Obama in India: End of the Suspense

The suspense has ended: President Barack Obama championed the candidacy of India to a seat as a permanent member of the Security Council, if there is a reform in the United Nations. Up until now, no American executive chief has so openly displayed his preference, even if certain ones had come to leave the impression, indirectly, that they approve granting the key to one of their two most reliable allies: Germany and Japan.

This announcement, made during the tour that Obama pursued in this region of the world, irritated the Chinese authorities so much that it evidently delighted their Indian counterparts. As the great regional rival of New Delhi, Beijing is certainly going to strongly oppose the eventual introduction of India into the Saint of Saints. All the more so as the White House spokesperson justified his choice while stressing, among other things, the democratic advances achieved, and therefore the new responsibilities that lie with the Indian subcontinent. What else? In revealing his preference for India, Obama hopes to erase the last traces of the period during which India was one of the leaders of the non-aligned countries.

This being so, it is written in the sky that this de facto rejection of Japan and Germany is going to considerably hit the actual rulers of these nations. Over the last 10, 20, 30 years, their predecessors got a seat in the United Nations without ever managing to convince U.N. members. One must know that all reforms of “the thing,” to recall the words of De Gaulle, must be supported by two-thirds of the members in question.

In addition to Germany and Japan, the big disappointment, if it isn’t the biggest disappointment, is the Hispanic world in general and Spain in particular. Some 10 years ago, with the Spanish GDP per capita more or less close to that of Canada, Madrid began, behind the curtains (it goes without saying), a campaign on the following theme: In international organizations and notably within the G-7, there is an overrepresentation of Anglo-Saxon nations and thus an underrepresentation of the Hispanic world.

One knows little, too little, that the Spanish had gone as far as to suggest replacing Canada in the G-7 with Spain if the others refused the addition of another nation. Good. Since then, the G-7 has been enlarged to G-20. It remains that the Spanish position, as well as that of the South American countries that joined it, says a lot about the offensive of those who consider themselves hurt, and with reason, in the matter.

In siding with India, Obama also confirms the little interest that he has for the European Union. With the members of the latter struggling to agree about subjects that are not small, one can understand.