US faces multiple crises at home and abroad

The United States of America is facing multifarious crises at home and abroad. Racial discrimination is nothing new but riot between black American community and white police forces at Ferguson in St. Louis in Missouri state was an ugly reality.  Angry protesters clashed with heavily armed riot police over the racially charged killing of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old teenager, by white police officer Darren Wilson in the second week of August. Continued protests involving hundreds of people compelled Missouri Governor to declare state of emergency and order the National Guard to restore calm. Protest demonstrations also took place in New York, Chicago and Detroit. Crisis in St. Louis has not yet ended.
An official autopsy of Michael Brown indicated alleged altercation between the police officer and Brown which led to the latter. If the white police officer escapes indictment, bad blood between black Americans and white Americans will haunt the country.
The Attorney-General of the United States of America Eric Holder, an African-American, has resigned because of continuous allegations against him by the lawmakers of the Republican party. President Obama has now nominated Loretta Lynch, another African-American, who is now holding the post of US attorney for the eastern district of New York. Gun violence has considerably increased on the watch of President Barack Obama, first African-American president in the history of America.
Mid-term congressional election on November 04 has shifted balance of power in favour of the Republican party placing Obama in an odd situation.
Hamstrung by a disastrous mid-term election at home, President Obama is attending crucial meetings in Beijing of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, followed by a state visit to China.
The President in fact did not have much to offer at the meeting because China is apparently irritated by his Trans-Pacific Partnership initiative which excludes China. This free trade pact which includes 12 Pacific rim countries encompassing about 40 per cent of the world's trade.
National Security Advisor to the President Susan Rice, however, gave positive hint that President Obama is engaged  in a vey energetic and constructive way in Asia-Pacific region and are talking about some global challenges that we all share. China is equally unhappy with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).  
China's economic growth challenges IMF's relevance if no change is brought in its structure. The IMF estimates by the end of this year China's economy will surpass the United States of America in size: $17.63 billion versus $ 17.42 billion. IMF is confronting to this new global challenge. US holds 16.7 per cent of voting rights whereas China holds 3.8 per cent voting rights.
Russia and China are on the same wavelength in countering the influence of the United States of America. Both China and Russia have signed agreements to boost their energy cooperation, including an understanding to develop the second major route to supply to China with Russian natural gas following an initial deal of $ 400 billion in May this year. Russia is apprehending to lose market in Europe in view of the developments in eastern Ukraine.
China and United States are at loggerhead with  respect to Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. China has launched free trade area of Asia-Pacific. Chinese President is also against zero-sum game and proposed to setting up regional security cooperation architecture based on  confidence-building measures in Asia. He floated this idea in Shanghai in May.
President Obama will attend the summit of Association of  South-East Asian Nations in Naypyidaw, capital of  Myanmar, where he is expected to discuss with the President of Myanmar the issue of violation of human rights in Myanmar. Although President met with President of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing but he is expected to talk about the situation in eastern Ukraine when they will meet in G-20 summit in  Brisbane, Australia.
The fight against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, apart from campaign to contain Ebola virus, are costing valuable time and money of  the administration of President Obama. On top of these problems, the two-state solution of the Palestinian crisis, which was the priority in the first presidnetial term of Obama, has now been sent to the  cold storage in spite of escalating fears that a new Intifada is in the offing following the shooting of an Arab-Israeli man by police in Jerusalem.
The present global situation does not seem to be auspicious for President Obama.  

The writer is a retired diplomat  from Bangladesh and former President of prestigious Toastmaster International Club of America.
amjad.21@gmail.com