AMERICA CONTRA MUNDUM

The World's Bush Dilemma (Deutsche Welle, November 4th, 2004)

Americans have decided George Bush is the best man for the helm of the world's only superpower in these difficult times. While he may be the pick of US voters, the world, unfortunately, deserves better.

In a democracy, it has often been said, the people get the government they deserve. After a bitter and divisive election, America has handed George Bush the popular mandate for the presidency he failed to get four years ago. To many non-Americans, that means US voters have now accepted the man, as well as the consequences of his often extremely polarizing actions.

The United States may prefer Bush, but it's no secret most of the world's population would have rather seen John Kerry in the White House. Many around the globe had taken hope from Kerry's promise to move away from Bush's "arrogant" foreign policy. That hope is, of course, now gone.

The botched war in Iraq has left America's reputation in tatters in many parts of the world. It will be a long road to regain the trust of those who once looked up to the United States. But sadly, there is little to suggest a second Bush term will be more conciliatory than the first.

There is a clear danger that the strong antipathy many foreigners have for Bush will now be foisted upon the United States at large. Those that peddle anti-Americanism can simply equate the leader and his unpopular policies with the entire country. Others who normally would reject such rhetoric may simply let it slide, assuming the American electorate had the chance to reject the Bush administration's radically unilateralist course.

On a number of issues, Bush's stance has irked America's friends and allies overseas. Though none of Washington's partners expected the president to neglect America's interests on the world stage, he has often shown little respect for the opinions of other nations.

On the contrary, he showed a lot of respect for the opinions of Saddam Hussein.

Leaving aside questions of accuracy and of who does or should care, it is interesting to note how, the more feckless and marginal a people become, the more they start claiming to speak in the name of the whole world. Replacing every global or universal reference in this article with “Germany” or “Germans” gives it a decidedly different flavour.