A Path to Change or Laying Foundations of Hegemony?

The world impatiently awaits the day George Bush leaves the presidency of the United States. It doesn’t hide its optimism at Barack Obama’s coming to the White House.

The world’s governments condemn President Bush’s unilateralist policies to deal with international issues, and hope that Obama will implement policies of international inclusion to solve these issues.

Peoples of the world detest the opportunistic methods the Bush administration adopted to carry out an international agenda. They hope that Obama’s team will show credibility and transparency in setting priorities to the issues that the international community should seek to provide solutions. The countries of the world reject Bush’s devotion to using military instruments to deal with current and future strategic threats the U.S. might face, and from continuing to use military force or threatening to use it. They welcome an end to the language of security concerns. They welcome the reasonable use of military action and working to employ the capabilities of the American army to support democracy, maintain world stability and avoid the spread of violence.

The peoples of the world expect many differences between Obama and his predecessor Bush. Countries in different geographic and political areas rush to place responsibility for change on the president-elect, after he promised change as an election slogan and still appears to hold onto it. The hopes of nations and governments of the world in respect to the changes that Obama’s presidency might bring are achievable, as Obama’s ideas that America can change are also achievable.

Each side’s expectations are valid, except that carrying them out requires Washington to elucidate the nature of its leadership role, and the important and concerned nations should take the initiative in assuming their responsibilities in the framework of basic participatory relations with the U.S.