Wednesday, October 8, 2008

TALKING POINTS - LEARN FROM BROTHER OBAMA

SRI LANKA shares a unique, even if unenviably similar situation with the present day United States. Both are economically troubled, for different reasons, and have to look to the future to overcome their problems.

Watching the US political contestants Obama and McCain vying for the Presidential seat gives an insight into what future leaders should be offering nations as promises versus what they should not. So far, Obama has proven to be a vastly superior speaker, inspirational and visionary. McCain is the proven hero of the country, a nice guy who didn't get his right opening until almost too late in life. And when he did, his opportunity comes in the long shadows of one of the most unpopular and ineffective regimes of US history. To further complicate and diminish his chances, his chosen VP candidate is proving to be a liability so far. Between baby-sitting his VP wannabe and attempting to stem the bleeding of potential votes, McCain is drowning slowly. Irrespective of who finally wins, both these presidential candidates offer a grand study in leadership qualities that our leaders and people can learn from, and should.

Both Obama and McCain's careers are examples of how leaders should be allowed to reach those leadership positions. They've both served their country and people, and done so selflessly. They are both faced with the prospect of cleaning house after the monumental failures of the present administration, and are adopting futuristic visions and a fighting stance. Grit and determination to succeed is their hallmark and the future is their promise.

There is no shame in learning from anyone. Sri Lanka's present and future leaders should watch these men and learn from them. Sri Lanka would do well to emulate the thinking, planning and execution of economic strategies by the next US administration to help pull our nation out of the doldrums it is currently in.

We have had to fight a vicious war in search of peace. When it is over, our people need and deserve peace and prosperity, which our leaders need to be held accountable to deliver. In developing a vision, Sri Lanka could learn much from the evolving scene in the US.

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