Barack Obama has today been elected as the President of the United States of America. His victory has been hailed by many as a victory for ‘change’. Many in the Muslim World have argued that American foreign policy will now drastically change with a more friendly approach to the ‘Muslim Street’. We hope, in the next few weeks, to assess these claims in relation to the expressed ideas of Obama. It will be argued on these pages that US foreign policy will remain as it is, a colonialist foreign policy; colonialism being the fixed method of the USA. What will change is the style of foreign policy, Obama opting for multilateralism over Bush’s unilateralism.
Here is an article from the book ‘Political Concepts’ written by Taqiuddin an-Nabhani in 1969 which discusses the background and nature of the USA. This will help in providing an analysis of the possible future policies of America under President Obama.
The Growth Of The US As A World Power
As for the U.S., she was colonised by Europe and England in particular, and was divided into several states. She first tried to reduce the pressure of English colonisation then entered into a strong war of liberation against her and succeeded in expelling England from the country. Then these American states agreed to form a union between themselves and emerged as a single state. The new state started then to annex other states until the state emerged in its present form. The U.S. now consists of 51 states and enjoys a powerful position in the world. She was able to enjoy a powerful position in the world, and was able to protect the two American continents from the European countries and has become another world, known as the New World.
The U.S. was built by a conscious, clever and active nation. She established a governmental system, democratic, but unique, and based on a deep realisation and practical comprehension of the meaning of rule being a rule for the people administered by human beings. She did not develop logically the ideal rule but contemplated it practically and realistically and this is seen well in the way of appointing the President and the broad authority given to him, his role in the state and the authority to define the responsibilities of the other state organisations.
This American realisation of rule is also manifested in the strong unity of the state upon which it is based, although the American system is a system of union. Also this practical understanding is clear in the absolute choice given to the people in electing their President and selecting the state organisations. All this enhanced the strength and the growth of the state power quickly. Before the Second World War the U.S. was trapped in isolation away from the political affairs of the world, satisfied with her own world. But after this war she decided to pick herself up from this isolation and take part in the administration of the world and limit the ambitions of the rest of the major powers.
In America, there are two prime parties, the Democrats and the Republicans. The written policies and also the policies followed in practice by the two parties are hardly different. The two parties almost follow a single program, and very little change takes place during the circulation of government between the two parties whether in domestic or foreign policy. If some changes happened to take place it would be as a result of certain surrounding conditions and not an alteration of the parties programs. The Democratic Party is the inveterate party and it is the party of the nation and has an overwhelming majority among the people.
Therefore the congressional majority is always on its side. The Republican party is more recent in its existence and it is the party of the rich, and the majority of its members are from those who have big capital and the owners of the monopoly companies. It also has a large number of the elites, and is not concerned with gaining the support of the ordinary people. Had the system of the American elections been different, the party would have no chance to win any election because it is the minority party.
The U.S. like the other capitalist states is controlled by the owners of the monopolies and businessmen. They have potential influence on U.S. policy. But since every one enjoys the right of nationality and can influence the rule, either through election or criticism, the rule appears in the U.S. as if it is the rule of the entire nation, more than any other capitalist country. Because of the inexhaustible wealth, the abundance of educated men and the thinkers, and due to the atmosphere of freedom and activity, the U.S. strength is real and not superficial.
Although the American nation is not inveterate but a group of communities from different places, the citizenship binds them truly with a strong bond, and even the foreigner who lives for some years and takes nationality becomes more concerned about the state and the nation and their interests more than his country of origin. This is a result of the strength which the country enjoys in her individuals and in the relationships between the people.
U.S. foreign policy is the policy of the rich and the monopolies i.e. it is a pure colonialist policy lacking all noble values. Although the American politicians seem to be simple and occasionally idiotic, they generally have a deep thought, more so than all other politicians of the world. They have remarkable ability to introduce quick changes in the means and they are ingenious in solving problems. Probably the colonialist urge besides the high educational standards and intelligence have an influence on their political activities. They look at the rest of the world as a big ranch that belongs to them, and consider the countries which were great unworthy of the influence they enjoy, and that it is time for them to retire and accept the condition of obedience the world gives to the strongest nation.
This is a review of the reality of the U.S. and it must be treated as a colonialist country. However, it is essential to be aware of the strength of the state, the nation and her influence. The first step to confront the U.S. and overcome her is to expose her colonialist side and compel her to return to her New World. It is useful in this respect to use the ideological weapon as well as the political one. Also it is worth trying to influence her ideas internally besides resisting her political actions and foreign policies.
Political Concepts – Taqiuddin an-Nabhani – 1969