Obama y su discurso de aceptación del Nobel de la Paz

11 de Diciembre de 2009 — Manuel Delgado

Hace un par de años, tuve la oportunidad de interactuar, por motivos de trabajo, con un consultor que, en su tiempo libre, formaba parte del equipo de campaña de Barack Obama en Austin, Texas. Culto, medido e inteligente, su exposición de las principales diferencias ideológicas entre Demócratas y Republicanos, particularmente las relacionadas con la war on terror, me permitió comprender con profundidad el abismo que separaba a los dos principales partidos estadounidenses de la mayor parte de los políticos europeos. Una magnífica experiencia intelectual.

Obama, sus discursos, sus promesas, su oferta de esperanza y de cambio, no llegaron a encandilarme en ningún momento. Poca chicha tras tanta fachada, sigo pensando. Pero este hombre tiene momentos de lucidez y de valentía que para sí los quisieran nuestros políticos patrios, aunque sólo les durase media mañana. El más reciente ejemplo es el discurso que pronunció ayer al recibir el (por otra parte, sorprendente, por prematuro) premio Nobel de la Paz. Lectura imprescindible para quienes tengan el mínimo interés por lo que pasa en este mundo. Magnífica vacuna contra los rancios localismos, el antiamericanismo simplón y el pacifismo de salón.

A destacar:

I face the world as it is, and cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people. For make no mistake: evil does exist in the world. A non-violent movement could not have halted Hitler’s armies. Negotiations cannot convince al Qaeda’s leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force is sometimes necessary is not a call to cynicism – it is a recognition of history; the imperfections of man and the limits of reason.

I raise this point because in many countries there is a deep ambivalence about military action today, no matter the cause. At times, this is joined by a reflexive suspicion of America, the world’s sole military superpower.

Yet the world must remember that it was not simply international institutions – not just treaties and declarations – that brought stability to a post-World War II world. Whatever mistakes we have made, the plain fact is this: the United States of America has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and the strength of our arms. The service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform has promoted peace and prosperity from Germany to Korea, and enabled democracy to take hold in places like the Balkans. We have borne this burden not because we seek to impose our will. We have done so out of enlightened self-interest – because we seek a better future for our children and grandchildren, and we believe that their lives will be better if other peoples’ children and grandchildren can live in freedom and prosperity.

So yes, the instruments of war do have a role to play in preserving the peace. And yet this truth must coexist with another – that no matter how justified, war promises human tragedy. The soldier’s courage and sacrifice is full of glory, expressing devotion to country, to cause and to comrades in arms. But war itself is never glorious, and we must never trumpet it as such.

Y, el texto íntegro del discurso de Obama, imprescindible (repito), aquí mismo.