Bush entrusted with world's security

The Daily Yomiuri, Asia News Network, Tokyo

Confronted by the global menace of terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, American voters reelected U.S. President George W. Bush by a precariously narrow margin in Tuesday's election.

Bush's main opponent, Democratic candidate Sen. John Kerry, who campaigned for a change of course in Iraq, conceded defeat.

The result ensures the continuation of the Bush administration's foreign and security policies.

Amid the ongoing "war on terror," the world has been split in two over the legitimacy of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

The world remains troubled by the situation in Iraq, which is still unstable, even after the overthrow of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. There are no signs of terrorist activities by Islamic militants abating.

The election was the first since the Vietnam War-era poll of 1972 to be overshadowed by war. The U.S. has suffered more than 1,000 military fatalities in Iraq, and despite increasing public anxiety, a resolution to the conflict does not appear to be near.

U.S. voters have indicated their support for Bush's approach of putting priority on security, trusting in the strong leadership offered by their "wartime president."

Bush's victory, however, was achieved by a razor-thin margin, as almost half the voters opposed him. He now faces the task of trying to win his opponents over.

In his victory speech in Washington on Wednesday, Bush said, "Today I want to speak to every person who voted for my opponent," seeking cooperation from a broad spectrum of the public.

Pledging to do his utmost in the war on terrorism in addition to pursuing tax reforms and improving Social Security, the president stressed his resolve to enhance cooperation between the U.S. and its allies.

The president's position should be considered right and proper.

There are, however, a number of thorny issues ahead for the Bush administration. Should the U.S. fail to address the problems adequately, the consequences would affect not only that country, but the whole world. Bush must buckle down to the task, using all his sincerity and sound judgment.

During the election campaign, Kerry lashed out at Bush over Iraq, accusing him of "a colossal error of judgment." Kerry said the president had invaded Iraq with insufficient military might and without preparing for governing the country after the fall of the Saddam regime.

Concerning the wisdom of the Iraq war, there is no doubt that Saddam is at fault for consistently breaching U.N. Security Council resolutions and failing to prove beyond all doubt the destruction of the country's WMD.

But only Bush can achieve a breakthrough in the troubles that have plagued Iraq since the war.

In 2005, the first year of Bush's second term, Iraq will reach a critical crossroads. Elections will be held in January for a constitutional assembly, which will draw up a constitution. A general election will then be held under the new constitution, with a full-fledged Iraqi government scheduled to be established toward the end of the year.

The elections are key to establishing a legitimate Iraqi government and stabilizing the country.

As the U.S. presidential election is over, U.S. forces in Iraq are expected to shortly start full-scale operations to clear Iraq of armed Islamic extremists that, if left unchecked, would pose a serious impediment to the elections.

But if these operations lead to massive civilian casualties, the elections will be impossible to realize. The planned political agenda would then come to nothing, with no timeline possible for a U.S. withdrawal.

As is the case with Afghanistan, stability in Iraq is impossible without successful elections. Without a stable Iraq, there would be no prospects of a stable Middle East as a whole, and the security of the U.S. itself could not be guaranteed under such circumstances.

The broadest possible international coalition, including Islamic countries, is essential for Iraq's recovery. The Bush administration must seek far-reaching cooperation from the international community for this purpose.

In its fight against terrorism, the Bush administration has bolstered relations with such major nations as Japan, China and Russia.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, with a view to solidifying the Japan-U.S. alliance, dispatched Self-Defense Forces troops in support of the Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns. Koizumi's actions signify a new phase of Japan's contribution to international peacekeeping.

The U.S.' ongoing review of its global military strategy is of great significance in relation to the reconfiguration of U.S. military bases in Japan.

Tokyo and Washington need to have a more comprehensive dialogue on such issues as the SDF's role in Iraq and the restructuring of U.S. bases in this country.

Also of vital importance is the problem of North Korea's nuclear development program.

Left unchecked, Pyongyang would be certain to push ahead with plans for a nuclear arsenal.

During the election campaign, Kerry stated his support for bilateral talks between Washington and Pyongyang, but Bush rejected this, saying it was "precisely what Kim Jong-il wants." The president said face-to-face talks between the U.S. and North Korea would "unravel" the framework of the six-nation approach.

The six-nation consultation framework formed to make North Korea scrap its nuclear program includes China, a neighbor with a strong influence over Pyongyang, both politically and economically.

We hope China will do its utmost to fulfill its responsibility to resolve the crisis. Japan and the U.S., for that matter, should closely cooperate to ensure progress.

Concerning trade, Bush is committed to a policy of free trade, in line with the Republican Party's traditions. The facilitation of global trade is key to the stability and development of the world economy.

Bush's reelection is welcome for Japan, a country that is a beneficiary of free trade.

Japan-U.S. ties under the current administration are incomparably better than in the 1990s, when the relationship was strained due to trade disputes with the then Democratic administration.

Except for very minor problems, relations between the two countries since Bush's inauguration have been very friendly. We hope the Bush administration will maintain these friendly relations.

The World Trade Organization has the task of formulating a new framework for free trade to ensure global prosperity.

Bush has the job of taking the lead in the WTO negotiations, which have effectively been stalled due to the U.S. presidential election and the change of the European Commission presidency.