OBAMA; PAX GRANDE UNIVERSALIS?

OBAMA STRIKES: PAX GRANDE UNIVERSALIS ?

In the midst of global Recession and on-going campaign against terrorism, President Obama has in recent days reinforced himself as a statesman ready to rewrite USA foreign policy, and paint a new international relations landscape for the new century.

Recapitulating, his "Change we can" campaign slogan not only fired up Americans, but inspired all those around the globe yearning for a better social and world order. His inaugural " -- history is not on their (dictators') side--" gave the needed confidence to those engaged in democratic and human rights movement; his outstretched hand softened public opinion in staunchly anti-American countries, including Iran. He has delivered on some major policy provinces, of which there are two which are perhaps the most far-reaching to date.

ABOLITION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

The president is on record to have called for the abolition of the entire nuclear arsenal in the world, the first US President to have committed to so. He also announced an immediate return to the 1972 Nuclear Test Ban Treaty which his predecessor had so recklessly abandoned and one which had underpinned international nuclear non-proliferation efforts.

One would have thought his declaration would have delivered a seismic shock to nations shielded by the US nuclear umbrella, like Japan, S. Korea and Australia.
On the contrary, in a article in the Melbourne Age on March 8th, several Australian luminaries led by former Prime Minister Malcom promptly call on Australia to seize the Obama moment and play a proactive role in the abolition of Nuclear Weapons.They point to the catastrophic geo-political, social, health and economic fallout from even a "minor" nuclear conflagration. The same broadsheet has on Easter Monday given a generous endorsement of the President’s foreign policy overtures as well.

It is now incumbent upon leaders of nations possessing nuclear weapons to engage positively with President Obama on nuclear non-proliferation, test ban and abolition of the entire arsenal. Nearer home, Wisma Putra and the ASEAN Secretariat, should add their voices in line with the ZOPFAN principle. Credit also should be given to Dr. McCoy and others in Malaysia who have campaigned for years on the issue, though drowned out by national political problems.

END OF ISLAMOPHOBIA ?

Following an enchanted tour of Europe, Obama not only declared to the Turkish Parliament " --we will not fight war with Islam--", but must have stunned many by stating that Islam has enriched the culture of USA. He will undoubtedly be slammed by many on the far right; but here is a statesman, Christian at that, who marvels at the magnificence of a Turkish mosque and gives meaning to the “out-stretched hand” of his inaugural speech. . In one stroke, he has not only tried confidence building, but has really started a civilizational dialogue, as essential to world peace as it is presidential.

Islam-bashing following 911, much of the non-Islamic world will now have to reorientate itself to a new language of trans-cultural reconciliation; an that of course would include the print and electronic media.

Home in Malaysia, may we credit a towering Malaysian leader who authored "The Asian Rennaisance", and made an impassioned plea for civilisational dialogue over a decade ago. He would have been pleased with the Obama initiatives, like some of us, but even more pleased that, even as Obama spoke those re-assuring words to Muslim sisters and brothers, many non-Muslim Malaysians (voters) showed they are able to cross the cultural and religious divide and seem poised to embark on the noble road of ethnic reconciliation.

At first glance unrelated, these two major areas of US policy have in reality considerable inter-relation.With the end of Cold War, a “clash of civilisations” is believed to be the likeliest trigger for a nuclear conflict, such as in the Middle East or in South Asia. Thus the policy re-tuning in the above fields is indeed of visionary wisdom.

GESTURES TO LATIN AMERICA

Again, at the Pan-American Summit, the President lost no time in taking intiative to
reduce hostility to the US from her "traditional sphere of influence" which is Latin America. Declaring "I am not interested in arguements of the past--", he set out to envisioned a new future of cooperation and progress based on mutual respect. His conciliatory message to Cuba will in due course spring us with many surprises and hope for greater stability and social justice in a whole hemisphere. Though US-Cuban
antagonism has long ceased to be a threat to world peace, like it was in 1961, improvement in their bilateral relations would nontheless be consistent to a more peaceful and harmonious world order.

Has a new world millenium just begun, a more enlightened millenium, some 10 years late ? Will the years ahead see peace and goodwill break out in the world? Is it penultimate naivity to dream of a peacefuland harmonious order in world history ever?

It is as much for civil society, as leaders of nations large and small, to press for millenial change in the space that Obama has created.
It may have been the most meaningful pre-Easter message one hears; and shall we conclude with : In God Allah we trust.

Francis Ngu.
(updated 19th April)