after an election that gave the incoming administration a mandate for change; the President is making decisions that will certainly tie the hands of the incoming administration.
On Dec. 10, Enough Project released a press statement to oppose three key decisions in the Horn of Africa by the Bush Administration that will transfer a failed policy to the incoming Obama Administration. The US encouraged and assisted ill conceived evasion of Somalia by Ethiopian troops in 2006 destroying a relative stability that was brought about by Islamic Court Union in order to replace it by illegitimate government the TFG in order to serve US and Ethiopian interests at the cost of the Somalis. The Bush administration used the Terror threat as a pretext to invade Somalia and as a result untold thousands died in the hands of Ethiopian soldiers, Millions of Somalis are displaced, social-fabrics and infrastructures are destroyed. One of the worst crimes against humanity is being committed by Ethiopian troops with the help of US. Organizations such as the HRW are on record accusing the Ethiopian government for war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. This gave rise to the most radical elements in Somalia. And as a result, the US is in the process of trying to talk the very organization the US militarily ousted in 2006. These are the moderates that posed no threat to the US in the first place. And Ethiopian troops are escaping out of Somalia after terrorizing Somalis for two years.
The US policy on Africa in the Sudan, Somalia and the Horn in General is based on strategic long term outlook. It is aimed at controlling the vast resources, strategic trade -shipping location and control of the area. The US is deliberately encouraging the fragmentation of the area, weakening of nationalism and encourages dictatorships instead of democracy contrary to the wishes and efforts of the publics in the region. The US, while publicly claiming support for democratic governance, is encouraging anarchy by leaders that don’t represent the interests of the people in the countries. The Meles regime in Ethiopia and the TFG in Somalia can serve as the perfect example.
This is reprehensible and a sign of a very weak and short sighted policy that doesn’t represent the values of the US. It is unrealistic and impossible to attain. It will exasperate the cycle of violence, the humanitarian disaster and will be a reason for future global economic crisis. The area is a vast artery for world commerce and commercial shipping-lines from Suez Canal to the Indian-Ocean. It serves as a major rout for world oil supply from the Middle East and the Sudan.
The World that was conceived on the minds of Vice President Dick Cheney, and the Neo-Cons doesn’t exist. It dropped flat on its face. It was bloody, brutal and an extension of Hitler-esques approach to world governance. To pursue that attitude will further divide the world and create unnecessary hardship for the mothers and the suffering children of the area and the world. Therefore, the responsibility falls on the American public to be aware and in a position to act when and if needed based on American values and ethical standards. However, it is difficult if not impossible to bring change when there are no sources of information to educate the public. America can not expect to be spoon-fed news/information and expect a different result from elected officials when America can not give elected officials directions based on solid information and knowledge of the issues.
The current US media structure doesn’t give the American people the ability to learn what is taking place in different parts of the world and US role in it. In fact, and in a sad note, the media enables US policy makers to act in any which way they like without scrutiny and investigation. A complete change in attitude towards information must be put in place if America wants to take an active lead role in world matters, be effective, respected and viewed as fair handler of world issues. Unresolved, international issues will eventually show up on the doorsteps of America as witnessed by the demonstrations in the UK and many parts of the world as a result of the Israeli invasion of Gaza.
While the US media focuses on President Bush’s Legacy-Tours, the President and his Secretary of State are involved in major world matters around the world making decisions that affect millions. Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice made a last ditch effort and a rare personal effort for African related issue on Saturday Dec. 20th to help push for a ruling that would authorize the UN Security Council to chase the Somali Pirates inland. The face value of the outcome looks like a success but for those who follow the region, it is a sign of a failed strategy. Dr. Jenday E Frazer failed to get support and cooperation for her efforts because for a long time she did things her way regardless. As a result she lost a cooperative spirit so the heavy hitter Dr. Rice had to get involved. The US failed to have the sole ownership of the issues it desired. China immediately sent three war ships to Somali Waters (China to send warships to Somalia.) and the Russians are already involved as well as the EU.
To quote enough project co-Chair John Prendergast, “The Bush administration policy in Somalia has not only been ineffective, it has made the situation on the ground considerably worse. It is not too much to ask that the Bush team practice the maxim of ‘first, do no harm’ before they depart. The incoming Obama administration should have the chance to rethink Somalia policy, including its counter-terrorism dimensions, without having to react to a firestorm of bad ideas weeks before the inauguration.”
The US already stuck her neck out for the issues and invested heavily to achieve it own agenda by sending Ethiopian soldiers as mercenary’s. Enough Project and HRW are right to be concerned about the people of Somalia and the region. They are also right about not making last minute decisions about Eritrea. The people need respite from violence and opportunity to resolve their issues outside incompetent US Africa office headed by Dr. Jenday E. Frazer.
President Bush used and abused the “war on terror” to further an ill conceived hegemonic agenda to the point that it is totally discredited and questioned. Former British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said; the truth is there is no Islamic army or terrorist group called Al Qaida. And any informed intelligence officer knows this. But there is a propaganda campaign to make the public believe in the presence of an identified entity representing the 'devil' only in order to drive the TV watcher to accept a unified international leadership for a war against terrorism. Former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski told the Senate; “To justify the war on terror, the administration has lately crafted a false historical narrative that could even become a self-fulfilling prophecy.” Terrorized by 'War on Terror. This was an ill conceived policy dreamed by the Neo-Cons that found a day light after George W. Bush became the President with Dick Cheney as a Vice President. Their sole aim was to bring home the bacon no matter how. But that failed because it was not based on true US principles of freedom and democracy. Those ideals became a mere tool for their agendas. This was done in the belief that there is no super power that can challenge the US might at least for the near future and with the belief that the US can set world agenda according to George W. Bush. It flapped on his face with a shoe as a culmination point! The US presidency was disrespected in the worst possible way according to Mid-East cultures.
If America proceeds in the manner that it is at this juncture in its history with a blind faith as it regards to her foreign policy matters, the young generation will receive a diplomatic deficit worse than that of Social Security or the national debt. American needs to identify with the issues, understand the nuances and hold to account the current elected representatives who are supposed to be in charge of oversight. There is a need to follow up on their activities regarding the issues and challenge or support them as needed (feingold.senate.gov/record.) America needs to reevaluate presidential powers regarding foreign policy matters because the powers presidents currently have are too powerful to be left on the hands of presidents with propensity to gamble the future of young generation as George W Bush has. It is prudent and humane to trust but verify American national global interests and align it with the interests of others. America needs to be true to her values and standards and apply them equally to restore credibility and retake the leadership role she squandered as a result hubris and hegemonic belligerence.
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