Invitation to Think

Monday, January 26, 2004

 

We all know how important it is to choose the right person for President. Everyone would agree that it is also a difficult decision. As a concerned American, I created the following list, in case it’s useful to others. Sometimes it helps to verbalize on paper what qualities you think are important. I jotted this list down quickly, but if you have any questions, or if you would like to add some suggestions of your own, please do email me.

Of course, no one individual is perfect, but when you compare each candidate who’s running, try to see which one passes this “test” the best. Keep in mind that the best candidate should have a combination of these traits, and not just one or two. (As we know from several examples in the past, being excessively swayed by charm or personality alone does not guarantee having the most effective president.)


Qualities to Look for in Selecting a Presidential Candidate

1. Intelligence


2. Shrewdness


3. Pragmatism


4. Empathy


5. Wants to create opportunities for others, especially for those who can’t advance in spite of their honesty, integrity and hard work


6. Is a natural leader; promotes leadership and initiatives in others


7. Social


8. No obvious mental or personality problems


9. No obvious moral or ethical problems


10. Puts the interests of the country and the people above his own, even if that means losing power


11. Energetic


12. Independent ; not corrupt; not controlled by people with power or money


13. A sense of humor


14. Isn’t dogmatic


15. Honest; not sly

I have been lucky to have my daughter, Rajul, work with me on some of these past ideas & projects. If there are others who would also like to join me in spreading this information to the greater public, you are by all means welcome. Let us really make ours a government of the people, by the people and for the people!

-- Dr. Hans Parekh

posted by Hasmukh Parekh 4:45 PM

 

NOTE: We drafted this document in March of 2003, and sent it to numerous organizations and elected officials here in the U.S. and in Britain. It was also featured on the following website:
Click here: 'Everyone Counts' - is a US-led 'war on terror' the most practical way to improve global security? - alternatives


IRAQ: 2 New Middle Ground Solutions

1. Under the supervision of a U.N. council made up of U.N. member representatives and local Iraqis, organize a democratic government in a small selected area of Iraq* with or without Saddam Hussein’s consent. In the rest of Iraq, simultaneously conduct inspections.

OR

2. Under the supervision of a U.N. council largely made up of Middle Eastern countries, Saddam Hussein would voluntarily forfeit his power while remaining within Iraq.* This would be followed by vigorous and speedy inspections and democratic elections. Hussein may be allowed to contest the elections.

Details as follows:


Solution No. 1

1. U.N.-supervised democratic rule in a selected region of Iraq.
2. Remove the authority of Saddam Hussein from that region.
3. Create a supervisory council made up of U.N. member representatives in addition to local Iraqis from that region.
4. Organize the basic infrastructure and facilities in that region.
5. Ensure freedom of the press.
6. Allow peaceful activity to occur, such as trade with neighboring Iraqi provinces. Maintain vigil regarding spying, sabotage, etc.
7. After necessary stability is achieved, arrange local elections and give maximum power to the elected bodies.
8. In other words, let this region function as a small, independent country.
9. This may become a catalyst for spreading democratic rule to neighboring Iraqi provinces.
10. In the meantime, inspections should proceed thoroughly, with insistence on full Iraqi cooperation. Eventually, the whole process will come to its logical peaceful end.

Sooner or later, the benefits of such a step will become obvious to the world, including to peace activists as well as to the people of the Middle East.


Solution No. 2

1. Under the auspices of the United Nations, appoint a governing council to temporarily run the whole of Iraq.
2. About 75% of its members should consist of representatives from Middle Eastern countries, and the other 25% from the rest of the world.
3. Obviously, Saddam Hussein should voluntarily step aside. He may retire into self-exile within Iraq itself.
4. This will facilitate quick and thorough inspections.
5. Once this process is over, general elections should be held under the supervision of the U.N.
6. Saddam Hussein and his party should also be allowed to run for election. If he has almost 100% support
from the Iraqi people, as he claims to have, he should have no difficulty winning these elections.
7. But if he loses, it will not be difficult to chart out a path somewhat as follows:
8. This U.N.-appointed council should remain there as a supervisory and advisory body in a democratic Iraq
for some time.
9. Once everything is stable and the U.N. supervisory council is no longer needed, a legally binding provision should be made to ensure that Iraq does not develop weapons of mass destruction or indulge in any form of terrorism in the future.

At this stage, it may not be appropriate to discuss next two points -- perhaps the Iraqi people would like to sort it out themselves.

10. The democratically elected government of Iraq, and therefore the Iraqi people, should decide if Saddam and his followers should be tried in Iraqi courts.
11. Similarly, it should be left up to the international courts whether he should be tried in a manner similar to Serbia's Slobodan Milosevic.


*There is normally no interference in the internal affairs of a country; but this situation is unique in view of Iraq's breach of the United Nations resolutions.

We had originally planned to prepare a more exhaustive and formal presentation. Alongside that, we intended to touch on the issue of how to deal with "rogue states" in general. However, in view of the pressing current developments, we opted for this brief outline of our plan for peaceful constructive action.

Dr. Hasmukh Parekh and Ms. Rajul Parekh

posted by Hasmukh Parekh 4:41 PM