Change Taking Places

Change is occurring all over the world at such a breakneck pace, it's impossible to keep up with it all. Certainly not on this blog. :-D

The Serbian province of Kosovo declared its independence earlier this week in response to decades if not centuries of oppression by the Serbs. Serbia, insisting that Kosovo is its ancestral homeland (never mind the ethnic Albanians that comprise the province's overwhelming majority) has vowed never to submit to the declaration, and Russia has vowed to back up Serbia, its long-standing ally, and block any attempt at a worldwide acceptance of Kosovar independence. The United States, Great Britain, and France have recognized Kosovo's declaration, but other countries have held back from doing so.

Cuba's longtime leader, Fidel Castro, has chosen to step down - and on his own terms. The ailing leader, citing health problems, will step aside for a successor to be chosen this coming Sunday. George W. Bush proclaimed a nonvictory, advocating the need for positive change in Cuba and hoping that the Cuban people be allowed to participate in free and fari elections. So say the thief of the 2000 U.S. election. The truth of the matter is that Fidel Castro's brother Raul is likely to become the next president of Cuba (I'll bet George wishes he could devolve power to Jeb!) and that the Cuban people aren't going to revolt just because we urge them to.

As for normalizing relations with Cuba, Barack Obama is the only major presidential candidate who seems to be ready to do so in the near future.

Pakistan's parliamentary elections produced a defeat to Pervez Musharraf and for the Bush White House. Bush has backed Musharraf in a bid for eliminating al-Qaeda's influence in the region, giving Musharrraf the green light to perpetuate a police state. Much of the vote against Musharraf's party was due to his closeness with the U.S. government. He took off his uniform, and it turned out that the emperor has no clothes.

Much of these changes are happening beyond the U.S's control, unlike the fall of the Iron Curtain. The next President will have to realize that the best American foreign policy going forward is to acoomodate change, not foster it.