ASQUITH Rose’s captioned piece, “Deceptions and more deceptions” in the Kaieteur News of March 29, 2011, in which he responds to Dr Prem Misir’s “ The test  of Obama’s soft diplomacy in  the Middle East and North  Africa” is disjointed. First of all, Dr Misir’s many writings on issues relating to Guyana’s political life, as well as those on international affairs are enjoyable to read,  not only for the detailed and lucid information given, the wide array of references to support his particular arguments/contentions, but also  for the simple language used for explanation. This is the hallmark of intellectual maturity – not indulging in pedantics, as so many do.

Immediately, I recognize that Rose is not really interested in a debate with Dr. Misir on the many points offered in his recent   article. Instead, he seems more bent on personal attacks on this state functionary, as can be gleaned from his sixth paragraph. Such a position does not in any way discredit the functionary. Instead, Rose’s letter confirms his intellectual bankruptcy on international relations.

It is highly debatable whether the Cold War was just a simple battle between the United States of America and the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and it shows gross naivety. No quarter was asked, and none was given among the players within the Cold War. Thus, Rose’s  view that  “Misir accused the United States of trying to  dominate the world during the Cold War has to be seen from a position of political realism. Of course, Dr. Misir referred to the expressed sentiments of three pivotal American statesmen to support his contention.

The commendable feature of Dr. Misir’s article is that he has presented a balanced and objective view in his arguments, as for instance, while illustrating America’s rise to political dominance, he was careful also to refer to reports of atrocities committed by America, as outlined by Professor Emeritus Chalmers Johnson.

Finally, the real aim of Asquith Rose’s letter seems to have been to disprove Dr. Misir’s well outlined arguments that Guyana is a democracy, as observed by his wild and frantic ramblings in his final 5 paragraphs. In his jaundiced attempts, Rose has failed, abysmally.