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Lessons
US poll offers Lanka Even the most ardent Bush fan will admit that the US President is not the best loved outside the shores of that sub-continent.Two of Sri Lanka's senior world affairs commentators, Thalif Deen ( in New York ) and Neville de Silva ( in London ) make their observations on the outcome of this week's US Presidential elections on page 14 of this issue respectively. CNN's senior international affairs correspondent Christiane Amanpour refers to the US President as “stupendously unpopular " outside his country. In West Asia, the moderates were deeply disappointed, while the extremists drew vicarious delight on the basis that another four years was what America needed to reap the whirlwind Bush has sown. And the message of al-Qaeda's patron saint Osama bin-Laden on the eve of the elections that a victory for the incumbent President would mean that the American people are now culpable for the atrocities committed in Iraq and elsewhere in the Islamic world is enough to send shivers down anyone's spine. In any election, each voter has just one vote - to vote on multiple issues. To consider the Bush victory a referendum on his foreign policy cannot be the case. Many analysts say that he targeted the US voters' religious core. He connected with faith and social values, perhaps making them overlook negatives on his Iraq policy, the economy and jobs. For him to have carried the state of Ohio where job-loss was severe is the classic example. Only the liberal states on the coast picked his opponent. The Republicans were better organised and had more money to spend on an election that is estimated to have cost US $ 3.4 billion. But ultimately President Bush fell back on America's conservative roots and whipped up religion to win. There are lessons to be learnt from the US elections. However bitterly contested and acrimonious, there was no violence. Everyone got up the next morning as Americans, of one deeply divided, but helluva proud nation. That's what the winning candidate said, that's what the loser said. There are many other exemplary lessons. For instance, the fixed term of office for a President. Look what's happening in Sri Lanka now. A President has been re-elected and officially sworn-in before the nation. A secret oath-taking ceremony is supposed to have taken place some months later and is now being considered the official one, so that the President can have another year in office. As we said in these columns last week, it was not for Sri Lanka to back either candidate. Bi-partisanship on all sides is paramount. The fact that many Sri Lanka supporters won re-election to the US Senate and as Governors is a positive sign for US — Sri Lanka relations. Our ties with the new US Congress are good and provide a strong platform to solidify the partnership. Our relations with the Republicans and Democrats at all levels must be maintained for an enduring relationship with that mega-power. There is however the need for Sri Lanka not to under-perform. The Bush Administration wants strong allies, and they will do anything for you then. In the current context, they want Sri Lanka to perform, both on the economic front and on the peace process. There is no need for Sri Lanka to abandon its traditional solidarity with the economically poor nations of this world, and back the US view on the world economic order, nor compromise on its sovereignty for the sake of jump-starting the peace process. But aimlessly doing nothing about anything, with no substantive policy towards either, is not going to win US support. Meanwhile, President Chandrika Kumaratunga is now in India, with hardly any proper notice given to the public as to the status of her visit. This may seem a trifling matter but Sri Lanka is a functioning democracy and such proprieties should be observed. Like in the case with the US, Sri Lanka's new friendship thrust with India ought to be based on a firm, equal status partnership. This may evoke a smirk considering the relative muscle of the US or India compared to puny Sri Lanka, but if we are a sovereign nation, we should conduct our external relations as one. There is suddenly an increasing belief that there is an overwhelming Indian economic presence in Sri Lanka. Friendship with India is unquestionable. But get too close and you can hear the breathing down your neck. It may be our small nation complex, but you can hear it, nevertheless. |
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