rn> GORBACHEV: The World Doesn’t Want to Be American

2001-01-02

Richard Moore

Dear rn,

Below is a moving letter from Gorbachev to Bush, published
in the International Herald Tribune.  I look forward to an
increasing role for Gorbachev as a spokesperson for the
emerging counter-neoliberal movement.

But first a note from Brian Hill regarding John Ross, author
of "The War Against Oblivion - The Zapatista Chronicles". 
Perhaps some of you might have suggestions for John re/ his
book-signing tour.

all the best,
rkm

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From: "Brian Hill" <•••@••.•••>
To: <•••@••.•••>
Cc: "John Ross" <•••@••.•••>
Subject: Re: rn,sm> Zapatista Peace Delegation
Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 11:16:10 -0800

Richard;

John Ross is a totally trusted brother for 25 years and his work in
Mexico has been impeccable.  Please contact him directly, and he is
planning a book tour in the US South West soon and would like help
setting up speaking gigs.  Hope someone on this net can help him as he
travels cheap and is totally dedicated to the people.

Brian

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Delivered-To:•••@••.••• 
From: "Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space" 
<•••@••.•••> 
To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;@mindspring.com;;;> 
Subject: GORBACHEV MESSAGE TO BUSH
Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 16:29:12 -0500

Published on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000 in the International
Herald Tribune

Mr. Bush, The World Doesn't Want to Be American

by Mikhail Gorbachev

MOSCOW - Dear Mr. Bush:

I am writing to you as a citizen of our planet and someone
who beholds the last remaining superpower. Can there be any
doubt that the United States plays a major role in guiding
our world? Only a fool could disregard that fact. To
acknowledge this is a given, even though American spokesmen
are perhaps somewhat overly inclined to press the point home
to the rest of the world.

For while America's role is acknowledged throughout the
world, her claim to hegemony, not to say domination, is not
similarly recognized. For this reason, I hope, Mr. Bush, as
the new American president, that you will give up any
illusion that the 21st century can, or even should, be the
"American Century." Globalization is a given - but "American
globalization" would be a mistake. In fact, it would be
something devoid of meaning and even dangerous.

I would go even further and say it is time for America's
electorate to be told the blunt truth: that the present
situation of the United States, with a part of its
population able to enjoy a life of extraordinary comfort and
privilege, is not tenable as long as an enormous portion of
the world lives in abject poverty, degradation and
backwardness.

For 10 years, U.S. foreign policy has been formulated as if
it were the policy of a victor in war, the Cold War. But at
the highest reaches of U.S. policy-making no one has grasped
the fact that this could not be the basis for formulating
post-Cold War policy.

In fact, there has been no "pacification." On the contrary,
there has been a heightening of inequalities, tension and
hostility, with most of the last directed toward the United
States.

Instead of seeing an increase in U.S. security, the end of
the Cold War has seen a decline. It is not hard to imagine
that, should the United States persist in its policies, the
international situation will continue to deteriorate.

It is also difficult to believe that, under present
circumstances, relations between the United States, on the
one hand, and China, India and all the rest of the earth
that lives in abject poverty, on the other, could develop in
a positive direction. Nor is it possible, on the basis of
its present posture, for the United States to establish
effective, long-term cooperation with its traditional
allies, Europe first and foremost.

Already we see numerous trade disputes, evidence of the
conflicting interests separating the United States and the
European Union. At the recent conference in The Hague, where
the participants were supposed to come up with a common
policy on limiting greenhouse effects, U.S. positions were
far removed from those of all others. As a result, no
decision was taken. This is clearly an example of a failure
of "world governance."

From the standpoint of the Old World, the post-Cold War
period ushered in hopes that now are faded. Over the past
decade, the United States has continued to operate along an
ideological track identical to the one it followed during
the Cold War.

Need an example? The expansion of NATO eastward, the
handling of the Yugoslav crisis, the theory and practice of
U.S. rearmament - including the utterly extravagant national
missile defense system, which, in turn, is based on the
bizarre notion of "rogue states."

Isn't it amazing that disarmament moved further during the
last phase of the Cold War than during the period after its
end? And isn't that because U.S. leadership has been unable
to adjust to the new European reality? Europe is now a new,
independent and powerful player on the world scene. To
continue to regard it as a junior partner would be a
mistake.

Europe's experience must serve as a lesson for future
relations, but it can do so only if America and Europe build
a genuine, equal partnership.

Finally, it is hardly a secret that relations between the
United States and Russia have deteriorated over recent
years. Responsibility for this must be shared between Russia
and America.

The present leadership of Russia appears ready to cooperate
with the United States in framing a new agenda for
relations. But it is unclear what your orientation will be.

What we heard during the electoral campaign did not sound
encouraging. If we truly want to build a new world order and
further European unity, we have to recognize that this will
not be possible without an active role for Russia. This
recognition is the necessary basis for setting future
Russian-American relations on the right path.

The world is complicated, it contains and expresses a
variety of interests and cultures. Sooner or later,
international policy, including that of the United States,
will have to come to terms with that variety. --- The
writer, the last president of the former Soviet Union,
contributed this comment to the Washington Post.

Copyright © 2000 the International Herald Tribune

-------------------------------------------------
Bruce K. Gagnon Coordinator Global Network Against 
Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space PO Box 90083 
Gainesville, FL. 32607 (352) 337-9274 http://www.space4peace.org 
•••@••.•••

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Richard K Moore
Wexford, Ireland
Citizens for a Democratic Renaissance 
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