An intrusive power wielder

Dr S.M. Rahman

Never has USA been targeted for its unilateral arrogance as it has been lately. Just in one day’s local newspapers (November 10, 2009) one finds a barrage of criticisms being hurled on the USA’s global policies. On the occasion of leading the world leaders through the Brandenburg Gate - “the climax of ceremonies” marking 20 years since the Berlin wall tumbled down in 1989 - Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, a NATO ally, said without any diplomatic finesse and rather much too bluntly: “We Europeans are used to this. We have voluntarily given up many of our powers to Brussels and to the EU. But our American partners find it much more difficult to hand over powers to the International Monetary Fund or any other international organisation.” She added: “Germany has become used to accepting the will of the majority, even if it does not agree but this has not yet lodged itself in the American psyche.”
What obviously she intends conveying is that the so-called champion of democracy - USA - flouts its norms, typical of empire builders’ propensity to dominate the world. This attitudinal predisposition shall never build a “peaceful” world. What she explicitly deemed necessary was that the world needed a “multi-polar vision than which we have become accustomed.” A change is the imperative. This is what Obama very eloquently expressed in his presidential campaign, which was a major determinant of his victory, as it bore symbiotic relationship with the hopes and expectations of the people who catapulted him to the most prestigious position of presidentship of USA. Will he or will he not fulfil the ‘promise’, is the question. If the unipolarity hangover persists, the world shall look grim, rather grimmer. If cooperative global paradigm prevails, a civilised and decent order is likely to usher in. The global fate hangs in balance. Obama paid rich tributes to the people of East Germany who stood up against the oppressive regimes, on the occasion of the Berlin Wall demolition ceremony. But the reality is that USSR’s ouster from the global power made no difference. USA became as ‘oppressive’ in the post-Cold War, unipolar world which it inherited as was its rival, perhaps greater in magnitude. The Nation