After reading an article from the International Affairs Journal of this month by Zbigniew Brzezinski, that Jaan sugested (probably to prepare me for the upcomming evening chat, a typical topic to talk about after long protests from my part on the decadent role of unavoidable dialogs involving ONLY grocery shopping, school and training rides, snow shoveling, pros and contras of being a cat owner, considerations upon procuring instead a turtle or low mainteinance fish, taking the garbage out, preparing Joonas for bed and the such), I came up with an opinion. It is not wrapped up and will remain incomplete for a while, but I though to share it before I forget the importance of it in the midst of other pressing matters (today is Emil´s 13th birthday!). The weekend will arrive and the house will be full. Here we are. I am happy to realize that I can take very well power inequality. In international relations that is!
Who Am I to evaluate this article? A reader. Entitled enough.
Dear Jaan:
It was not bad nor impressive or progressive. It seems rather shallow but persuasive to the uninitiated. Thank you kllk for sharing it. I hope you continue sending me good readings. Sometimes for the lectures they can be good material. The recovery of the legitimacy of the American leadership will be extremely difficult and in my opinion would only result from a long withdrawing attitude. They should cut drastically the interventionism and concentrate in their own internal affairs, an inwards turn which is much needed, meanwhile preparing a comeback with austerity and serious commitment to participate exclusively in international arrangements where every party involved would also act and take responsibility. The world must feel their absence and claim for it. They will surely be missed. A very assertive "mission" by a very assertive foreign minister can be counterproductive to their needs at the moment. The author mentions that USA is used to take decisions unilaterally suggesting on top that it imposes the consequences onto the European countries. I disagree with the underlying-subliminal maybe condescending premise. USA, just like any other country decides unilaterally on the basis of its own interests, whatever they might be, but certainly very few can carry them out financially and politically. It is because Europe does not want to take any responsibility that USA has been able to impose its policies and actions as well as its influence (desired, respected, wished, frowned upon or else) around the world. As a consequence, only the US has paid a price for it leaving European countries unsoiled. I wonder... France, Germany, Spain and even the UK have deceptively clean their hands on any matter that could concern failed international policy. Europe is helplessly ungrateful to the country that has hosted all its refuges, fueled its economy, purchased its touristic products and maintained the world economy running much longer than the duration of this crisis. Not ever Europe after decolonizing has even pretended it cares to disrupt international events does not matter how close or how appalling they might be (wars, human right abuses). Europe is preoccupied with petty matters such as imposing fines to bikers without helmet, unfastened drivers and possibly devising more regulations to prevent workers from actually working so they do not suffer work related injuries. European design is fashionable and still booming. Europeans pay six times the reasonable price for a banana and still miss to understand why Africans or Latinos cannot catch up with "THE" standards of civilized nations. Europeans are no longer more educated and knowledgeable than Americans are. See the result of my modest evaluation in Estonia. People are deprived from the joy of being responsible, everybody can get higher education regardless of their merits. In fact it is such a right that it has derogated the right to self improvement. Any bad performance is awarded a passing grade. The purpose of educational institutions is to issue diplomas, and provide work to the staff no learning, teaching or knowledge transmission involved. Europeans now hypocritically patronize third world radicals, autocrats and totalitarian governments all the same while overlooking all sorts of nonsense. No explanation to this state of affairs is eloquent to me and I am puzzled about the massive protests not against the EU but against the US. To keep complaining about the damage that the US has inflicted to the world seems simpleminded and yet easier than to engage in projects that would actually mean anything to the human kind. I think of it in a reductionist way, I admit it. I try to imagine states as people where the USA is the mighty leader and the other players have their own role. If you think from that perspective, it is pathetic to understand the attitude of Europe. Just a shame. USA deserves less resistance and merits more support. Supporting that country we help our selves. Help the helper. We want no different rules in the international game of power. USA should retreat, contract, rebuilt its power and have the dignity restored to return in a better moral standing after a while. What would happen to the rest of us? Dunnotknow! Why should I know? Probably antiamericans can propose a good formula where "Transparent" Russia or "generous" China would take a join lead with "altruistic" Iran or better yet with "detached" venezuela?" to bring economy and power sharing back on track. If there is a world surviving that revolting notion, though.
I have been thinking this for years and years! With or without Bush this would have been the case. Where does he reside now by the way?
