LEARNING LESSONS

LEARNING LESSONS

by Erick San Juan

Living in this highly manipulated geopolitical arena is not a joking matter. Leaders who emerge from nations that are trying to barge into the ranks of the developed nations necessarily have to contend with the big boys who are the known bullies of the world. Necessarily, these new leaders have to see to it that what they say and what they do should always be pleasing to whoever brokers for them peace and political stability. Otherwise, a leader who does not tow the line of his benefactor will have to learn the stark reality that he has to roll on his mat and soon make a dash to safety.

What we are trying to drive at is: With the disgraced Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan sitting his ass and watching from the sidelines the political and economic developments that will unfold in the state whose leadership he grabbed earlier on, Pakistan’s new leaders should be able to prove that beyond conducting his nation towards the path of plenty, they must be able to satisfy the wants of the world’s policeman.

Certainly, delivering a fiery inaugural speech is not the right way to please a leader’s benefactors. More so, if he is to tell his crowd that no way shall Pakistan’s new leadership allow itself to be a stooge or a puppet of any foreign powers once again. And this is especially so, when the new leader has yet to recover from the stigma of a public perception that he was nothing but an emblem of corruption during the watch of then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, his wife, who was assassinated.

In his inaugural speech, hours before the hotel bombing,the new president, Asif Ali Zardari,made a fiery conclusion that his administration will not allow terrorists to launch attacks on it's neighbors from Pakistan's soil and neither will he tolerate U.S. military incursions this time.

Killing more than 50 persons including an envoy during a suicide bombing attack on Pakistan’s Marriott Hotel, should serve as a strong warning to not just to the leaders of that nation, but other Asian leaders as well. The fact that Al Qaida and the Taliban denied responsibility for that suicide attack, should serve as a fair warning to everybody.

Learning lessons from domestic historical events and the ramifications of geopolitical movement and developments is absolutely necessary for leaders and even those who pretend to be people worth they're salt. The lessons they learn are seen as a guide to their future demeanor and utterances, in such a way that may no longer commit similar blunders, if not the same as those slips that tripped many world leaders into the dust bins of history.

By the way, we are checking the reports that the reason why President Gloria Arroyo is talking to the heads of state of several small nations who are now in the Big Apple, is to explore the prospects of an asylum for her friends and whatever they might be carrying.

Certainly, a lot of suspicions would come to fore because suddenly, there was a trip to New York City and Seattle , Washington , which, for some reason or another had to be cancelled. Then suddenly, here comes new expose – all involving large sum of dirty money and new political developments that puts to question the stability of her administration. As a result, what had earlier been cancelled had to be resurrected.

Let us all pray that our nation will not be affected by political and global financial turbulence.

As the saying goes, "Full speed ahead, damn the torpedoes!"