In any society or place where people congregate and chart or work or do commerce, there must be order. That is there is the need to have a leader to provide that order. Sometimes, society get it wrong in their quest for a leader, and they one who is more evil than they anticipate.
The human race is spread over five continents, Europe, Asia, Africa, South America and North America with a total population of about 7 billion. The world had also gone through a lot, kingdom after kingdoms, empire after empires, leaving behind a lot of history. We have heard a lot about the Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman and the British empires, and their monarchies - some of the stories left for the generations following left much to be desired, others were very good to follow.
Democracy, which emerged during the Greek times had been found to be the best way to govern a people. The Western European Societies championed it whiles the Eastern Block followed Russia's Communism and the rest of the world followed them. Now, communism had crumbled. United States compared to the rest of the world is a new nation but has risen to become a Super power. It has the largest economy in the world and is leading in both technology and industrialization. Almost the whole world looks up to America for solutions. United States practices democracy's best, and has also assumed the position of world leadership. Whether by design or by the ordinance of God, it is controlling the affairs of the world diligently and spreading democracy as well.
As Abraham Lincoln said during Gettysburg address on Nov.19, 1863, "Government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
Another one came from Theodore Roosevelt in 1910, "Our country means nothing unless it means the triumph of a real democracy."
A 3rd from Franklin D Roosevelt, "We must be the great arsenal of democracy." Dec.29,1940.
America has been the solution to many political problems and now bad leaders are scared to carry on their nefarious activities against humanity. Looking back from the 2nd World war, had it not been America, what would have been the outcome of the war? When Japan attacked the Chinese, Korea, and the US? When Adolf Hitler decided to destroy Europe killing 6million Jews? Let us not forget Bosnia and Kosovo where unarmed men, women and children were massacred and buried in mass graves. What about Iraq, when Saddam Hussein annihilated a whole township of the Kurdish people, and also set Kuwaiti's oil fields on fire? Let us talk about terrorist, how come a group of people hijack planes and end up killing everyone in the plane who had done nothing to the hijackers? Look at what is happening in Syria, where human beings are slaughtered as chicken?
I remember Africa, in the late 1970s, in Uganda where their own President, Idi Amin killed people like rats. Atrocities of these kind have reduced a bit because of America. Unscrupulous individuals or group will not kill innocent people and go unpunished.
Some disagree with the stand of the US, but I think it is for the good of the world to have a strong and powerful leadership like that of the US. This leadership comes with a cost. Thank you America.
Paul Duah's commentary on the global role of the US is a wonderfully stated explanation of the mysterious clockwork of American politics. As distracting as the political process can be, Mr. Duah has somehow managed to pinpoint the way we are seen and the protective sentiment behind it all, perhaps due to his advantaged perspective of the Nation.
ReplyDeleteHe calls to mind the great empires, and their collapses, and the lessons we take from them. By recognizing the US's position as a 'Super Power' the world looks to us for guidance. We as a nation must be sure that we are aware of this, and act accordingly, representing ourselves as best we can to those that might be watching. Increasingly so in this age of global transparency via the internet, our behavior is being seen and and our examples are followed by a much greater audience than we may intend.
Mr. Duah clearly is a well educated man, and his article represents this very well, as he peppers his argument with supporting events in the historical ideological process that brings his point to bear. A very well written and informative read, it has prompted me to investigate and follow his blog, Paul's Ideas on Politics. And you should too.