This is in response to this thread http://www.sajha.com/sajha/html/openThread.cfm?forum=122&threadid=56294#557335

Nell you made the points but for sure there are counterpoints too. Take the another side of the coin.

Israel has a nuclear weapon but not openly confessed it. It can surely reach any place in the Arab world. The tension is been boiling from 1967. America is just not third party in the mid-east crisis. What about Iran's right to self-defence. It has every right to develop nuclear plants for peaceful purpose and nuclear weapon for self-defence. However, it could only be disguise but pricipally it has every right to do so. Let's not digress.

Pakistan's internal problems have always created dire-situation there. The pro American policy of General Musharaff brought the wrath of erstwhile Taliban government. Surely Al Qaeda has created problem there. But what worries me more is the rise of fundamentalist and extremist there. It is sure that the area would be the new cradle for extremism(!=terrroism). The country,especially western pakistan would be perennial news-maker. Surely, America's indulgement has been incentive for hard-liners.

China has softened its rhetoric rather than declaring new threats because it doesn't want to taint its immaculate record on '08 Olympics. Taiwan is an ally of US and has been buying weapons from it. China on the other hand claims Taiwan as its integral part to be reunited with mainland.Though there is no immediate chance of showdown, the tension has made the East Asia a conflict zone- taking into account the complexity of relation between North-South Korea, Korea-Japan, Japan-China. S.Korea and Japan are allies of US and they harbor a big contingent of US soldiers.

Russia has planned new military programs. It has increased its budget to its military. The old bombers have come out of mantlepiece and have been flying to airspace of Japan, over the Europe and even near to the US naval ships. The money from the Oil and Gas has helped them a lot. America and NATO allies have a plan to install a anti-missile defence system in Czech republic and Poland . Also, some former Soviet states have joined NATO. This makes Russia vulnerable and is a threat to them because of the presence of Nato in its backyard.Though America says the missile defence system is to counter the threat of ICBMs(ballistic missile) from rogue states like Iran and North Korea, Russia is not going to buy the arguement. It's not surprising that it has programs to bolster its military might because it feels threatened.

Now, Kenya has problems because of a simple philosophy: politicians want power. Like Nepal Kenya is multi-ethnic country. Unfortunately, the election fiasco has moved to racial tension.

Darfur is a genocide. There should be no illusion. China's support to Sudan has saved Sudan from UN sanction and action. Slowly, China is realizing the gravity of the situation. It's all for OIL. The US and other European countries don't have a strong stand as it should have been because they don't want to irk China.

UN has its own inherent weakness. It is not an effective organization. Remember, any veto wielding country can block any critical proposal in Un. Its bureaucracy is notorious as an money spending machine that generates little output. The UN is sure a police but more like the police from Bollywood movie that comes late after much damage has been done. It's not proactive but a reactive body. It needs change- from top to bottom.

Of course Islamophobia is on the rise and has encroached the physical and mental space all over the world.There is more myth than the substance. There is wide-spread hatred of US in Islamic world-chiefly due to its support to Israel.The hatred and the distrust needs to be bridged. As a result, humanity is at stake.

By now you should have realized the obvious. America is the Greatest Common Factor of all the problem. America has been damned for doing and damned for not doing too. It is thus imperative that America needs a leader who can judge for the benefit of the world, who can ease the tension of the Muslim world, who can understand the pain of Africa, who allays the fear of Russia and respects it as a positive force of the world, who can talk direclty to China and not rub it wrong way,who  is sensitive to the people of different race and color. As of now, America is the only force that can be reckoned  as Superpower. Of course, as of Nepali saying -honey and hand licking- it does have added benefit but it deserves that.

We need an American president who is able to accomplish all the above-mentioned thing. I think Barack Obama as a person best suitable for that position now because of his unique heritage(Kenyan Muslim father, white mother, black wife), his early years spent in Indonesia and his ablity to unite people. Just see his insights, he will apply discretion for the betterment of the whole world.

I am hopeful he happens to be the leader many people have trusted.

Can he achieve what we are looking for ?

Yes he can !