The voices of reason thwart Obama, momentarily
The last decade saw at least one war, while some would say two, waged on the basis of lies. The international leaders are now wary of taking in earnest the US claims of a chemical attack by the Syrian army on its people. The G20 summit ended without President Barack Obama getting his way, though he was successful in swaying at least half the members to issue a statement calling for a “strong international response” to last month’s alleged chemical attack.
While the US is still a superpower, by all counts the only one of its kind, at least for the moment, its influence is seems diminishing. Rapidly developing countries like China, India and Brazil, and the already world powers with the exception of the UK, Germany, Canada, Australia and France are not always too keen to follow in the role the US arrogates itself: the world sherrif’s. And then there is Russia which historically has stood at odds with it on almost everything under the sun. As Obama is trying to mount pressure on the Syrian regime, his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin has warned the US of the consequences, announcing to support Syria in a one on one meeting with him on the sidelines of the G20 summit. The US policies have already dwindled its popularity among the nations of the world but with its unilateral decision to bomb Syria, though technically President Obama still has to get Congress’ approval for a military action, the US is betting its last bit of credibility, that too on the wrong cards. Its most trusted ally, the UK, can’t help it either this time as the UK parliament has voted against the venture, while France which had earlier supported a military action now awaits for a UN report to ascertain whether Bashar al-Assad’s army is responsible for the alleged chemical attack. It is also going to be a tough sell for the US president domestically as he has to get the Congress and the American people on his side, both of which remain sceptical of his rationale. The idea of strikes on Syria fails to find any buyers because sober analysts have pointed out that it would only be strengthening al-Qaeda and destabilising Syria in the guise of weakening Syrian army’s capacity to launch chemical attacks.
The US’ intent to start another war in the Middle East and not finding any takers suggests it is losing grip on the ground realities. The Snowden/NSA cyber espionage scandal has surely dented its credibility and divested it of the moral high ground in world affairs. It is not the strength of the arms that makes a nation strong, but it is the strength of character and moral compass that makes a nation strong. The US has apparently lost both with its ruthless policies in the recent past.