The Role of the New American President in Establishing Peace!

Passing through several complicated stages, from the nomination of the presidential candidate to the elections themselves, Barack Obama has eventually been declared the winner. His chief rival John McCain, accepting his success, has congratulated him gleefully and has assured him of his full cooperation in the best interests of America. Barack Obama is the first black president in the history of America, a change since all forty-three previous presidents have been white. The election of Barack Obama as president of the only superpower in the world is all the more surprising because his ancestry can be traced to the African nation of Kenya and some sections of the country still believe he is a Muslim.

Despite all the liberal views, education and development in America and other Western countries, the element of racism cannot be ignored. Apart from that, even from the perspective of President George Bush’s crusades against Muslims, it is astonishing to find such a person assume the office of the presidency whose middle name, rightly or wrongly, is “Hussein,” itself hinting at his Muslim heritage evident in some parts of his family tree. During his presidential campaign, Barach Obama has announced that he is a Christian, not a Muslim. In any case, the American pollsters have pointed to a great change through having a black man as their president.

The most significant cause for Barack Obama’s success can be attributed to the subsequent failures of the eight-year administration of the Republican Party president, George W. Bush. Just as there was a major hand of the people’s reaction to the policies of former premier Parwez Musharraf in the success of the People’s Party in Pakistan, a similar scenario has replicated with the Republican Party of President Bush and the success of the presidential candidate of the rival Democratic Party, Barack Obama. While continuing to express their feelings against President Bush’s anti-Islamic, anti-Muslim policies, the people of Pakistan and Muslims all over the world continue to express how all of America is not against Islam and Muslims. Further projecting and emphasizing upon these feelings, the Muslim world can make a new beginning by establishing relationship with the new American president on the basis of equality. In order to achieve this goal, leaders of the Muslim countries will have to convince him that they do not have a dearth of natural and human resources. It is essential that before these are used to attain global peace, Muslims’ complaints towards America and its allies have to be aired. As a first step, Islam and terrorism should be defined as one not having any correlation with the other.

A terrorist is a criminal of all of humanity, irregardless of religion, race or region. There can be no denial that Muslim intellectuals, thinks, scholars and people have always expressed their hatred, dissatisfaction and detachment from terrorism and the people involved in it. In electing a black person as their president, the American people have clearly announced a change in their line of thought. Now only they can prevent the new president and his government from walking down the same wrong path as President Bush. It is true that American policies do not change suddenly when a new president takes office. Contrary to the developing and underdeveloped countries, their policies continue to be the same to a great extent. However, with s change of personalities, a nation can certainly change its opinions and the perceptions that have been opposed to security, global peace, and right and justice and retain its lost reputation among the international community. Attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq were such wrong decisions by President Bush for which he had to face the hate and condemnation, not only from the people of the entire world, but from his own citizens, depriving American of its grace and respect. One dangerous consequence of his actions was putting American citizens living in foreign cities at extreme risk, and causing harm to the country’s buildings and interests. The newly-elected president Barack Obama also has the great responsibility of fulfilling the dream that was visualized by the America black leader Martin Luther King in 1963. He wanted to make his country actually the “United” States of America by doing away with all type of racism. The circle of this movement for equality should extend beyond America and embrace the entire world. President Bush has left his country in a severe economic crisis which will be a big challenge for Barack Obama to fix. Instead of fuelling his national resources into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, he should recall his forces from these places. The financial state of America can only be improved by admitting the freedom and autonomy of these countries and by stopping to threaten other sovereignties. This can herald a new era for Muslims in Christian communities and world peace can become reality.

If America wants the upper hand in the international community, it has to win people’s hearts through peace, love and brotherhood. The economic agenda of Barack Obama lays more importance to humanity’s welfare instead of arms and explosives. The peace- loving people of the world are certainly with him for achieving this goal. As far as America’s relations with Pakistan or Pakistan’s cooperation in President Bush’s so-called War on Terror are concerned, it should become clear to Pakistan no longer has a government that will serve to only please America and not make decisions in its own decisions. But the political government is a republic and now comprises of elected representatives who answer to the parliament and the people. Some time before the presidential election, President Bush had sent the Assistant Secretary of State, Richard Boucher, and his army’s Chief Central Commander, David Petraeus, to Pakistan for the purpose of getting the government’s permission for fresh and ferocious attacks in the northern regions so that the Republican Party’s candidate, John McCain, could win. Pakistan made it clear to them that we have already lost lives and money by cooperating with America, and that no further proceedings will continue against the people’s will. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani clearly stated that the new American president will have to stop missile attacks in the Pakistani regions near Afghan border. The president-elect of the Democratic Party Barack Obama has already assured that developmental initiatives will be given priority over military actions. According to him, no problem can be solved with might, but rather solving it through winning the people’s hearts. This is in the best interest of America and the peace and welfare of the humanity. All eyes are now on the new American president and his role in the world peace.