PONDERING ON BUSH RE-ELECTION

Many Bangladeshis (and many in other Muslim countries) would be disheartened to see Bush winning the second term. But it doesn't matter to me as I had no personal grudge against Bush. Because I believe the countries decisions are not taken by the president himself, rather it depends upon the policies of his party, the advisers and the country. He can just influence some decisions. I thought Kerry was a good candidate and supported him because I wanted to see a change in US foreign policy and hoped that the sense of insecurity among the general US citizens because of increasing enemies created by the policy would disappear. But history has its own scriptwriter who does not listen to others.

This election proves that media plays a greater role in US society. The multimillion dollar Bush campaign brought the results. Some points finger to the Laden video just before the elections. Some debates that Iraq or terrorism was not the top issue but moral value. But its true that the war on terror and homeland security played a bigger role in peoples minds. There is a debate going on whether the nation is divided by this close election. My friend Dave writes this emotional note after Kerry defeat. He summarizes "See you in hell, I'm already there".

Now Bush has a huge task in his hands. To change the US policies in the Middle East and to unite the country. The carrot of "large threat to US by Al-Qaeda" will not last longer. Their previous threat the communist regimes fell in the nineties. Now the so called "axis of evil" is there to ride on. These are stimulants to utilize and replenish the huge ammunitions and firepower US possesses which do have a shelf life. If we like it or not oil and globalization will shape up events in future.

We are just some tiny individuals with hearts and minds. I am having the pain to write this post because I feel for my friend Dave and many other Americans. I do not want US to increase more enemies in the world. I want peace in this world. Some would say that Bush can prove everybody wrong by doing everything right in the next four years. Well he can start it with annihilating the Al-Qaeda et al. which brought misery to many people in the world and maligned Islam considerably. But I doubt he would ever do it. Because 9/11 shaped the world differently and they are one of the reasons for Bush to succeed.