A new President - Lots of expectations

Yesterday was a historic day with the swearing in of the first non-white President in the worlds oldest and most powerful democracy. The celebrations and party before the swearing in showcased the hopes and expectations of a nation mauled by economic scandals, recession, banking losses and a multitude of bankruptcy filings by some of the largest corporations in the US leading to unprecedented job losses. The world has seen a global economic meltdown triggered by events which transpired in the US. There are problems in the Middle East and Afghanistan/Pakistan plus the Bush created mess in Iraq to take care of.

Mr. Obama is definitely going to have his hands full and his acceptance speech was serious and hopeful of tackling the various issues over time. It was probably one of the most inspiring speeches given in modern times. Hope our politicians learn something from Mr. Obama! He has selected a high powered team of individuals with the strength of character and with high levels of integrity much in advance of the swearing in so that he could hit the deck running so to say. The filtration process for selecting his team was one of the most stringent and transparent that any politician has probably ever undergone. Speaks volumes for the way he intends to set high standards while being in public office. Wish I will see this happening in India in my lifetime. In India, unfortunately, muscle amd black money power is more important an asset to land a seat in Parliament - not integrity and a law degree.

Mr. Obama has his work cut out to set the economy straight in the coming days and restoring the confidence of the citizens of the world in the banking institutions which have betrayed the peoples trust and confidence by introducing complex derivative products and over leveraging leading to the sub prime crises which has cost the world dearly.

Mr. Obama will have to set his sights on the Middle East peace process and ensure that peace and sanity is restored in the Gaza strip as well as in Israel. The Hamas should be made to see sense and made to stop firing missiles into Israel, because to my mind that is one war that Hamas is not going to win. The Israelis will inflict ten times the damage that the Hamas initiates which will just lead to the loss of lives of innocent victims, young and old.

The next target needing his immediate attention further east is Iraq, he needs to extricate his nation from the major mess created by his predecessor. The entry into Iraq was based on falsity and misinformation fed to the rest of the world, which subsequent events post invasion have irrevocably established. Lots of young American soldiers have lost their lives to feed the ego of a maniacal President in the name of terror. Lots of innocent Iraqis have lost their lives and the Iraqi nation has been left in a shambles. The new President should do all in his power to stop this madness and help bring Iraq into the comity of nations and help it stand on its feet again as an independent and responsible democratic nation.

The real global headache is still further east, namely Pakistan. The US got into Afghanistan to catch Osama bin Laden and a wily Pakistani dictator took advantage of the so called war on terror to fund his nation and his ambitions. All the billions of dollars pumped in by the US so far has not gone into fighting terror or in building the Pakistani economy, but is being mainly utilized for arming itself to its teeth to fight India. The new President should realize that Pakistan is heading towards becoming a failed state – and a nuclear armed failed state will become the worlds biggest headache, if not one already! It is in the interest of the world that Pakistani democracy is supported and the ISI and its hidden jehadi agenda tamed so that the earth becomes a safer place to live in. The only way to do so is to withhold financial support till such time that Pakistan does not fall in line and dismantle the terror training camps existing over there. Pakistan itself has been a victim of terror – the terrorists will look inward if they cannot find an outlet elsewhere – as they are like man eating tigers – once having tasted blood, only blood will satiate them. All help must be given to rein in and dismantle all terror training camps conducted clandestinely and in some cases openly by elements in Pakistan.

I pray that Mr. Obama has the courage and the vision to take his nation and the world forward to prosperity and happiness for all today and in the future. God Bless.