Monday, June 19, 2006

This is not the first !!

This is not the first time, i have read or come across this view or opinion. Most people inside the US and outside the US, that i have spoken to, have a similar opinion. Most dont necessarily believe that US threatens world peace, but many surely believe that US should pay more attention to its internal affairs and stop meddling with affairs of the world.

I for one, particularly think that the US adopted this policy from its mother country, England. And did well to surpass the power of the Empire, where the 'sun doesnt set', and went about slowly but steadily taking over old assets of United Kingdom after the WWII. I am not attributing an sinister design, but i think the colonial and imperialist attitudes are far from gone.

From the very beginning all wars has been about trade and access to trade. If the British used Indian soldiers to fight its wars across the globe, the US simply converted locals to fight its war on its behalf. To a great extend, the spread of democracy across the globe, is more to do with the fall of the colonial powers after the WWII, than to do with any goodwill on the 'Allied Forces' to liberate these countries. Of course, the capitalist society and its proponents figured that it is easier to colonize a country or region, by controlling its resources or access to resources than actually controlling the society and its people. The latter brought with it a set of responsibilities that imposed burden on the powers that be.

It is interesting that the US has come a full circle from being viewed as liberators of Europe from the clutches of the 'communist power', and a proponent of democracy and freedom, is now viewed as a threat to the same. This perception across the globe is rather a new, and i think, Bush and his cronies have to take full credit for this.

It is also very surprising, when you look at this hawkish US policy and compare it with its people, who are no different from any other on this earth. Of the many different societies in the world, i am led to believe that the people in the US are the most mislead by their own Government. I think it is because in its interest to  fight for world peace  (read access to world trade/resources),  the US Govt has helped the people around the world, in accessing information, but has denied the same to its people.

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | US seen as a bigger threat to peace than Iran, worldwide poll suggests

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