Farrukh Khan Pitafi's Official Website

Every single day since Obama’s election people are continuously questioning his choices and trying to infer that his cabinet choices prove that he does not believe in change. Was Obama’s talk of change all hypocrisy then? Not quite. And do you know what really is hypocrisy? The way Fox folks challenge Obama’s promise of change is downright hypocritical. Were they not the same people who after all were challenging his patriotism just because he had made this promise. Oh yes E.D. you might have forgotten but his fist pound was a “terrorist fist jab” to you then. These folks then have no locus standi on the matter. Better shut up then.
What this post addresses then are the queries of those idealists who are Obama supporter but they have expected some very radical steps from day one. It might be difficult for many in the left to learn that Obama will rule from center. It must be difficult for those who campaigned against Hillary to see her being part of the cabinet. But there is a piece of advice for all such friends. Change never comes over night. Maybe it be shutting down of Gitmo or may it be pulling force out of Iraq every step takes time. Things just cannot happen overnight. It is a time consuming and difficult process and needs everyone’s cooperation. It is part of the democratic process that the new president has to pick the thread from where the incumbent has to leave it. But with the due process comes the promised change. Things most certainly will start looking better once the system starts moving. As for Hillary people forget the inner dynamics of a political party. Both Obama and Hillary werevquite friendly before the race and Hillary conceded with great dignity at the end of it. Political speeches should not be misconstrued as a sign of true discord. What we have to remember is that they are standing on the same side of the fence.

Similarly when the name of Colin Powell cropped up for an Obama administration post I was miffed to see a blogger taking this as a sign of broken promises. Why? The said writer believed that since Powell had presented the case for the invasion of Iraq before the UN his appointment would imply the continuation of the Bush policies. Folks, come off it. We now know the detailed story of Powell’s resistance to such an act.
But the fact that despite all his differences he accepted the role of being the devil’s advocate proves that he believes in discipline. That is an unsual virtue in these testing times. Also many people are bent on projecting Powell as a soft option for the defense portfolio. Nothing could be farther from the truth. We find hardly any new example of a National Security Advisor in uniform in recent years. Nor do we find too many skilled military commanders with his political skills. Powell is perhaps the best bet to harmonize the polarized forces with their new commander in chief.
Now let us come back to the true nature of change. The true promise Obama does not lie in the fact that he is a visionary nor in who serves in his cabinet. The actual promise is that he would be the most accessible president in the US history. The creative use of the internet during his campaign proves that if he wants he can benefit from the voice of the people and who does not need to rely on pollsters to project his approval ratings. The one who takes the nation (perhaps also the entire human race) to the future and not to the past. We know that apart from the usual plans to handle economy and close Gitmo, the administration in waiting is mulling over reforms in sectors from environmental protection to stem cell research. This is where Obama’s change counts. We do not want to end up in a world devoid of a healthy environment and better human conditions. If the President elect wants to prove that he is not giving in to the pressure of the pro status quo forces he should resist the demands of surrendering his blackberry (Lose the BlackBerry? Yes He Can, Maybe).