Questions that News Reporters Should Ask the American President - STWR

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Questions that News Reporters Should Ask the American President

Millions of Americans, as well as foreigners, have watched, at one time or another, news reporters asking questions to the U.S. President or some of his close officials. It has been systematically observed that such news reporters hardly ever ask pertinent and crucial questions. Here are some vital and crucial questions that need to be raised to the American President and his close advisors.

By Dr. Charles Mercieca, President of International Association of Educators for World Peace NGO, Professor Emeritus of Alabama A&M University

How come the United States speaks periodically of its obligation to promote democracy in Iraq and other countries when this American nation does not allow democracy to exist in its own territory?

Basis of this Question: The USA has proved to be a nation of plutocracy, where "everything is controlled by the wealthy", as former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark remarked. It is also viewed as a nation of pseudo-democracy where the elite few control everything. In theory, every American citizen can run for any office, but to bring the message to the people one must resort to the news media and pay a fortune. Hence, in practice, one has to be rich or endorsed by the rich in order to be elected. Once elected, these new government officials put top priority on the promotion of the financial interests of those who paid for their election. Here we have plutocracy and pseudo-democracy at work.

Why is it the USA lectures to other nations to promote freedom among their citizens, when this American nation restricts the freedom of its own citizens by prohibiting them to travel in various global areas including Cuba?

Basis of this Question: There was a time when Americans traveled extensively and bragged about their freedom of movement. At times, the U.S. government pointed out dangerous global areas where "all Americans would travel at their own risk." Nowadays, the restriction of freedom of movement Americans are experiencing from their U.S. government reminds us of the former U.S.S.R under Lenin and Stalin. American news reporters are prohibited to bring news critical of US belligerent foreign policies, of American breeches of democracy and of lack of American freedom of movement in the world.

Cuba has become one of the most peaceful and progressive nations in the world. Why does the USA continue with its embargo against Cuba and the prohibition of Americans to visit this great island nation?

Basis of the Question: If it is true that a tree is judged by the fruit it gives, then we have to judge the Cuban government not by what the USA says, but by the actions such a government performed in the best interest of its people. Cuba's President Fidel Castro was instrumental: a) in virtually eliminating illiteracy from his nation, b) in providing free education to all Cubans from the cradle to the grave, including the university level, c) in providing more medical doctors to developing nations to work there gratis than any other nation on earth, d) in furnishing the homeless with modest shelters, and e) in allowing all Cubans to have free medical attention, hospitalization, and prescription drugs.

US public officials, like George McGovern and Rear Admiral Eugene O'Carroll visited Cuba and spoke highly about it. Do you prohibit Americans from visiting Cuba for fear of discovering U.S. lies against it over the years?

Basis of the Question: Cuba provides all of its citizens with free medical attention, hospitalization, and prescription drugs, as already stated. By way of contrast, the USA does not provide free of charge any of these vital items. Whereas in Cuba education is free even at the university level, as mentioned above, in the USA everyone is expected to pay for his/her college and university education in order to pursue a career. Whereas Cuba uses its military for positive and constructive purposes in the service of the people, the United States uses its military for negative and destructive purposes in the name of its fabricated magic phrase: national defense and security.

When a great leader makes a mistake, he reveals great wisdom in recognizing it and in apologizing. Why do you refuse to admit the U.S. made a big mistake when it invaded Iraq for reasons that were verified not to be true?

Basis of the Question: The reasons given for the waging of the war: weapons of mass destruction, importation of uranium from Africa to manufacture atomic bombs, and collaboration with terrorists were all proved to be false, even by the United Nations prior to the war. Also, the much revered Pope John Paul II warned the USA that such a war would be a grave mistake for it will invite more hostilities and would breed more terrorism that may go out of control. Nelson Mandela described the American invasion of Iraq saying: "The United States has emerged to become the most dangerous country in the world." Besides, people of the caliber of Oscar Arias and Desmond Tutu warned the USA that "violence breeds more violence."

Why does the USA try to furnish all the nations of the world, friends and foes alike, with weapons and military equipment instead of with schools and educational material as well as with medical assistance and hospitals?

Basis of the Question: When the Soviet Union collapsed the whole world took a sigh of relief because everyone thought the USA would proceed to develop an international program of disarmament and arms control. In addition, everyone was expecting the USA to use the human resources only for positive and constructive purposes. That is, instead of having people manufacturing tanks for soldiers, they would manufacture tractors for farmers. Besides, instead of having businessmen manufacturing military aircrafts to bombard and destroy the infrastructure of society, they would make aircrafts to carry needed material for the construction and the solid build up of peaceful communities.

Why do self proclaimed pro-life politicians view the life?s termination of the pre-born as murder while they view the life's termination of thousands of innocent people massacred brutally in Iraq as patriotism instead of murder?

Basis of the Question: In the USA most fundamentalist clergymen are very vocal in condemning the death of the innocent pre-born through abortion. Ironically, they remain completely silent when it comes to the condemning of atrocious war actions that lead to the brutal massacre of thousands and millions of innocent post-born with military ammunitions procured mostly by the USA. Some of these clergymen explain that killing through abortion is always an intrinsic evil. Then they add saying that since there are circumstances that war could be justified, the consequent massacre of tens of thousands and even millions of innocent people may not be necessarily viewed as intrinsic evil!

The list of questions of this nature that should be raised to the American President may go on and on. The problem that many concerned people face is this: What makes the news reporters avoid raising such questions? Were they warned by their bosses to avoid questions of this nature otherwise they would be fired from their jobs?

Unfortunately, in the USA news reporters who managed to publish articles critical of US foreign belligerent policies and the US's continued huge spending on weapons and military equipment, they were either warned not to do it again or they were fired from their jobs. In interviewing the US President, the news reporters must realize that their job is to educate him as to see things in proper perspective without ambiguity and deceit. This way they will give the American President the unique opportunity to become a wiser and a better leader.