An Obsession the World Doesn't Share

This short narrative, titled “An Obsession the World Doesn’t Share,” is rightfully named due to the main focus of this essay. Published in the March 28, 2005 edition of New York Times, the main focus of Roger Cohen’s essay is that America and its war on terror is not shared by the global community. Cohen states that America’s “obsession” isolates them and condemns them as being hegemonic. America, versus smaller poorer countries, has different problems; their main one being terrorism. On the contrary, smaller and poorer countries are more focused on local and domestic problems. These countries, mainly found in Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East share common, more prominent problems such as: poverty, crime, and the International Monetary Fund. Cohen claims that unlike the cold war, countries nowadays between Latin America and Africa share common opinions of the U.S. Cohen points out that these nations feel that America is geared toward dominance over other countries. Asia also has different concerns other than mainly Islamic terrorism. Asia is more focused on the exponential rise of China and India’s economy. Cohen says that Asia in general is worried that China’s economic growth will translate into a strong gain of military might. Cohen claims that the U.S.’s extreme power is so “…overwhelming as to invite dissent and outright opposition.” Many Americans, in their defense, respond to the rest of the world by claiming that the rest of the world would be proven wrong if terrorists were to ever actually gain nuclear weapons. Cohen makes a final statement, saying that what countries want, more than anything from then President Bush, is for the rest of the world to feel like his administration is listening to them.
I have two immediate reactions. Firstly, current President O’Bama needs to figure out ways to improve relations on a global perspective. Namely, he needs to address the source of frustration that fuels these terrorists, and the Middle East as a whole. However, he shouldn’t stop there, reach out to the desires of Latin American, Asian, and African nations as well. For hundreds of years, the western world has imposed their ways on the Middle East, for example, and it should be obvious why after such a length of time, they wouldn’t appreciate it and have built up anger towards the western world. Of course violent terrorists actions will never be condoned and shouldn’t be, but I feel that if we allow their people and the people of their region to see that we are changing, that we really care about their desires and hopes, we can work together peacefully to benefit mutual requests. I believe that allowing them to see that we care about their people; will help to lower their threat of violence. My second initial reaction is that perhaps we should stop playing “big brother” and stop worrying about other nation’s problems to the extent that we get involved without request. Furthermore, we should stop arming military factions, especially in the Middle East. As we’ve seen, arming two factions that hate each other is obviously a terribly bad idea. What I believe the rest of the world would appreciate is if the U.S. would back off. I feel we should not get involved with countries if they are having problems and let them figure it out on their own. I also feel that we should stop enforcing our great power in a way that certain countries feel is an act of terrorism. For example, CIA agents picked up both an Italian and a German man for suspicion of terrorist ties. Both men were held for months and then finally released having been found innocent. They didn’t have rights to a trial, similar to the Guantanamo Bay detainees, and perhaps no rights at all. Now both Germany and Italy have arrest warrants out for those CIA agents. I think that if we back off and let the world come to us instead of us going out and looking for trouble, many nations would either yearn for our presence, or would appreciate that we aren’t bullying around smaller and weaker nations; which happens to be almost every other country in the world. I agree with Cohen in saying that relations with these Latin American, African, Asian, and Middle Eastern nations could potentially be reformed and bettered if we, and our president, would simply listen to them; while simultaneously proving that we are no longer a power hungry “terrorist” nation, as some countries find us.