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Imagine a world without the United States of America

Bhuwan Thapaliya - 2/13/2007

Critics of American foreign policy and most importantly of its troop’s presence in Iraq are found in ever nook and corner of this world. They worry that an influx of American troops threatens the soul of Iraq ’s sovereignty. They may be right but there are those too, who favor the presence of American troops in Iraq given the condition Iraq is now necessarily not because of American troops but because of the fierce communal rivalries sparked much further by those, who are fishing on the flooded water of Iraq.

Yet, it has been hard lately for anybody to turn on a television or open the pages of newspapers and magazines without being confronted by an authentic pounding against President Bush. These accusations are all devoted to his war on terror and the situation in Iraq , which they say is because of America .

The message is clear: Bush’s fight against terrorism has been manacled by the world for too long; only in America and that too among Bush’s private allies will it really be able to flex its muscles. But this is not the end of the story for America because though the view of the US ’s role in the world has deteriorated both internationally and domestically as suggested by the latest BBC poll; it has not lost the impetus from reaching its chosen objectives.

Beat the opponent in their own backyard. This is the credo of Mr. Bush, whom analysts describe as “one of the most stubborn U.S president”, waged war against the terrorism all over the world. And at least during these times, after the Sep 11, the terrorists are on the run, shifting their bases, reversing their gears, and most of the nations are now under the direct government control rather than lurking beneath the shadow of the extremists.

How much has really changed? Frankly speaking, it has changed but not that much. On one level, after the September 11, American public and the world bodies has left well alone for sometime, allowing Mr. Bush to track and hunt down the terrorists and their terror camps. He did reasonably well but when the clandestine news of Guantanamo bay and other secret CIA prisons were spotted, he was severally accused the world over for the violation of human rights.

But no nation discerns the human rights more than America . And likewise, no nation knows the art of war, than America . Considering this, publicizing some misdemeanors of American warriors will damage military morale, who are engaged all over the world, far from their home and family members to diffuse the international tensions

But this doesn’t mean that the American soldiers, those accused of crimes against the humanity should be forgiven. They should be brought into justice but it also doesn’t mean that the suspected criminals of the Guantanamo bay and other secret prisons should be given amnesty. They also should be brought into trial. Or else the efforts of the American soldiers and its intelligence will sop in vain.

Meanwhile, America ’s fight against the terrorism is still going on and they say the terrorists are on the run. But critics say America must stop tracking down the terrorists by putting the sovereignty of the sovereign nation at stake. But and a big but. How can America sit back and relax when world’s most brutal terrorist networks are crawling on its doorsteps? America cannot relax and nor can it adopt the principle of its armed forces staying strictly at home. Such a stay at home approach to national security cannot help America defend itself from the newest threats.

Yes, this is the truth. Though the truth is sour, Mr. Bush has nonetheless failed in Iraq and this has nailed his political coffin and has diminished the American fan following all over the world. Analysts say, no matter how many troops he introduces in Iraq , he can do little to control one of the factors most crucial for the success of the war: the heart of the public. Many analysts expect the situation to deteriorate further in the coming days simply because more troops mean more confrontation in the Iraqi soil. They are right, but their prediction necessarily may not come true in Iraq because more troops mean more power to curb the acts of insurgency in Iraq too.

Nonetheless, instead of accusing America and cursing it, let’s give America a constructive criticism and let us see America from another perspective. For instance, had it not been for America than Kuwait would have lost its sovereignty to Iraq . Had it not been for America , then Afghanistan would have suffered years and years of Taliban dictatorship. Had it not been for America , then Saddam would have continued his atrocities in Iraq . Had it not been for America , Iran , Syria , North Korea , and other nations, would have developed and tested the nuclear weapons at will, and would have totally unbalanced the regional equilibrium.

Yes, America has a key, if not a most important role to play in the world. America is anti- terrorist, anti- extremist, anti- dictatorship but it certainly is not anti- democracy and anti- humanity. It respects democracy and the humanity. I know, considering this you would say, if it is anti- dictatorship then why it has supported the Pakistani Military Chief, .well, because it has no option but to support the president who is with America in her fight against the terrorism, mainly al Qaeda. But it is just a matter of time, before Pakistan will yet again be democratic because democracy cannot remain in isolation forever as exemplified by its neighbor Nepal .

And there are others who call Mr. Bush, a terrorist number one. My question to them is, if Mr. Bush, the democratically elected President of the United States is a terrorist then who the hell is Bin Laden, is he the soldier of humanity? Who the hell was Saddam Hussein? Who the hell are these terrorists and their masterminds? Who the hell are these extremists? Moreover, the thing I am finding it difficult to understand is this, whenever a terrorist commits brutal acts of crime, then that incident is linked with the Bush administration. And whenever there are acts of insurgency in Iraq , America comes under uncomfortable focus.

Why is this happening? Instead of condemning the terrorist acts, the critics are leaving no stones unturned to denounce America and her foreign policy. Those who loathe terrorism, sense conspiracy behind all this.

Well, if protecting America and trying to snare out the world from the cob web of terrorism is walking against the humanity and in their terms, an act of American oppression, then please define what terrorism really is. Mr. Bush is doing everything for America and the world. If he had wanted then he would have protected America only and would have indulged himself only in the domestic matters but he decided to move out and hunt the rabbits down.

There is one verity though. Against a determined terrorist there is little anyone can do. But it is always worth marching ahead with a resolute heart to disband the terror networks than sitting back and waiting for the prey in our own backyard. That thought, and memories of September 11, pentagon and twin towers destroyed by the terrorists, thousands killed and brutally maimed by the terrorists all over the world, culture of hate initiated by the extremists and the religious fanatics will never overshadow Mr. Bush and his fight against the terrorism, no matter how brutal they were and may be at times.

Let me put it this way. What Mr. Bush is doing is right but some of the paths, he has chosen to achieve his goals are wrong. I support him firmly in his war against terrorism. Terrorists must be given no excuses. They must be tracked and brought before the justice. But am with the world, when it comes to his war in Iraq . He should have left Iraq to the Iraqis. Poor president, he would have done so. Communal integrity is not much of a problem as it is often hyped by the media in Iraq . Sunni and Shia has love – hate relationship and it is only a matter of time, before they patch up, but unfortunately, the Iranian militia and al- Qaeda operating from Iraq spoiled his party.

It is not the Iraqis, who are fighting with the American soldiers. The terrorists hiding behind the communal masks and religion are fighting with American troops. Ordinary Iraqis wants to live in peace and they have no problem with the United States of America . True, the situation in Iraq is deteriorating and now, it is one of the most unsafe places in the whole world. But who is the culprit? Surely, America is to blame but it is not enough to point finger at the U.S only.

America is only a scapegoat in Iraq . The real enemies are extremists and those religious fanatics dancing to the tunes of Iran , Syria and al Qaeda. And most importantly, Iraqi good neighbors and the Arab world, even those keen to keep America engaged are unhappy at the thought of America playing a bigger military role in Iraq . Even their actions must be scrutinized if America is to bring stability in Iraq .

But having said so, I again repeat, America must leave Iraq , and I reckon it will do so in future. But time line must be set before it pulls itself out from Iraq . Nonetheless, considering the current situation is Iraq today is not the time to leave Iraq all alone. May be tomorrow, perhaps. And moreover, what is the guarantee that Iraq will resemblance the state of law and order when America leaves? It is far from certain.

Whatsoever, stop accusing America for everything that has been going on all around the world, from Afghanistan to Iraq , and from Kenya to Somalia . Imagine a world without the United States . Those who advocate this would surely say , there would not have been Afghanistan or Iraq war but I would say , then there would not have been Kuwait either.

Considering this, though they accuse America of provoking more conflict than actually preventing it. America still has a positive role to play in the world. Stop accusing the United States of America because without U.S there would be no “Global Equilibrium.”