"I am writing to you as a citizen of our planet and someone who
beholds the last remaining superpower. Can there be any doubt that
the United States plays a major role in guiding our world? Only a
fool could disregard that fact. To acknowledge this is a given, even
though American spokesmen are perhaps somewhat overly inclined to
press the point home to the rest of the world.
"For while America's role is acknowledged throughout the world,
her claim to hegemony, not to say domination, is not similarly
recognized. For this reason, I hope, Mr. Bush, as the new American
president, that you will give up any illusion that the 21st century
can, or even should, be the "American Century." Globalization is a
given -- but "American globalization" would be a mistake. In fact,
it would be something devoid of meaning and even dangerous.
"I would go even further and say it is time for America's
electorate to be told the blunt truth: that the present situation of
the United States, by which a part of its population is able to
enjoy a life of extraordinary comfort and privilege, is not tenable
over the long run as long as an enormous portion of the world lives
in abject poverty, degradation and backwardness.
"For 10 years, U.S. foreign policy has been formulated as if it
were the policy of a victor in war, the Cold War. But at the highest
reaches of U.S. policy-making no one has grasped the fact that this
could not be the basis for formulating post-Cold War policy.
"In fact, there has been no "pacification." On the contrary,
there has been a heightening of inequalities, tension and hostility,
with most of the last directed toward the United States.
"Instead of seeing an increase in U.S. security, the end of the
Cold War has seen a decline. It is not hard to imagine that, should
the United States persist in its policies, the international
situation will continue to deteriorate.
"It is also difficult to believe that, under present
circumstances, relations between the United States, on the one hand,
and China, India and all the rest of the earth that lives in abject
poverty, on the other, could develop in a positive direction. Nor is
it possible, on the basis of its present posture, for the United
States to establish effective, long-run cooperation with its
traditional allies, Europe first and foremost.
"Already we see the outburst of numerous trade disputes, evidence
of the conflicting interests separating the United States and the
European Union. For example, at the recent conference in The Hague,
where the participants were supposed to come up with a common policy
on limiting greenhouse effects, the United States found itself
largely in isolation. U.S. positions were far removed from those of
all others, including the Europeans. As a result, no decision was
taken. This is clearly an example of a failure of "world
governance."
"From the standpoint of the Old World, the post-Cold War period
ushered in hopes that now are faded. Over the course of the past
decade, the United States has continued to operate along an
ideological track identical to the one it followed during the Cold
War -- but now without a cold war. (more)
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