There is something you should never forget. Rosa Parks sat so that Martin Luther King could walk; he walked so you Barack Obama could run; and you ran so our children can fly and so we today can stand with pride and dignity. Ongoing events and black peoples’ experiences across the world, from Africa through Europe to America, are vivid reminders that, for us, standing with pride and dignity is still a dream rather than reality.
Therefore, a few tomahawk cruise missiles on Syria could deliver more than just a lesson to President Assad. It could deliver a nightmare for you, your military and American economy. It could leave Saudi Arabia burning, spark uncontrollable war involving Israel, Hezbollah, Iraq, and Iran. If it extends beyond 14 days, the rest of Arab governments could be drawn in and then comes boot on the ground from America.
Dear Brother President Obama,
Few days ago, the 28th August 2013 to be precise, you headlined across the world with a moving speech marking the 50th anniversary celebrations of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech. Your presidency is a standing tribute to the greatest achievement of the civil right movement. Never the less, race is till an issue in America, 25% of African Americans live in poverty: double the proportion of their white counterparts. Unemployment rate stands around 13% for African Americans and double the ratio for white Americans. Therefore it can be argued that there is still more left to accomplish before reaching Dr Martin Luther King’s dream of equality in America. Well, Dr King has played his part as the 50th anniversary celebration illustrates. The baton is now in your hands. How you use it will dictate how you are remembered 50 years on.
The Western and American media have began defining your legacy. At various points in the last few years, you have been cast as the inheritor of John F. Kennedy’s Camelot, the second coming of Franklin D. Roosevelt and a modern-day Abraham Lincoln. When you have gotten into trouble, they classify you as another Lyndon B. Johnson, Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton. As the Syrian crisis looms and on the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King the media has flexed its might. Some say while Martin Luther King had a dream, you Obama have nothing but nightmares and drones. How you play the remaining years of your presidency will shape not only your legacy but how the black race defines your place in history.
There is something you must never forget. Rosa Parks sat so that Martin Luther King could walk; he walked so you Barack Obama could run; and you ran so our children can fly and so we today should be able to stand with pride and dignity. Ongoing events and black peoples’ experiences across the world, from Africa through Europe to America, are vivid reminders that, for us, standing with pride and dignity is still a dream rather than a reality. Therefore anything that will bring you and your presidency into disrepute will have severe impact on our dreams of equality, pride and dignity. Hence based on divine revelation I wrote an article on June 22, 2013 pleading with you to “talk American, walk European, and let God be God over Syrian crisis. Needless I remind you that my revelations have already began to manifest.
As I pointed out in the article, you are running the risk of repeating the legacy of George Bush’s presidency. I warned that Syria is going to be your Vietnam and Iraq multiplied by Libya. I warned that should you fail to back off executing your redline for Syria, your most trusted allies will abandon you on the D-Day. Just last night, Prime Minister Cameron failed to deliver support as I predicted. Not surprising, Senator John McCain failed to appear on a scheduled BBC Newsnight interview, soon after the UK House of Parliament vote. As I predicted, NETO and other important allies such as Germany and Canada have abandoned the coalition of the willing. The Arab league and a number of Arab states have expressed preference for dialogue and peaceful resolution of the Syrian crisis rather than your tomahawk route. Mr President, for our sake, and for the sake of America, swallow your pride, talk American and walk European on this one. Africans will tell you that a giant elephant’s most feared creature is the ant. Syria, I fear, may turn out to be the ant that brings down your elephant Democratic Party government through unintended consequences of military actions.
There are lessons the West and America have failed to learn about a number of developing countries. When President George Bush was preparing to attack Iraq, he was warned that in the history of that region, no external power had ever conquered militarily. On the Afghan front, America was warned that no foreign power including the British and Soviets had ever brought Afghans to their knees, no matter the military might. Syria is in the same class. History is yet to be proved wrong in this regard. There are also a number of divine laws that man or government cannot bend. For example, the Israeli and Palestinian conflict can never be settled through external pressure on Israel and Palestine. It is a matter for God, Israel and Palestine. A book to be published in 2014 will elaborate on this divine revelation.
I worry that America and its leaders are not learning from mistakes. President Saddam Hussein of Iraq was eliminated and in his place today are chaos, anarchy, and terror. You supported the elimination of Colonel Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi of Libya. In his place today are chaos, anarchy, no government, militias, witch hunt and spread of terror in Africa. On your watch, President Hosni Mubarak was toppled in the name of revolution. In his place today Egypt is faced with economic meltdown, instability and terror. I leave you and CIA to work out the arithmetic of the potential costs of eliminating President Assad of Syria.
Therefore, a few tomahawk cruise missiles on Syria could deliver more than just a lesson to President Assad. It could deliver a nightmare for you, your military and American economy. It could leave Saudi Arabia burning, trigger a conflict for Turkey, spark uncontrollable war involving Israel, Hezbollah, Iraq, and Iran. If it extends beyond 14 days and with heavy casualties and infrastructural destruction, the rest of Arab governments could be drawn in and then comes boot on the ground from America.
There are questions that worry many over the current Syrian chemical attack incident. Why would Syria mount a chemical attack on invitation, arrival and within few miles of UN weapon inspectors? At a time when the Syrian government had gained upper hand militarily with the support of Hezbollah, what would it gain by gassing men, women and children? Fully aware of the dangers of chemical weapons and how they spread, why would a government unleash such weapon close to its seat of power? You can see why the UK parliament is reluctant to get involved militarily despite Prime Minister David Cameron’s confidence in the intelligence report.
Embarking on redline military venture without the mandate of United Nation is a violation of your campaign pledge. That’s a major credibility issue. It may trigger intensified military support from Russia and huge financial backing from China to President Assad and Iran. Please do not underestimate Russia, China and Iran. The peace agreement between Egypt and Israel may come under enormous pressure. Terrorism may escalate across the world. Negotiations on nuclear disarmament with Iran will be impossible. The newly elected moderate Iranian president may be forced to take a hardened position on many issues of interest to America. The US economy may slide back into recession. The American public will punish your political party severely. Should that happen, the Clintons will not forgive you for blowing their chances of making history as first US woman president.
At the end of it all, the blacks in America will pay a heavy price for the unpardonable mistakes of the man who took over the baton of liberation from Dr Martin Luther King.
Please drop the idea of involvement in the Syrian crisis. Regain and solidify your credibility through bringing the war to an end via a coalition for peace involving Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, President Assad, Syrian National Council, Qatar, European Union, and the Arab League. Yes you can! There is nothing to lose for peace but everything to lose to war.
May God grant you the wisdom to turn feared loss of face into victory for the sake of world peace. Amen.
Nonyerem Davidson