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9 Oct, 2012

U.S. Should Learn from U.K. “To Decline Gracefully”

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(People’s Daily Online) October 08, 2012  – Maybe the United States should learn from Britain “to decline gracefully,” Professor Meghnad Desai, an Indian-born member of the British House of Lords, said in his recent article, “America, Enjoy the Downward Slide.”

Americans have said similar things before. However, American leaders are obsessed with “building a peaceful world under the U.S. rule.” Although it is “forced to contract its forces,” the United States is still busy launching “color revolutions” and promoting “neo-interventionism” around the world. 

 The United States may still be a superpower, but its influence has declined markedly.

The American continents are the backyard of the United States. The country used to have the final say on who would serve as the secretary general of the Organization of American States, but the organization has repeatedly rejected candidates recommended by the United States for the post in recent years. In addition, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon attended the recent Non-Aligned Movement summit in Tehran, Iran despite opposition from the United States.

The harsh reality facing the United States, which seeks global hegemony, explains exactly why it is containing and cooperating with China at the same time.

The rise and fall of great powers is nothing but normal. All rising powers in the world seek peace, development, and cooperation, and have no intention of confronting the United States.

China does not oppose the U.S. presence in the Asia-Pacific region, but just hopes it can play a more positive and active role.

American leaders should respect historical documents, including terms of the Cairo Declaration and Potsdam Proclamation concerning Japan as a defeated imperialist nation, carry forward the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations initiated and promoted by their predecessors, and face the reality of a changing world.

This will benefit Americans and all other people in the world who pursue peace and development.



Read the Chinese version: 美国能否“享受衰落”, source: Jiefang Daily, author: Wang Yusheng