Sunday, May 3, 2009

Well done America. Next....

I'm re-iterating here my view that the biggest congratulations for the US elections goes to the American people, less to to Obama. Perhaps now worldwide perceptions of US attitude toward race may be less influenced by Hollywood and more by their democratic choices.

I continue to be confused as to Obama's direction, though. While the world swooned at his inauguration speech, kleenex at the ready, he parroted much of what GWB said. Much of his election campaign was based on divide-and-conquer. I don't knock this, I quite respect it. But some of the campaign capitalised on the popular delusion that Islamic terrorism would stop if only the US hadn't done so many naughty things under GWB.

Now this quote from BHO, addressing the Town Hall, Strasbourg, France, April 3 2009:

"AL Qaeda is still bent of carrying out terrorist activity...Don't fool yourselves, because some people say 'Well, if we changed our policy...with respect to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or if we were more respectful toward the Muslim world, these organisations will stop threatening us. That's just not the case"

Well said, BHO, and I don't simply mean because he said it without a teleprompter. Those words have substance. Now, to see if it fits with greater party policy.

Meanwhile, if the US want to consider another "president of colour" in 2012, and a woman..! Consider Condaleezza. I don't agree with many of her actions in the Middle East, in particular her designs on negotiations with Fatah. But I simply love the knowledge, clarity and civility when dealing with ideologically-enhanced but factually-challenged university students (or, to put it a little more simply, "university students"):






.