Difficult Days Await U.S.
TEHRAN TIMES INTL. DESK
TEHRAN The stances recently adopted by Saudi Arabia and Venezuela against the United States suggest that the governments on which the U.S. had been relying in order to achieve its goals in the Persian Gulf and Latin America are now adopting new foreign policies toward Washington.
The Saudi Defense Minister, Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, has said recently that his country is opposed to the presence of foreign forces in the region and the Persian Gulf. Another report also quoted Venezuelan Defense Minister Jose Vicente Rangel as saying that the country had asked the U.S. military mission to vacate its rent-free office and seek alternative premises, which indicates a cooling of bilateral military ties.
Washington had regarded these countries as tools with which to accomplish its aims in these regions by actions such as using them to manipulate the oil market. But the recent changes in the positions of those countries have caused alarm in the White House.
In past decades, when the world was ruled by a bipolar system, the U.S. always had the chance to prepare the ground for its political, economic and military presence in many countries. But with the collapse of this system, countries gradually realized the backbreaking economic, financial, political and cultural results of the presence of the U.S. in their countries.
Following the bipolar era, the United States has, however, tried to make excuses for its presence around the world through its divisive policies such as inciting wars between nations.
It is clear that the divisive U.S. policies have failed when Iran and Saudi Arabia express positive views about one another, or when Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez greets Cuban President Fidel Castro so warmly, or when Venezuela calls for closure of U.S. bases in that country, or when the Southeast Asian countries work to improve their relations. Therefore, in such a situation, no developing country will accept the expense of the U.S. presence in its lands or the neighboring countries. Rather, developing countries will think more wisely and spend their revenues on further development and the welfare of their people. The leaders of these countries know very well that this is the best way to insure their future national interests.
There is no doubt that the continuation of these policies by independent governments and those which are concerned about their national interests will put pressure on the U.S. to end its presence inside their national borders. U.S. politicians have difficult days ahead. |
