And so passes another year.
2003 has been generally good to me. I have no personal complaints I would care to mention.
Having thought about it for a scant few seconds the overriding issue that comes to my mind concerning the past year is of course that of the war in Iraq and it’s consequences for the future. The startlingly ludicrous tenet of the ‘preemptive strike’, the perhaps crippling blow an imperialist US has dealt the institutions of international law and order, the potentiality of a complete destabilisation of international politics (as if they weren’t unstable enough already) ; these are all issues the import of which will become clear in 2004 and the years to come. The foreign policy of the United States in 2003 has had a lasting and possibly devastating effect on the world for the foreseeable future.
Tradition dictates that at this point in my diatribe I begin to make fun of George W. Bush. Needless to say my opinion of the man is not very high, or rather my opinions on most of the decisions he has made while in power are not too favourable, but as I look at 2004 as a year that holds a US presidential election in store I can’t profess to much optimism. I don’t particularly want to see George Bush remain in power but I don’t see how the election of a Democrat will improve things very much. I suppose it could lessen the influence of neoconvervatives in the highest echelons of the US government but I think imperialist neoconcervative ideals have become entrenched in the thinking of the US ruling class in general. I don’t dare to hope that a Democrat as president of the US will enable those of us outside of the US to sleep better at night. The thought of Hillary Clinton in power seems to me to be not better than the thought of George Bush in power.
Of course, all this being said, there’s a very likely chance that George Bush Jr. will be reelected and all of his neoconservative buddies will get to impose their will upon the rest of the world for another four years, international law be damned. Oh, and if you think perhaps I’m a little paranoid about this so-called American imperialist attitude, have a browse around the website of the Project for a New American Century. If you’re short on time just have a look over their statement of principles (pay particular attention to the signatories at the bottom of the page). You’ll have trouble sleeping after that one.
Still, may my pessimism for the future of international affair prove to be unfounded and may 2004 be a good year for all concerned. One can only hope and pray.
2003 wasn’t a great year for me. So much happened and my life changed more than once!
2004 is looking much, much better already :)