The Hindu Business Line : Beating about the Bush

The Iraq war and the regime change were justified primarily on the ground that Mr Saddam Hussein has developed Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), in spite of the fact that visits of UN inspectors revealed no solid proof to that effect.

Yet, the war and the American occupation continued as planned, despite growing criticism within the US and elsewhere.

Now, months after the regime change and bombing of Iraq, American officials report that no WMD has been found — a tacit admission, challenging the very basis of war and the burgeoning financial demands for reconstruction. To continue to justify the war, Mr Saddam Hussein himself is portrayed as ``danger to the world''.

In addition to the military sphere, Mr Bush pursues the policy of ``aggressive unilateralism'' — be it political or economic sphere.

The US is yet to give due recognition that India had been the victim of terrorism by its neighbour for over two decades now.

However, promptly after the September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, the `war against terror' was invented.

With the hope of nabbing the prime suspect Osama bin Laden and his collaborators with the help of Pakistan, the US conveniently ignores the perpetration of terror by Pakistan against India.

And this is despite the piles of intelligence reports before it about the terror camps operating in Pakistan.

The result: After two full years, the speculation still continues whether the prime suspect is alive or dead or is in Pakistan or Afghanistan!

The West with more than 150 years of strong protectionism of its own technology and industries is now active in arguing for `free trade'.

The US blames developing countries for protectionism, but continues to pamper its inefficient steel industry.

It challenges subsidy by poor nations, but continues paying huge subsidies to its own farmers; opposes trade restrictions and barriers of all sorts, but legitimises the imposition of sanctions, when the action by any state is perceived to be against its own economic interests; trumpets that resources should be procured anywhere in the globe where it is competitive, but curbs Business Process Outsourcing to India by legislative attempts, when jobs in the US are threatened; projects itself as a champion of promoting competitiveness, but pressures Asian countries to devalue their currency, when its own progress is slowed down.

The natural consequence of such policies tinkered with time-to-time to suit selfish interests promotes growing hunger, poverty and lack of opportunities round the globe, while it enriches the already mighty.

Eventually, it would give impetus to the increasing discontent about the super power by the majority poor nations, increases crime and terror in the globe.

The US, being the super economic, political and the military power, owes its moral obligations to the rest of the nations, in squarely facing and healthily confronting the critical issues faced by the globe, instead of conveniently ignoring the truth or tampering with policies to pursue selfish interests. For otherwise, it would be only beating around the Bush!

(The author is a Chennai-based advocate and a fellow of ICAI.)

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