http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/05/26/the-oas-and-the-role-of-democracy-in-latin-america/ A Great Decisions 2008 Blog Sun, 23 Nov 2008 20:26:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.0 http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/05/26/the-oas-and-the-role-of-democracy-in-latin-america/#comment-1963 Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:44:27 +0000 http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/05/26/the-oas-and-the-role-of-democracy-in-latin-america/#comment-1963 [...] Many other countries in the Americas have been set with their own local issues and have had some support and acknowledgement from the US in positive and negative manners. Mainly the US in the last 8 years have ignored Latin America in The War on Terror, and minimal support and ties with the US have been good for many in the region and their development. Ignoring the Americas, the backyard of the US and important future allies is not an option, as pointed out by Zakaria in his writings and book. A strong Americas will do nothing but help the US reintegrate into the international community if respect and independent policies are supported by the next President of the US and progress of the Americas is valued and not hindered. Reactionist trade policy and calling the opposition George Bush when no coherent discussion is available to win votes in an election is not acceptable on any level. Policy cannot be formed by name calling, and any politician who uses this tactic does nothing but to embarrass themselves and their supporters in a democracy. The Bush era is over, and only working for new opportunities is an acceptable result. [...] […] Many other countries in the Americas have been set with their own local issues and have had some support and acknowledgement from the US in positive and negative manners. Mainly the US in the last 8 years have ignored Latin America in The War on Terror, and minimal support and ties with the US have been good for many in the region and their development. Ignoring the Americas, the backyard of the US and important future allies is not an option, as pointed out by Zakaria in his writings and book. A strong Americas will do nothing but help the US reintegrate into the international community if respect and independent policies are supported by the next President of the US and progress of the Americas is valued and not hindered. Reactionist trade policy and calling the opposition George Bush when no coherent discussion is available to win votes in an election is not acceptable on any level. Policy cannot be formed by name calling, and any politician who uses this tactic does nothing but to embarrass themselves and their supporters in a democracy. The Bush era is over, and only working for new opportunities is an acceptable result. […]

]]> http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/05/26/the-oas-and-the-role-of-democracy-in-latin-america/#comment-1793 Sat, 27 Sep 2008 18:12:49 +0000 http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/05/26/the-oas-and-the-role-of-democracy-in-latin-america/#comment-1793 [...] Leadership, while likely the most media friendly issue and less complicated than the equations needed to understand the Bail Out, has done little to address the true need for proper regulations, the true market effects of the financial industry and creating laws which protect consumers, protect the national reserve and provide that economic decision making should bear consequence on those decision makers in private industry and remove the corporate veil as is the case with many business borrowers and consumers of the financial industry which need those companies to help grow their local economies and communities. As debated by Mr. Obama in last night’s debate, the financial crisis we have to date is the final legacy of the Bush Administration, but while a Bail Out may make this issue last week’s news, the massive amount of borrowing from lenders in cash rich China, Dubai and other wealthy emerging economies in the last eight years and the economic alienation of US allies in the process in places like Europe, Canada and Latin America may take a process of normalization of investment trends from the US to the world into a situation where those new lender countries will be on par with the US immediately. It was though by writers like Zakaria and Khanna that over a course of 15-35 years, the US will become one of many economic superpowers in the globe, but due to poor leadership and a financial industry which has chosen to give the death kneel to the American Empire of the 20th Century, measured predictions by those authors will likely come true before the paperbacks of their recently published books become available. The next President, whoever he is, will likely be a better choice than anyone in the last 20 years, and will spend the better half of the next four years cleaning up America as he bears the responsibility for cleaning up everyone else’s mess. Like the formidable Cristina Kirchner of Argentina, charm can only go so far when you are the caretaker of a crisis from the past. Suffering politically from chaos which she cannot end and did not create, Obama or McCain will inherit one of the worst jobs you can have in the financial industry, the country’s risk bearer. [...] […] Leadership, while likely the most media friendly issue and less complicated than the equations needed to understand the Bail Out, has done little to address the true need for proper regulations, the true market effects of the financial industry and creating laws which protect consumers, protect the national reserve and provide that economic decision making should bear consequence on those decision makers in private industry and remove the corporate veil as is the case with many business borrowers and consumers of the financial industry which need those companies to help grow their local economies and communities. As debated by Mr. Obama in last night’s debate, the financial crisis we have to date is the final legacy of the Bush Administration, but while a Bail Out may make this issue last week’s news, the massive amount of borrowing from lenders in cash rich China, Dubai and other wealthy emerging economies in the last eight years and the economic alienation of US allies in the process in places like Europe, Canada and Latin America may take a process of normalization of investment trends from the US to the world into a situation where those new lender countries will be on par with the US immediately. It was though by writers like Zakaria and Khanna that over a course of 15-35 years, the US will become one of many economic superpowers in the globe, but due to poor leadership and a financial industry which has chosen to give the death kneel to the American Empire of the 20th Century, measured predictions by those authors will likely come true before the paperbacks of their recently published books become available. The next President, whoever he is, will likely be a better choice than anyone in the last 20 years, and will spend the better half of the next four years cleaning up America as he bears the responsibility for cleaning up everyone else’s mess. Like the formidable Cristina Kirchner of Argentina, charm can only go so far when you are the caretaker of a crisis from the past. Suffering politically from chaos which she cannot end and did not create, Obama or McCain will inherit one of the worst jobs you can have in the financial industry, the country’s risk bearer. […]

]]> http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/05/26/the-oas-and-the-role-of-democracy-in-latin-america/#comment-930 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:32:11 +0000 http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/05/26/the-oas-and-the-role-of-democracy-in-latin-america/#comment-930 Yes, Id tend to agree. Thank you for your comment! Yes, Id tend to agree. Thank you for your comment!

]]> http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/05/26/the-oas-and-the-role-of-democracy-in-latin-america/#comment-928 Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:33:46 +0000 http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/05/26/the-oas-and-the-role-of-democracy-in-latin-america/#comment-928 Interesting post. The OAS is indeed perceived as the answer for many, specifically as a forum for building trust and overcoming discrepancies among countries in the western hemisphere. A recent example is the bilateral tensions between Colombia and Ecuador. A few days ago, both governments restored diplomatic relations suspended after a Colombian raid on the Ecuadorian side of the border. The media, many analysts and leaders from the region acknowledge the OAS' mediation efforts to soften the tone between both governments and re-establishing diplomatic ties. Interesting post. The OAS is indeed perceived as the answer for many, specifically as a forum for building trust and overcoming discrepancies among countries in the western hemisphere. A recent example is the bilateral tensions between Colombia and Ecuador. A few days ago, both governments restored diplomatic relations suspended after a Colombian raid on the Ecuadorian side of the border. The media, many analysts and leaders from the region acknowledge the OAS’ mediation efforts to soften the tone between both governments and re-establishing diplomatic ties.

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