Wednesday, August 8, 2012

BARACK OBAMA

Obama’s mysterious Asian policies seem more conspiratorial than what meets the eye. Is his current silence an omen? Managing Editor Sutanu Guru investigates expected future US policies towards Asia in this issue of B&E

Till the later part of the 20th century, America tacitly stifled democracy in much of Asia because it did not want anti-American Communist regimes to come to power. In this day and age, it is stifling democracy because it does not want anti-American Islamic regimes to come to power. But by doing that, it is actually encouraging the culture of jihad to flourish because citizens have not much else to look forward to.

The defining moment and test for Obama will not be economic engagement and managing the rise of China and India. It will be his and his administration’s willingness to let Iraqis vote freely in an election that could end up electing a regime that is not pro-American. If he can do that, Obama will surely be remembered in history as the agent of change. If not, the dynamics of Asia will drown his poetic rhetoric.


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