With just a few months left to the elections, and the two major contenders almost clearing through the primaries, we can now with some confidence say that the race and ultimate battle will be between Obama and McCain. So a few questions come to mind. And i ask you to share with us what you think:
** Should the next President withdraw from Iraq ASAP?**
** Should the next President and/or his administration engage in direct talks with shunned world leaders such as President of Syria and Iran?**
** Should Hamas be recognized as part of the Palestinian Govt.?**
** What should be the first priority for the President in the early days in office?**
** Should Gitmo be shut down in the light of all newsworthy rumors surrounding the treatment of inmates there?**
** Who is more likely to safeguard American interests without jeoperdizing security? And why him/her over the other?**
I’ll start off with saying that pulling out troops overnight would be quite foolish because it will leave US much more vulnerable and will serve to weaken the image US has managed to maintain so far. The troop pullout will require a phased withdrawal with no offensive measure taking place in between. Keep a reserve force within the country to patrol and stay on the defensive. And if at all possible, encourage and pump more funds into Iraq economy and bring back the youths to earn for their households and begin to normalize.
Secondly, I think next President should infact engage in talks with all world leaders, but it doesn’t hurt to find out what their expectations and needs are. Infact, we might learn a thing or two about their broader ambitions. Nixon did it by opening talks with China, and USSR to prevent a nuclear holocaust. Diplomacy has been the American way all along and it has always worked. It brought us to being the superpower, then why shun it altogether now? Calling other world leaders out as terrorist supporters and then expecting them to meet our demands isn’t really the best route of resolve.
I believe in fair victory. So, if Hamas won the election and earned enough votes to jointly form the Govt. then the democratic world ought to recognize that and talk with everyone across the board. To want a selective Govt. in spite of the people’s choice really does and has made things sticky. Israel wants recognition and we endorse that yet we are hard to move on recognizing a party whose votebank clearly indicates the people’s will? That just does not add up. By talking to Hamas directly, USA can exert its influence and diplomatic pressure and move the peace process along much quicker. It’s a give and take situation. Foreign Diplomacy is a messy business.
3rd, I believe the very first priority for the next President ought to be to sort out the defense department and stop the drainage of voters hard-earned dollars that go to Army missions abroad, and instead pump that revenue back into domestic economy.
Gitmo should be filtered of the people who are truly harmful to the security of USA and international border, and try the rest in courts. To adopt the legal method will work to restore the tarnished image of American justice for foreigners, some if not most of whom are held without any charges at the moment. After that whatever little number of people remain should be shifted to USA and tried for their crimes in accordance with the international law.
I believe Obama can safeguard USA without jeopardizing the National security or foreign policy because he is willing to talk to all world leaders and work with them to find ways we can put aside our difference and bridge the gaps that remain. Only through dialogue on a broader basis can we succeed overwhelmingly. Force should be reserved as a very last resort. I believe Obama understands that. Personally, i do not trust McCain because he is likely to follow in the footsteps of G. W. Bush and Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran! I hope i’m wrong and i hope he does much more to repolish GOP’s image if elected President.
Please express your views, opinions, reasons for why it is that you believe what you believe.