Despite at times being disappointed that our nation isn’t living up to its promise, most Americans – left, right and center – regard this country as the greatest in the world. But how often do we hear such sentiments from the foreign press, let alone the Middle East or even Israel?
For Kuwait’s Al Seyassah, Ahmed al-Baghdadi writes in part:
“Many believe that today, as a new global system forms, China, Brazil, India, Russia and China have an undeniable role to play. … The tremendous economic growth of these powers does come along with political influence. … But can we expect these countries to exercise the role that the United States plays at the global level, or in clearer words: Do these countries possess the audacity to forcefully intrude on international affairs, like the United States does?”
Then al-Baghdadi answers his question by saying in part:
“America’s great generosity and sacrifice, both in money and in lives, is well-known. No nation in history has offered its sons to death and drained its coffers for the sake of others the way the United States of America has. ‘Courageous intrusion’ requires a spirit that stands apart from industrial growth or agricultural development. Today’s newly-industrial states don’t presently have this spirit, nor will they have it in the future. Because such a spirit requires so much money and so many souls that if any of these nations had such courage, its coffers would quickly be emptied and its economy would collapse, never to rise again.”
By Ahmed al-Baghdadi
Translated By James Jacobson
August 22, 2008
Kuwait – Al Seyassah- Original Article (Arabic)
Out of the ruins of the Soviet Union, which collapsed along with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, emerged the “uni-polar” era characterized by complete American supremacy over global politics. Many believe that today, as a new global system forms, Brazil, India, Russia and China have an undeniable role to play.
The tremendous economic growth of these powers does come along with political influence, in addition to national pride and honor.” (Sarkis Abu Zayd, Who will inherit America’s throne of Global Leadership? in Al-Kuwait, July 25, 2008). There is no doubt that the era of globalization has witnessed the rise of new economic powers, especially in Asia and the Far East, which are now capable of competing economically with the United States of America. And with France’s influence, the European Union has also emerged as a political competitor that cannot be ignored by the policies of the United States.
But can we expect these countries to exercise the role that the United States of America plays at the global level, or in clearer words: Do these countries possess the audacity to forcefully intrude on international affairs, like the United States does?
READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, along with continuing translated foreign press coverage of how the world perceives our nation.
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