Hillary in Asia: Can America Make-Over Its Image?
By Farish A. Noor ~ February 20th, 2009. Filed under: Syndicated Columns.
And so the make-over has begun: Hillary Clinton’s whirlwind tour of Asia that takes her to China, Korea, Japan and Indonesia may well mark the beginning of new relations with the East Asian economies whose goodwill towards America at the moment will be crucial in President Obama’s attempts to recover America’s lost prestige and bring about a much-needed economic recovery if he is to rescue his country from the brink of disaster.
That Hillary Clinton was assigned to this task is interesting, for it is noteworthy that this time round the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has had her world map cut up into chunks. Crucial regions such as Central Asia, Pakistan and India, for instance, are off Hillary’s plate, leaving her with much to do in Southeast and East Asia as well as the Arab world. Ironically her close contact with the Israeli lobby in Washington may serve as a negative factor when she has to show off the new face of America in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country.
But the task that has been left to Hillary is an unenviable one: For a start, there is the delicate balancing act between China and Japan that has to be played out successfully. America today, thanks to the uneven trade relations it enjoys with China, cannot afford to antagonise what will soon become the second biggest economic player on the planet as well as America’s most important trade ally. Due to the enormous amount of US cash dollar reserves that China has, the fate of the dollar now hangs on the whims of the Chinese government and market.
But then there is the worrying concern that the Japanese have, for if US-China political and trade relations improve at the expense of the former, Japan may well find itself relegated to secondary position in the fragile balance of military and economic power in East Asia. For decades now Japan has been America’s vital ally in the war against Communism and was a proxy front line state staring the might of China in the face. As China alters itself and assumes the ackward avatar of a Communist state with a Capitalist economy in all but name, what will the future hold for Japan?
Indonesia, however, is the most crucial country as far as America’s re-invention of itself goes. As the most populous Muslim country in the world how America is seen by Indonesia’s 200-million plus Muslims will define America’s new relationship with the Muslim world in general. Hillary’s visit to Indonesia was therefore seen as the primer to test the waters, and to pave the ground for the historic visit of Obama himself, who in Indonesia is practically adored as one of their own.
In Obama America now finds its best and most natural ambassador: His African-American origin and his childhood in Asia makes him the most qualified American president to date to play the role of bridge-builder. It is well known in policy circles across Southeast Asia that President Obama plans to make his vital speech to the Muslim world while he is in Indonesia. American policy makers hope therefore that Indonesians will welcome him with open arms, as this would be the first step in improving the image of America following the dark days of Bush junior, whose contribution to America’s image to the world came in the form of the barbed-wire fences of Guantanamo Bay.
What many of us have overlooked however is this: That while the world slowly sinks deeper into a global economic crisis, the American government is now turning to Asia for support and succour. The might of the world’s sole superpower that blasted Afghanistan back to the Middle-Ages and which reduced Iraq to rubble is now being defined and determined of developing countries in the South instead. As Obama seeks to define the new image of the new America that hopes to play the role of honest broker and equal partner in world politics, one wonders if the age of global hegemony is coming to an end, or being checked at least. One thing however is certain: that in its present state an America in economic crisis and suffering a credibility deficit after the mismanagement of the Bush government can no longer swagger around the world with a big stick.
As the once-hegemonic discourse of the ‘war on terror’ that was bandied about by the Bush administration gives way to the softer rhetoric of partnership and respect, a different America performs its make-over in public and realises that the rest of the world matters after all. And that may not be such a bad thing.
February 21st, 2009 at 05:53
Obama is such a big bullshit artist, people should see him for the snake-oil salesman that he is, and his speeches are full of hot air and cliches. Obama is really “cakap tak serupa bikin”, as bad as Khir Toyo, Najib and UMNO.
February 21st, 2009 at 21:25
Do you know Utusan Malayau’s comment on Hillary visit:
“Sebenarnya Indonesia menggunakan sepenuhnya peluang yang ada untuk merapatkan hubungan kedua-dua buah negara, apatah lagi AS adalah sebuah kuasa besar dunia.
Memang jelas matlamatnya apabila Setiausaha Negara Amerika Syarikat, Hillary Clinton menjadikan Indonesia sebagai negara Islam pertama dalam kunjungannya mewakili kerajaan Obama.
Menurut Clinton, Indonesia akan dijadikan jambatan kepada hubungan yang lebih baik dengan dunia Islam, lantaran negara itu adalah negara Islam terbesar dan berjaya menangani terorisme, melaksanakan demokrasi sepenuhnya, menghormati hak asasi manusia serta membukti Islam dan pemodenan boleh maju bersama.
Apa yang berlaku, Indonesia sebenarnya berperanan sebagai seorang anak yang baik dan akhir dapat menarik perhatian sang bapa iaitu AS.
Kewajaran polisi AS menjadikan Indonesia sebagai jambatan AS dengan dunia Islam masih boleh diperdebat dan disangsikan”
As the Champion of Malay World and also Islamic World … Hillary and Obama have to visit Malaysia … not Indonesia and/or other countries.
February 22nd, 2009 at 12:09
Next will be obama himself in indonesia.
Compare this with mahathir, who had to pay millions to lobbyist (jewish group) just to meet with president bush.
February 22nd, 2009 at 21:35
(Note: I’ve been reluctant to allow some comments through, because of the lack of civility, legibility and in some cases, even legality. However, some people just want to be heard and as long as they’re willing to be responsible for their words, so be it. – Yusseri)
To all the Malays’ in Malaysia, who are now whingeing, please note.
You had, and perhaps still have, all the ‘ingredients’ required to be a leading and respected Nation within not only ASEAN, but South East Asia, itself. A centre for Higher learning, open, accountable and a non-corruptable Government. Equality, pride and prosperity amongst ALL MALAYSIANS. You isolated, alienated and divided your fellow-malaysians. Your arrogance, and ignorance towards your own citizens, their faiths and their ways, your dis-respect and disregard to the Human Rights Charter. In short, my dear ‘Bumi’s’(otherwise known as ‘descendants-of-pendatangs-who-have-forgotten-the-facts’), You BLEW it!!
Indonesia, a proud and ancient land, a land that has learnt to embrace ALL it’s people as equals. A country that seems to be well on the road, to not only economic progress and prosperity, but a willingness to want to learn and improve on their lives, and their environments. Yes, no one will deny that there is ways to go in the many-layered and ‘exotic’ Indonisean society, but I am begining to see a, wiser, confident and more magnanimous ‘Indonesia’, sitting across the table, breaking bread with me.
Yo! To the people of Indonesia, you have for long been treated with disdain by many of Malaysia’s ‘Bumis’. It is quite obvious how
missguided, miss-informed and small-minded you ‘Bumis’ are towards Indonesians in many of the ‘forums’ and ‘post’ on th Internet in your area. But then again, when you ‘Bumis’ treat your own fellow-malaysians with contempt encouraged by UMNO+BN, is it any wonder, you lot are getting dumb and dumber by the day.
I say this, Indonesia hold’s the ‘key’ to the well being of not only of learning, peace and prosperity in ASEAN, but in the whole of the region.
GO!! INDONESIA! GO!!
February 23rd, 2009 at 14:08
Well, the treatment meted out to the Rogingyas who ended up on the shores of north sumatra recently would suggest that Indonesia is still not quite there either, doesnt it? Indonesia has made great strides in the post-Suharto era, particularly in the realm of education. But its human rights record is still one of the worst in the world as was made evident in the murder of the activist Munir a few years back.
Surely the need here is for countries to emulate each others’ good practices rather than worst behaviour? And we need not play the game of one-upmanship by pitting one country against another either…
February 24th, 2009 at 10:55
Dr. Farish, Who is the worst - Indonesia or Malaysia in the human right ?
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The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) was adopted by in 1965, and entered into force on Jan 4, 1969. The convention states that:
“Considering that the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination of 20 November 1963 (General Assembly resolution 1904 (XVIII)) solemnly affirms the necessity of speedily eliminating racial discrimination throughout the world in all its forms and manifestations and of securing understanding of and respect for the dignity of the human person,
Convinced that any doctrine of superiority based on racial differentiation is scientifically false, morally condemnable, socially unjust and dangerous, and that there is no justification for racial discrimination, in theory or in practice, anywhere,
Reaffirming that discrimination between human beings on the grounds of race, colour or ethnic origin is an obstacle to friendly and peaceful relations among nations and is capable of disturbing peace and security among peoples and the harmony of persons living side by side even within one and the same State,
Convinced that the existence of racial barriers is repugnant to the ideals of any human society,
Alarmed by manifestations of racial discrimination still in evidence in some areas of the world and by governmental policies based on racial superiority or hatred, such as policies of apartheid, segregation or separation,
Resolved to adopt all necessary measures for speedily eliminating racial discrimination in all its forms and manifestations, and to prevent and combat racist doctrines and practices in order to promote understanding between races and to build an international community free from all forms of racial segregation and racial discrimination”
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As of December 31, 2008, the Convention has been signed by at least 175 countries but not Malaysia. Why ?
February 26th, 2009 at 17:50
Not sure whether this is a coincidence but Asia was also a big winner at the recent Academy Awards. after reading your article, especially the part on “America is turning to Asia for support and succour”, I wonder now whether this is all part of bigger plan. hmm…