Hopes and Fears.

• Author: Galeano, Eduardo
• Position: The Upside-Down World - Viewpoint essay

Once in office, will Obama prove that his bellicose threats against Iron and Pakistan were just words spoken to lure in a certain category of voter during the election?

Let's hope so. And let's hope he isn't for a moment tempted to repeat the exploits of George W. Bush. After all, Obama had the dignity to oppose the war in Iraq while the Republican and Democratic parties cheered the announcement of this bloodbath.

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During his campaign, "leadership" was one of the most frequently used words in Obama's speeches. As President, will he continue to believe that his country was chosen to save the world, a toxic idea that he shares with almost all of his colleagues? Will he continue to assert that the U.S. is the leader of the world and believe in its messianic mission to command?

Let's hope that the current crisis, which is shaking the imperial foundations, will at least serve to provide the incoming government with a healthy dose of realism and humility.

Will Obama accept that racism is permissible when practiced against countries that his country invades? Is it not racism to meticulously tally the deaths of the invaders of Iraq while ignoring with Olympian arrogance the far larger number of Iraqi dead? Isn't it racist that the world has first, second, and third class citizens and first, second, and third class dead?

Obama's victory was universally celebrated as a victory in the battle against racism. Let us hope that from his first acts as President, he accepts and lives up to this beautiful responsibility.

Will the Obama Administration confirm yet again that Democrat and Republican are two names for the same party?

Let us hope that the will for change that these elections have consecrated is more than just a promise and a hope. May the new Administration have the courage to break with the tradition of the single party disguised as two that at the hour of truth behave almost identically while they pretend to be fighting one another.

Will Obama make good on his promise to close the sinister prison at Guantánamo?

Let us hope so, and...