Thursday, September 22, 2016

US Elections Will It Lead To A Wall Erection?

By Mano Ratwatte –September 21, 2016

Mano Ratwatte

Why does the US Presidential election matter? It matters because USA remains the world’s only real super power; both economic power wise and militarily. It also matters because as of late both India and Sri Lanka have clearly signaled their orbit into the US sphere of influence. For Sri Lanka, it matters because if the USA gets the military toe-hold it desires in this Indian Ocean Island(with Indian acquiescence) it will clearly follow that ISIS and other Islamic terrorist groups too would harm Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has a US$9 billion trade deficit with the world , ut maintains a large trade surplus with the United States. In 2012 Exports to the United States, Sri Lanka’s largest single-country market, were projected to be US$2.2 billion in 2012, or 20% of total exports (the EU and UK are 33% and 10%, respectively). The United States is also Sri Lanka’s largest single-country market for garments, taking in almost 40% of total garment exports (the EU and UK are 50% and 23%, respectively).Trump talks about tariffs and protectionist measures that are likely to impact Apparel exporting nations too. ISIS and Al Qaeda in Iraq all stemmed from the idiotic Bush-Blair invasion in 2003 and the global chaos unleashed by neo-conservatives. Same could be said about Libya under Obama and Hillary, and now where there was no ISIS, there is great chaos and ISIS in Libya! Does Sri Lanka need another round of terrorism; this time from a global movement, if US establishes bases in Sri Lanka?

This year’s election will be the country’s most racially and ethnically diverse ever. Nearly one-in-three eligible voters on Election Day (31%) will be Hispanic, black, Asian or another racial or ethnic minority, up from 29% in 2012. True, the nation’s 156 million non-Hispanic white eligible voters in 2016 far outnumber the 70 million eligible voters that are racial or ethnic minorities, their growth lags that of minority groups. As a result, the non-Hispanic white share of the electorate has fallen from 71% in 2012 to 69%.