20 January 2009

Today, Barack Obama writes a new chapter in the history of the USA as he is sworn in as the first black American President. Not only the Americans but people around the globe are looking at him with great expectations.

He busted the myth that no black could ever sit in the highest office in the leading democracy of the world, given the record of race history that the USA have had. Overnight he restored the slipping old time American dream that nothing is impossible in the United States of America and raised hopes around the world for a fairer, better treatment and opportunities for those who have been sidelined just because of the color of their skin.

At a time when his country is facing two wars and a faltering economy, Barack Obama's honeymoon with the oval office will be the shortest ever as he got to get back to the brass and tacks at hand in quick double time. Only a handful of times in the American history has a generation been confronted with challenges so vast.

Such enormous challenges will not be solved quickly. There will be false starts and setbacks, frustrations and disappointments. Obama had vowed to spend hundreds of billions of dollars to jolt the US out of a deepening recession.

Americans were confident Obama could turn the economy around and would give him enough time to deal with the problems he faces. Majorities said they did not expect real progress on the economy or ending the war in Iraq for at least two years.

Everybody should get out of the euphoria and get back to realities. There a lot of things to be done and a lot of things to be learned and not repeated.

Peace in the world cannot be achieved by forcing oneself onto others. Brute strength, show of power may make others subservient but create an atmosphere of false tranquility that could erupt at any time. It is mutual understanding and respect for human rights and freedom that could generate everlasting peace. The so called policemen or political and military leaders of the world should not take things for granted. There should be no compromise on human rights and freedom, especially of the small and helpless nations, when the leading political and military powers strike the balance between them.

Prosperity in the world can only be achieved when you enrich your neighbors. One should not only take but must also learn how to give. Leading world economies like the United States whilst having a major role of enriching the rest of the world should also learn from the past and not be rigid in their dogmas. The proponents of free markets should learn from the 2008 financial market collapse that there should be reasonable limits within which a market should operate less you trigger again another economic crisis like the current one.

The world in a sense is now practically borderless - politically, economically and socially. What happen in one corner of the world politically, economically or socially will be felt to some extent or another in the other parts. So Mr. Barack Obama, whilst congratulating you as the new  leader of the world’s leading economy and democracy,  we also have great expectations for you to lead the rest of the world along the road towards world peace and prosperity.