Johnathan Freedland's column in The Guardian: Still no votes in Leipzig - US policy now affects every citizen on the planet. So we should all have a say in who gets to the White House.
For who could honestly describe the 2004 contest of George Bush and John Kerry as a domestic affair? There's a reason why every newspaper in the world will have the same story on its front page on November 3. This election will be decisive not just for the United States but for the future of the world.
Anyone who doubts it need only look at the last four years. The war against Iraq, the introduction of the new doctrine of pre-emption, the direct challenge to multilateral institutions - chances are, not one of these world-changing developments would have happened under a President Al Gore. It is no exaggeration to say that the actions of a few hundred voters in Florida changed the world.
So perhaps it's time to make a modest proposal. If everyone in the world will be affected by this election, shouldn't everyone in the world have a vote?
Here's my original post, containing my brilliant prediction, and here's an update to that post.
1 comment:
Lance, it takes little imagination to reach the conclusion that Guardian has... I have been involved in several "dust-ups" with contributors to (fairly) right wing boards for suggesting with my tongue wedged firmly in my cheek that given GWB's global ambitions I should have the right to vote for or against him.
The first time the subject came up in my bailiwick was just after GWB sidelined the UNSC over Iraq.
Second is after re-reading some of the comment attached to your earlier "I called it.." one has to remember that military might is only one and perhaps the most visible of the influences that the United States has over the rest of the world.
The third is one of attitude. Go back some time and re-read GWB comments on the subjects of international law, and the ICCJ. Ponder for a few moments the relationship between Kofi Annan's comments about the legality of the Iraq war, the international definition of "war crimes" and the terms of the Geneva Conventions.
I regret, I have never been able to think about how this one matter has progressed without getting an awful sick feeling in my stomach.
The hardest to take is that I have no right to do anything about the problem... other than by doing something that is unthinkable.
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