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PRESIDENT OBAMA MUST BE CAREFUL

Like many black Africans and of course millions of non-Americans across the world, I have been a staunch supporter of president elect Barack Obama from day one. What made me even more proud is his almost flawless campaign.

 From every perspective, Mr. Obama’s unprecedented achievements in such a short period of time is not just a prove that black people every where can be what ever they want to be and do what ever any member of the human race can do, his success and amazing and meteoric rise will go a long way to break the myth held by many that, the inferiority of black intellect is the reason for their backwardness.

In the meantime though, I must admit, I have been a bit concerned since the election, especially the idea that the president elect is considering keeping Robert Gates as Secretary of Defence.

While I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Obama’s desire for bipartisanship, I think the position of the Defence Secretary is too important to be given to an opposing party at this time in America’s history. From my stand point, I believed there are many, many prominent individuals namely; Colin Powell, Wesley Clark, and John Kerry who are more than competent and qualified to step in as Defence Secretary at moments notice.

Don’t get me wrong, I am all for Mr. Obama’s desire for bipartisanship, how ever I hope he doesn’t over do it, in which case, he might end up upsetting and hurting some important constituency or people in his own party. Bipartisanship is one thing. Alienating your loyal supporters and party is something else.

I am equally concern with some of the names that are been mentioned for certain key cabinet positions. For example, the idea of Senator Hillary Clinton being offered the Secretary of State position I think is very wrong headed and I refuse to go along with all the positive spin being lavished on the Senator by pundits. Clearly, not only is Mr. Obama’s message of a new kind of foreign policy and diplomacy at odds with that of Mrs. Clinton’s, putting Mrs. Clinton in that position would mean the first four most important positions after the presidency would be an all white affair.

I hope I am not accused of being anti-white, far from that, but having a white vice-president, appointing Senator Clinton as secretary of state, keeping Secretary Gates and the almost certain appointment of a white Secretary of the Treasury would make it four and 0. While I don’t want to sound alarmist, I have no doubt this would upset many non-whites especially the Latinos’ and Hispanics who were very instrumental in Mr. Obama’s success.

From my perspective, not only has Governor Richardson of New Mexico earned the right to be named Secretary of State, I believed Governor Richardson’s philosophy with regards to diplomacy and foreign policy is very much inline with that of Mr. Obama’s. Besides, Mr. Richardson’s appointment as Secretary of State would also give Latino’s and Hispanic’s something to be proud of. It would also make Mr. Obama’s message of change, inclusiveness and diversity more credible.

Finally, I would like to say; from everything I know about her, Senator Clinton is more hawkish than both Mr. Obama and Governor Richardson. In effect, instead of making her America’s top diplomat, I would like to see her as the Secretary of Defence. As dramatic as this might seemed, I believed it would mean true diversity and inclusion of biblical proportions never seen in the history of the United States. It would also mean an American administration with a very competent and brightest people at the top.            

                                                    Mohammed Ali,       November 15, 2008  

 

 

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