{{{Boogie on the head of a pin}}}

*Stretch*...*creak creak*...

Ah...the joys of the Internet. The power of the networks of networks with a cable modem. Where else in time would a twenty year old have the ability to reach out to the potential masses out there...=)

Anyway, the topic for today is on US. And no, this is not a comment on the need for unity between the various religions and races of today in order to achieve the harmony needed for a New World Order (and in case you were wondering, I'm not a free mason... Don't believe in an almighty omnipotent and omniscient God...with a capital G).

America the Hegemon is what the topic is on today and here are some of my thoughts on it. Don't worry. It's shorter than the last one.

Regardless of my feelings towards America and towards the people being www.newamericancentury.com, the fact is I'll take them over any other pole today. Let's face it, America is hardly pushing an autocratic and authoritarian form of democracy like...*ahem*...certain 'regions' of 'democracy'. In fact they're a lot more benign than most nations would in their position. My stock of goodwill towards the world's most populous nation has dropped like a stone since their SARS cover-up fiasco. The world's largest nation by landmass doesn't seem to have gotten over its autocratic past, and the word is out that organized crime has an incredible amount of influence over the government (and I'm not simply talking about Big Business). The world's largest democracy still needs some work on its Hindu nationalist and populist tendencies. The world's biggest union (or soon to be anyway) is rift with strife and doesn't have a decent military at that. The world's second largest economy is still stuck in the doldrums.

In any case, the importance here is (to quote today's Straits Times article) to be the greeks to the 'roman' American. We need to accept the fact that America's psychology has changed after 911 and feels vulnerable like never before. If one opposes it and doesn't make the world a 'safer' place while one's at it, America will withdraw into the isolation that is almost intrinsic in its psyche (George Washington admonished his nation never to get involved in 'entangling alliances'). America will go at it alone, with the capability to do so. Oppose it if you will but do so on reasonable grounds (for an example of unreasonable, see in particular France's adamant opposition to the war in Iraq).

I firmly believe that multilateralism is the way of the future. Multilateralism will pave the way for a 'post-modern' world. But multilateralism cannot be a mindless nasty byword for opposition to USA on principle alone. Multilateralism cannot disregard America (see the League of Nations for a good example on how not to go at it together). Multilateralism cannot be an excuse for not making and taking hard decision, including ones that involve war.

One does not make the world safer by bringing America down.