A New Beginning?

So, a new decade has begun.

Perhaps it is time to be an optimist again and wish for a grand new beginning. My sincere hope is that we will find a way toward solving some of the most difficult and intractable issues that we have faced over the past many years.

Here is my short list of three such issues and what could happen, if you take a positive view.

Religious Extremism: What would it take for Muslim terrorists to stop threatening US and Israel with complete annihilation? When will the Jewish extremists stop building settlements in land that “was given to them by God?” Who will stop the Christian mullahs from proclaiming that everyone who does not believe in Christ will go to hell? How will Hindus accept the fact that Muslims have an equal right to live in India and destroying mosques to build temples is not the solution? Could it be that the next decade will bring some sanity?

May be the moderates in each religion will finally rise to the occasion. They will see the futility of what a small fraction of their fellow citizens are doing to harm not only the “others” but themselves. They will find a way to involve the extremists in their dialog, address their needs, and tone down their actions.


Climate change: How can the developed countries tell those who are developing to make drastic cuts when they themselves are profligate in their use of energy? Sure, the citizens of India and China have every right to blame the western countries for being the major contributors to this global crisis, and aspiring to become as materialistically comfortable as them. However, in doing so, they would bring the world to its knees. This “tragedy of the commons” will play out, accelerating the climate change process and lead to a potential disaster.

However, may be, just may be, sanity will eventually prevail. The solution will involve the industrialized nations accepting deep cuts and the developing countries abandoning their vision to be like the Americans.


Nuclear proliferation: The world is watching helplessly as one by one every country in the world acquires this capability. How can one stop it? How can you tell a dictator, who has seen that the world bestows a special status on those who are nuclear armed, not to follow that path? How can you convince someone not to do something that you yourself have done in the past? We are probably going to have a future in which most countries that chose to do so will have nuclear weapons. What would happen then?

May be the fear of “mutually assured destruction (MAD)”will prevent the usage of these weapons on a world-wide basis. Also, as mentioned above, the extremists will feel that their needs can be met without causing widespread destruction. Thus, removing the threat from those that are not deterred by MAD.

So what will the next decade bring? The same old issues, only worse?

Or, a move toward long term stability, peace, and sanity?

Wish you all a happy decade.