Has The USA Failed The "Beyond Reproach" Test?

America, as we know it today was partly built by immigrants via gun power. Before this, natives termed as Red Indians by these immigrants, lived happily in a land that once was theirs to keep. We may debate the rights and wrongs of the process by which the USA became the mighty supper power on whose beck and call the world pivots. But this is best left for another day.

The world trades in US dollars, the UN is largely American leaning and thus heavily influenced in its dealings. The USA's mighty muscle is demonstrated by its ubiquitous military presence around the world on land, sea, and air. We all know that big brothers have bigger muscles than we do and we often love them more for their friendliness than for using their biceps. Could the USA have gone way below the entrusted big brother expectation? I don't know. But the following developments arouse curiousity around the world.

The place where Henry Kissinger hammered a deal for the petrodollar in exchange for protection, Saudi Arabia, has expressed its reluctance to continue with this arrangement. Saudi Arabia finds no threat in China and Russia today.

An emboldened BRICS is courting more members who wish to trade in currencies other than the US dollar. Of note is the fact that this trading block has a piece of all continents in it, thus having natural points of outward expansion.

Africa is testing the Pan-African Payments and Settlements System — PAPSS, a platform that enables payments outside of the SWIFT platform across the 54 countries of Africa. And even if just a footnote in global standards, it counts for something as the SWIFT system won't take away a piece of every transaction between Africans.

These could as well be the seismic readings of movements emanating from geopolitical tectonic plate shifts. The new mountain-forming magma underneath is not weighted on the dollar. But how big a mountain this will be to the greenback is still indeterminable.

All these are happening independently of the actions of America's traditional irritants such as North Korea's intentions to support Russia's war with Ukraine.

One wonders if these are from the latent disdain for the USA or from countries' efforts to improve their respective lots. Does Uncle Sam have the moral high ground to supervise the world or do many countries see him as this muscular opportunist eager to grab their valuables? Again, I don't know.

We are now witnessing America's biggest foreign policy test. Will this usher a new-look policy where Africa is treated with respect by both the West and the East or will Africa remain the redlight district of both worlds, where unbridled plunder occurs? And by the way, a pregnant Africa doesn't even know who the baby's father is. We just know that it will be fair-skinned. If Uncle Sam is to pass the "beyond reproach" test like Caesar's wife, he must own up to siring the baby and pay both the dowry and the fine for the defilement, even if the baby's eyes and ears look Chinese. Big brothers quietly take the bullet for many.

I have a feeling that many parts of the world are unsettled by Uncle Sam's knack for causing tears and laughter in equal measure. The big question is, will he outgrow some old habits and fit in like the clean and quiet electric car, or is he the old-school type noisy and thick-smoking diesel engine? Again, I don't know.

I just know that the US flag has 50 stars representing the 50 states and 13 stripes representing the original colonies and that it is also an independent country that tells other independent countries what to do. My innocence is plain for all to see.