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Friday, November 04, 2004
Wenceslao:Lesser evil
By Bong O. Wenceslao
I write this with Republican George W. Bush leading by a slim margin over Democrat John Kerry in the United States presidential polls. That many in the Philippines are following that political exercise shows how much influence the US has over this country. There was even this report President Arroyo is silently supporting Kerry.
Indeed, when America sneezes, the rest of the world catches cold. The message there is that the health of nations is largely dependent on the health of the remaining imperialist, er, superpower. The health of the US, in turn, is determined by the kind of president, or shall we say mindset, the citizens of that country vote into office.
Analysts, for example, think the Arroyo administration will find a Kerry presidency more appealing. After the Philippines pulled out its military contingent from Iraq to save the kidnapped Filipino Angelo de la Cruz, Dubya, as Bush is called, has reportedly given Arroyo the cold shoulder. A change of US presidents then is preferable.
But that is a limited perception. I say that whoever wins the presidency won't stray far from the basic US goal, which is world dominance in all spheres-economic, political, etc. The difference is only in the method a particular president uses in achieving that goal. Thus, choosing between Bush and Kerry is choosing the lesser of two evils.
Or should I say, choosing the less destructive? Consider Bush’s incursion into Iraq and how it not only destroyed Saddam Hussein but also almost bombed out the principles that the United Nations stands for. One then has to be jittery if Bush is reelected—a new mandate will make him bolder in pursuing his controversial ways.
A Kerry presidency, though, would be different only in form but not in substance. Surely, the Iraq question and the war on terrorism will be handled differently, meaning, less destructively. Being new, he can win back the allies that Bush alienated, including possibly President Arroyo. He will be more refined in the pursuit of US interests.
But it is doubtful whether that would result in substantial changes in US-RP relations, although it will make dealing with the US less worrisome, Kerry being, apparently, the lesser evil.
TEXTREAX. From RR of R.R. Landon St.: “The Philippine National Police in the region claims the cemeteries were general peaceful during All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Maybe. But policemen deserted the highways, especially from Minglanilla to Carcar.”
From an unidentified texter: “Here are websites you can check for Rep. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz’s statement of assets and liabilities: www.tag.org.ph/pdf/SAL2001.pdf or www.tag.org.ph/pdf/SALO2.pdf. To open both sites you need an acrobat reader 5. If you still have difficulty, go to google and type sal of Nerissa Soon Ruiz.”
(khanwens@yahoo.com / 0927-4912362)
(November 4, 2004 issue)
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