Bush's Incompetence

Criticizing the performance of the Bush administration on the international arena particularly its unilateral policy toward Iraq has brought about opposition within the united states. Former US Presidential Advisor, Professor Benjamin Barber in an interview with the al-Arabia TV network has touched on the failures and mistakes of the present US administration. We invite you to listen to it.

Former US presidential advisor has dubbed the current policy of the Bush administration as incompetent. In an interview with al-Arabia television, Professor Benjamin Barber in response to the question if one can bring western democracy in Middle East countries said, westerners these days are talking a lot about materialization of democracy in the Middle East. If they mean to expand America’s dominance and impose western economic systems to pave the way for western corporations’ activities in the middle east it is in fact a furtive endeavor to promote America’s empire in the region.

 Professor barber added, westerners should focus their attempts on development and change of governance systems and participation of the entire people of the Middle East in that system however some US statesmen are unaware that each region or country calls for its own democracy. They regard any government that bears resemblance to that of the United States a democratic one while they must focus their efforts on prevalence of democracy in its own special atmosphere; for, each country possesses its own democracy.

Referring to America’s interference in the Middle East Benjamin barber said when the United States meddles in the affairs of such countries as Afghanistan and intends to spread democracy there it should try to comprehend the peculiarities of that country, its culture and religion and respect them.

Referring to September 11 incidents he said they have left substantial negative influence on Americans. The people of the united states found their security and independence vulnerable. The 9/11 incidents have justified the US invasion in various corners of the planet. Barber further said, the 9/11 events devastated the idea of America's supremacy and we witnessed that America's military and economic might did not manage to lead to support of pentagon and world towers. These incidents made Americans realize the principle of interdependence and not consider themselves needless of others. He said the policy of George W Bush has not borne favorable results and now after a lapse of one year after war in Afghanistan the Taliban militants have once again taken up arms and Hamed Karzai only rules the situation in Kabul.

 Local leaders rule other areas and chaos and vacuum of power get American soldiers and afghans killed in the area. Bill Clinton’s advisor as regards US’s policy in Iraq said destruction of dictatorship does not automatically bring about a civil and democratic society rather in some stages it may lead to disorder. Resort to force and power does not materialize democracy it rather paves the way for a new dictatorship. Barber added I have always asked whether the US administration will succeed in providing security for Americans. I believe in view of the past experiences preemptive wars are not successful and so far the policy of the US administration has failed and it should be replaced with a new one.

As regards the current policy of the United States in defining some countries as the axis of evil, the former US presidential advisor said we believe those who were responsible for the 9/11 incidents are evil and it is difficult to call these countries as axis of evil. We should not forget that evil does not emanate from non-existence rather it grows in a special atmosphere.

We can see beside the axis of evil another axis called injustice and alongside axis of evil we see axis of despair. All these factors of injustice, despair and humility create an atmosphere in which hardliner elements thrive and resort to violence and terrorism. He said America's problem exceeds the group that hijacked a plane with knives. America’s problem is the existence of millions of people that are not terrorists they rather create the grounds for terrorism and these people are opposed to terrorism. Barber said we should deal with the deprived via the United Nations and cooperation of Islamic states. Some Islamic countries have taken strides in line with joint cooperation. This peculiarity can be seen in such countries as Turkey, Bangladesh, Maghreb, Bahrain, Egypt, Mauritania and other countries where activities aim at enhancement of political participation.