Seneca’s view that government is more or less a makeshift remedy for human evil, has remained a truism.
On 13th February, 2014, the President of Afghanistan Ahmid Karzai, a long time ally of the United States, in whose defense American money and soldiers have been wasted, in the last decade, said unsavory things about how the United States “should respect Afghanistan’s sovereignty”.
The Republic of Iran also said that there could be a show-down with United States.
The rapprochement which permitted hopes that that kind of position was a thing of the past, kindled bewilderment.
The ability to retaliate if attacked is always a right.
However, States should pursue peace and not threats. North Korea has expressed displeasure over US/South Korean military exercises, saying that it could cancel re-union promises.
For US diplomacy, the cup is full and is running over.
Against the backdrop of the information given on CNN that 50 % of Americans are hungry, military analysts could conclude that America may no long be in an ebullient financial position to play exceptional, consequential, power politics.
Liberalism seems to have come alive in Karzai’s philosophical radicalism in his new attitude towards the US.
His proposition can be taken to be axiomatic because of his tone of delivery.
This expression of a new line could have been taken kindly if it had been subtle and not emphatic.
His spearheading new political affiliations with the Taliban do not warrant a forensic distancing from the US.
His presidential authority will steadily diminish, as he opens himself to a cold relationship with America.
Will he ever be welcome to the White House? I have my doubts.
It ia absolutely necessary to sustain US/Iran rapprochement. It is also very important to assure Israel of peaceful co-existence.
Ukrainians should find a lasting resolution to their crisis before the EU and Russia confront each other over that nation.
The debacle in the Syrian negotiations is sad and rueful.
Since the existence of the Syrian state is facing dismembratio, the composite parts of the Syrian state should be governed by elected local councils until the sovereignty of Syria can be regained in due course.
After Germany suffered dismembratio, East Germany and West Germany were governed as separate entities, until re-unification decades later.
North and South Vietnam were forcibly re-united by Ho Chi Ming.
Thailand went through anarchical spells. The Opposition accused the Government of misrule. That was legitimate.
Then,the Government took the democratic step and called for elections.
The opposition unleashed mayhem on the seat of government in Bangkok which led to the loss of lives and property. This could not be justified.
World leaders must strive to govern well. Their success or failure must be judged early by the citizens before every election.
Many citizens do not think about events in their states, and so suffer in silence.
Graham Wallis captured this well in “The Life of Francis Place” (1898), when he wrote, “A passive and enervate race, ready to swallow anything, and to acquiesce in anything; with intellects incapable of distinguishing right from wrong, with affections alike indifferent to either , insensible, short-sighted, obstinate, lethargic, yet liable to be driven into convulsions by false terrors, deaf to the voice of reason and public utility, obsequious only to the whisper of interest and to the beck of power.”
This is a perfect verse that suits contemporary world politics, in general, and Nigeria in particular.
World Diplomatic Crises, Afghanistan, Iran: No Turn-around
