President Obama's 8th State of The Union Address
01 February 2016By Saeed Qureshi
Let me start first of all, by maintaining that President Barak Husain Obama
has crafted a unique niche for himself as the first Non-white president of the
United States elected for two consecutive terms. On January 12, he delivered
his eighth and the final State of Union address lasting for an hour before a
galaxy of the congressmen, military top brass and important representatives
from various strata of life.
He would be ranked in history as one of the outstanding and brilliant
presidents of the United States. In his address he exuded tremendous candor, a
deep spirit of sincerity, profound honesty and indeed earnest outspokenness.
He demonstrated that how deeply and steadfastly he is wedded to the supreme
interests of the people of this great country.
The central theme and vision of his address both for the American political
leadership and the world at large is to work together for a better future of
mankind. He pleaded transformation of the planet earth into an abode of peace
and progress for all people and nations in a spirit of cordiality and
togetherness.
His administration effectively combated rampant terrorism, revitalized the
moribund and sick industrial sector, reformed health care system,
reinvigorated energy sector, resurrected a shattered economy and recovered it
from the worst economic crisis in generations. Besides, 14 million new jobs
were created during the last seven years.
Externally, despite stiff opposition from the vested interests, radical
Republican lobbies, war mongers, Israel and Saudi Arabia, he brought into the
international limelight Iran's contentious nuclear program with strict watch
on its further development. In return a host of stifling sanctions and
embargoes imposed on Iran were lifted. The removal of excruciating sanctions
on Iran would not only benefit the hard-pressed Iranian people but also hold
the Iranian nuclear program on a certain permissible threshold. Incidentally
the sanctions have been lifted today.
He enunciated that his priority number one has been to protect the American
people and going after terrorist networks and keep America safe. He is of the
view that America should not involve herself in distant wars unless America
faces a threat to its integrity and security. He talked of leading the world
without becoming its policeman. ''America should not try to take over and
rebuild every country that falls into crisis'', he maintained.
He called for dismantling the discrimination and hatred based upon race,
religion, cast creed and region particularly in case of Muslims who are under
the malicious burden of being labeled en-bloc as terrorists by certain
lobbies.
In regard to racial or religious hatred against Muslim Americans he asserted
that, ''When politicians insult Muslims, when a mosque is vandalized, or a kid
bullied, that doesn't make us safer. That's not telling it like it is. It's
just wrong. It diminishes us in the eyes of the world. It makes it harder to
achieve our goals. And it betrays who we are as a country" We the People''
He exhorted the Americans to ''see ourselves not first and foremost as black or
white or Asian or Latino, not as gay or straight, immigrant or native born;
not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans first bound by a common
creed''.
He remarked ''When the frustration grows, there will be voices urging us to
fall back into tribes, to scapegoat fellow citizens who don't look like us, or
pray like us, or vote like we do, or share the same background.''
He stressed that everyone must have a fair shot at opportunity and security in
a new economic plan. Americans have to ''reduce the influence of money in our
politics, so that a handful of families and hidden interests can't bankroll
our elections''. The political process should be changed so that it ensures
that it is not ''just who gets elected but how they get elected''. He called for
ending the ''practice of drawing our congressional districts so that
politicians can pick their voters, and not the other way around''.
He emphasized that ''American leadership in the 21st century is not a choice
between ignoring the rest of the world except when we kill terrorists; and
occupying and rebuilding whatever society is unraveling. Leadership means a
wise application of military power''
President Obama's preference for peaceful approach than military onslaughts
towards resolution of the global issues has been the most outstanding hallmark
of his achievements. He wound up American military presence in Afghanistan and
in the Middle East especially in Iraq. Despite pressures he refrained from
committing American troops in the Middle East, in Yemen, Afghanistan, Libya
and other places involved in civil wars.
Thus he saved American blood to be spilt for others as was done in Vietnam,
Korea and later in the Middle East particularly during the post Saddam Hussain
era. There was military intervention but a better sense prevailed and the
American forces were withdrawn not only from Iraq but also from Afghanistan.
My personal reckoning about Obama's place in history is that he would stand in
the sublime line of such stalwart presidents who were trend setters and served
the American people in an exemplary manner. Some of those illustrious
presidents, among others, are Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore
Roosevelt and Franklyn D. Roosevelt.
The writer is a senior journalist, former editor of Diplomatic Times and a
former diplomat. This and other articles by the
writer can also be read at his blog www.uprightopinion.com.
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