Is This the US Election or … ?

The news about the U.S. presidential election makes it appear as if this were not an American election, but rather one in a developing country where the democratic systems and institutions are weak, elections are usually rigged and the transfer of power becomes an issue. Over the past 150 years, the United States has emerged as a world superpower. During the Cold War, when the United States was the leader of the free world and the Soviet Union was a pioneer of communism, the United States championed of democracy, free elections, democratic values, civil liberties and freedom of the press. Countries across Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East have always considered the United States a defender of democratic values. Over the last 70 years, the United States has intervened in many developing countries to promote democracy, civil liberties and freedom of expression, including removing leaders who imposed dictatorial policies. The United States is viewed as a symbol of freedom and democracy in the world.

In the run-up to the 2020 presidential election, some narratives have been established that are incompatible with the United States’ democratic process. President Donald Trump has taken the position from the beginning that this election will be rigged and will not be transparent, and because of that he will sue to get the actual results. He has formed a team of legal experts to fight the battle in court. We have also heard Trump say he will not leave the White House. No American president has ever taken such a position. This is the attitude of rulers in countries with weak democratic systems and weak democratic values. No one in the United States expected this kind of reaction. President Trump’s attitudes and policies have been controversial since he was elected in 2016. He announced that he would tighten immigration laws in the United States and made several statements against Muslims, which mostly pleased white supremacists. Trump’s policies have also shown that he favors white supremacy in the United States. During his presidency, George Floyd was killed by the police. This led to violent riots in the United States when members of the Black minority realized that they were being treated unfairly, their civil rights were being usurped and their lives and property were not being protected. Racial prejudice has risen under Trump.

As far as Muslims are concerned, Trump has openly supported Israel, including moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which seriously offended Muslims. His son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his associates forged agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates as well as Bahrain and Sudan, upsetting the Palestinian people and setting back the Palestinian right to self-determination.

Trump’s foreign policy has not helped the United States much either. The trade war with China didn’t produce any major economic or trade advantage for the United States. There is a sense in the world that President Trump has started another Cold War. On the [Indian] subcontinent, he has made India and Modi his allies and begun to seduce a fascist ruler whose hands are stained with the blood of Muslims. In the Indian Ocean and the Pacific, he formed a new alliance to humiliate China in which India played a key role. In the face of China’s hostility, President Trump has begun empowering India’s military through a recent defense deal between the two countries, which has created imbalance in the region. Trump’s domestic and foreign policies have deeply troubled the American people and countries around the world. The policies he implemented after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in his own country were astonishing. He did not fully inform the American people about the dangers of the virus. What did he think about the virus? American journalist Bob Woodward describes this in his book “Rage.” Because of Trump’s policies, millions of Americans have died from COVID-19 and millions more have become infected. Even before the presidential election, political analysts and pundits said it would be very difficult for Trump to win reelection. His opponent, Joe Biden and the Democratic Party, criticized his domestic policies, especially his strategy for dealing with the coronavirus, and his thoughts on white supremacy. His political opponents have also accused him of dividing the United States. Some senior Republican leaders have accused Trump of incompetence and called him unfit for office. These were all factors that made it impossible for Trump to win. Perhaps he also realized that he would not be reelected. Trump’s attitude in this election does not seem like that of any other American president. It seems as if this election is taking place in a country where democracy and the democratic system are foreign concepts, where elections are rigged on a large scale basis, and the transfer of power turns violent. Now, we’re reading that supporters of both candidates are appearing armed at polling stations. It is feared that there may be armed clashes that could result in the loss of life after the defeat of a single candidate is announced. One usually sees this kind of scene in countries where democracy is a foreign concept.