Bush Becomes Captive of Transnational Corporations

The current world oil price has surpassed $140 U.S. per barrel. Of course, one of the most important factors is the excessive depreciation of the dollar. However, beyond the depreciation of the dollar, this phenomenon also reflects a weak U.S. government. After the Chinese government announced that its domestic oil and electricity prices had increased on June 19th, the 20th Beijing “Huanqiu News” (Global Times) immediately published a front-page article–“The Price Rise is not Accidental–China Weighs In Repeatedly to Adjust the International Energy Trends.” The article pointed out that China’s oil price adjustment immediately caused international oil prices to decrease by US$3.00. Domestic Chinese scholars believe that this is a difficult decision to make. China’s economy will maintain its rapid growth. The article was smooth and thorough, but it showed only the Chinese mindset and lacked international perspective, with which most readers are comfortable , and which they prefer to read.

Oil Price Reflects a Weak U.S. Government

The main problem that a high oil price reflects is the weak U.S. government. As long as large multinational corporations and Congress are not opposed to the American presence in Iraq and the long-term strategic power there is preserved, all the other issues can be disrupted by multinational corporations, including the manipulation of international oil prices. Even U.S. senators in Congress have questioned the multinational oil companies in a hearing and bluntly asked, “Have you earned enough?”. The country now needs another party to lead.

After 9/11, the United States launched the Iraq war, swiftly occupying the country, and propping up a government that most benefits the U.S. But, how has the U.S. government, the world’s largest and most powerful, become vulnerable?

A blog article on the site of Taiwan’s “United Daily News” has a very interesting point of view. It was entitled “More and More Europeans Start Looking Down Upon the United States.” The article points out that no matter how proud the Europeans were of themselves before, they always respected the American value of openness and democracy. Plus, American culture is omnipresent and has an “all-pervasive” impact on European life.

As a defeated nation after World War II, Germany has always been afraid of the fact that American culture is all-inclusive. After 9/11, as all Europeans did, Germany firmly stood on the U.S. side and joined the anti-terrorism front. However, Germany did not expect that the U.S. government’s anti-terrorist operation plan was to launch one war after another. It has been half a century since the Germans started soul-searching–most Germans today have a long abhorrence to war–and the U.S., unexpectedly, has continued wars, ignoring this abhorrence.

For Bush’s last visit to Europe, the cover of the German media authority “Der Spiegel” magazine showed President Bush dressed as the Hollywood film figure, “war hawk” Rambo, and all other cabinet members dressed as militants. Former German Foreign Minister Genscher even said on television that the Europeans have always regarded Americans as their most important ally. But now, the “American Effect” has long gone. Genscher supposed that this situation relates to the Europeans’ dissatisfaction with Bush’s policy.

No Confidence in Bush Internationally

World Public Opinion Network (WPON, worldpublicopinion.org) announced its latest global poll results on June 16th, which showed that U.S. President George W. Bush is mistrusted worldwide. All major global media networks reported that this poll showed a so-called “vacuum” among world leaders. Public opinion from 20 countries showed that no country has a leader who can inspire a wide range of confidence on the world stage, and U.S. President George W. Bush is one of the least trusted world leaders. The report said that a total of 19,751 respondents took part in this global poll. The World Network of Public Opinion Research Project involves cooperation from all over the world and is managed and operated by the University of Maryland Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA).

Respondents from 16 countries of the total 20 showed their lack of confidence in U.S. President George W. Bush. Bush ranked second to last overall. A detailed analysis of Bush’s score indicated that the President of the United States gained the second most negative score in the “President’s Role in International Affairs” category. Fifteen countries gave him a negative score, while two gave him a positive score. As many as 67% of respondents had on average a low rate of confidence in President Bush. A Director of WPON, Steven Kull, said that while the lack of confidence in Bush from the international community has created a global leadership “vacuum,” there are no other global leaders to fill the gap.

The latest global poll also showed that people in the Middle East, such as Egyptians, Jordanians, Iranians and Palestinians, have the most negative views of world leaders. In their opinion, almost no world leader inspires even very little confidence.

Today, with the trend toward globalization, many countries are on the fast track towards economic development, resulting in unprecedented environmental damage . Developed Western countries are especially responsible for this. Even now, the United States continues as the number-one carbon dioxide emitter in the world, having neglected to sign the “Kyoto Protocol.” Frequent natural disasters caused by environmental damage are the first impression of this century’s first eight years to individuals the world over of. The most important political model of success for the U.S. government lies in its “small government, big society.” But after 9/11, national security issues have become more the focus of every nation. Even the U.S. itself, which is composed of the strongest institutions, is unable to meet all the national security needs of other countries or even the national security needs of those countries with which the U.S. has a close relationship. Today’s national security tasks include not only preventing foreign invasion, but also rapidly, humanely and openly responding to various domestic natural disasters. Natural disasters often occur by chance, such that administrative institutions and the government have a very limited capacity to address them.

Fully into the “Embrace” of Transnational Corporations

It is said that in American national development, Bush abandoned the American people, ignored the common interests of individuals internationally, and put himself fully into the “embrace” of U.S. transnational corporations. These multinational corporations are like the oligarchies after the collapse of the Soviet Union. If the United States put more thought into finding the “middle ground,” it could help change how it is perceived by the rest of the world.

Now Bush’s policy is concerned with long-term U.S. strategic interests. He sacrificed all of his efforts and historic reputation to the short-term interests of multinational corporations. Meanwhile, the American transnational media continue to condemn human rights abuses in other countries every day, while turning a deaf ear to the speculative, explosive oil price.