Letter to the Editor - Another thought to ‘The most dangerous period in human history’ |06 January 2017
I read with interest in your Seychelles NATION publication of Thursday January 5, 2017, the contribution from Derek Pothin, the personal assistant to the founding President of Seychelles, Sir James Mancham. I know Mr Pothin very well and regard him in high esteem.
I was about to reply lengthily when I came across an article penned by Conrad Black, in a publication called the National Review, dated January 3, 2017, with a title, ‘Obama’s failed presidency – Trump must try to cope with his predecessor’s disastrous legacy’.
Reading on I noted the following which I feel addresses quite appropriately an attempt that has been quite familiar to many, this from the onset of the Trump presidential campaign to date to try and portray President elect Trump as being a dangerous, out of touch, imbecile. I quote, “In less than three weeks the United States will take off and disarm the self-destructive devices it has been swaddled in for many years. Only a person burdened by a pessimism not of this world could think the State of the Union is about to deteriorate from where President Obama leaves it.”
On January 20, 2017, the president elect will be sworn in as the 45th president of the United States of America. I am certain that with all that this great republic has achieved since its founding 241 years ago, one of growth and accomplishments, a dangerous period in human history will in fact not be ushered in.
For those who may be interested and according to the Federation of American Scientists, today the Russian Federation has approximately 7,300 nuclear warheads, the USA has 6970, France 300, People’s Republic of China 260, UK 215, Pakistan 130, India 120, Israel 80, with North Korea less than 10.
My point? A simple quote from the New York Times says it all, “Taken in full, Mr Trump’s post conveys a range of possible meanings. At one end of that spectrum, it could be read as essentially repeating a central line from Mr Obama’s 2009 speech, in Prague, setting out American nuclear policy. At the other end, it could be read as unintentionally echoing a recent North Korean statement of nuclear policy.”
In 2009 Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and understanding this even as pundits take their expected stands, could mean that the most dangerous period in history in fact remains the one we left behind in the 20th Century. Regardless interesting times are certainly ahead depending on whose narrative you choose to believe in and follow.
Raymond St Ange