Obama's First Foreign Policy Test

Washington Independent:

President-elect Barack Obama campaigned on deploying additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan -- and, potentially, taking military action in Pakistan -- as part of a renewed focus on a neglected war against Al Qaeda and its Taliban allies. When he takes the oath of office Jan. 20, he'll inherit a far different regional picture in South Asia than his campaign could have anticipated.

Over the past several weeks, developments in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India pose new challenges for the U.S. mission in Afghanistan. The Karzai government in Kabul has dramatically moved to bring the war to a conclusion -- announcing the pursuit of far-reaching negotiations with the Taliban-led insurgency and calling, for the first time, for a U.S. timetable for withdrawal.

Read the whole story: Washington Independent

Comments

[mick7191]

Isn't this India's foreign policy problem?

[McChimp]

Wow, Black Friday is obviously a slow news day. I must have missed Barack Obama getting inagurated watching the Thanksgiving Parade, eating turkey, and watching football. How is this Obama's first foreign policy test? Isn't Bush still the President?

As the days drift closer to Bush leaving, it's becoming increasingly clear how much influence Obama is having and will have. People are now wondering how he's going to react to every major event, not how Bush is going to.It is very sad that the standards have dropped so low that more people are wondering how the new guy is going to respond rather than the incumbent. People need to wake up and start pressing BUSH to respond, not OBAMA. Obama is merely the President elect still working on putting his Cabinet together, how is he in any way shape or form able to respond other than making press conference after press conference and taking questions? Sure it's good for transparancy, but soon people get tired of him not doing anything and want to see results. PE Obama needs to focus more on putting together a strong Cabinet and avoid this all together, maybe hold ONE press conference, but this isn't his battle, it's Bush's.

[Nonpartay]

How is this a test for Obama, who, after all, is not president and has no power to do anything about it even if he could. It is on the other side of the planet.... Besides, let's not forget that Joe Lieberman had previously said exactly the same thing about a test for a newly elected president, and if I recall right, he actually mentioned McCain. It wasn't just Joe Biden's idea that a new president be tested.

[avocats]

This is no "foreign policy test" and it doesn't belong to Obama. Good grief, isn't there real news to report?

[loveobamas]

CNN GET ON MY NERVES,BARACK IS NOT THE PRESIDENT YET,THEY ARE TRYING TO FORCE THIS ON HIM.AND BUSH SITTING BACK NOT DOING ANYTHING AND GETTING PAID FOR IT.THEY MUST WANT OBAMA TO WORK FOR FREE.HOW STUPID DO THEY THINK THIS MAN IS?!!!

[chronic]

AMEN!!!

[majii]

Not to worry because Obama is not biting. That's what is so frustrating to the MSM. They're goading, but he' not budging.

[IkeChicago]

CNN is now competing with Rush Limbaugh.

[Marastan]

I hope he nips this in the bud with Pakistan. Enough is enough.

[sean6886]

If this happened while he was living in the WH and not just the President-Elect, then I'd say this was his first foreign policy test, but since Bush (YUCK!) is still in office, and Obama is only the President-Elect, with no real authority right now, then you can just remove this headline.

[moda31]

wow i didn't realize obama was president already. i just heard an anchor make this same claim on CNN right now, saying this might be the test that joe biden talked about; apparently the inauguration happened while i was asleep.

[macbabe]

yup, our "lame duck admin" doesn't care, be thankful someone like O DOES care!!!

[DFutureIsNow]

President Elect Barack Obama has a handle on all the international issues but he is not yet the decision maker, only one thing is true, whatever flawed decisions the Bush Administration makes between now and January 20th they will directly affect the Obama Administration, and we all know how republicans love to create problems.

[FairTalk]

LOL Obama is not the president. It is another test for Bush!

Proof some in the media don't know twit about American government!

[nomobull]

WHEN DID BUSH RESIGN?

[macbabe]

about 4 years ago, Cheney took over!

[BuzzingAlong]

BTW, just where is Cheney?

Should we worry the he is in his hidden bunker cooking up some scheme to launch on us before he leaves office?

Should we worry about a Gulf of Tonkin event created so that he and Bush can declare martial law?

[buzzygirl]

So predictable. I have been scanning the web all day (don't watch TV much), looking to see who would be the first to go there with this notion that this is Obama's first foreign policy test. I bet my husband that the week would not end before someone tries to equate the problem in India with Obama in this vein.

Bingo.

They never dissapoint.

How is this Obama's foreign policy test, when George Bush is still president?

Honestly, do you guys just have to write something -- anything?

The press has got to do a better job in this country.

[harriscrl3]

Actually I heard it on CNN first. I can't stand CNN.

Carol

[truegreen]

I second that. CNN is literally makes me sick to my stomach. The only good thing about CNN are D.L. Hugley and Larry King.

[truth2008]

Agree 100%, the only person I life on CNN is Cafferty.

[SMSTOV56]

I AGREE WITH YOU GUYS 100% . CNN ,MSNBC ALL THE SO CALLED MSM ARE OUT OF LINE WITH THIS SH... IT'S NOT MR.OBAMA JOB TO DO ANYTHING BUT GET READY . THEY REALLY WANT TO CONTROL EVERY MOVE HE MAKES AND BLAME HIM FOR WHAT EVER HE DOES THAT THEY DON'T LIKE . THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO TAKE A STAND LIKE THEY DID WITH ELECTION MAKE UP YOUR OWN MINDS .WE HAVE BRAINS ITS NOT THEIR JOBS TO MAKES UP THE NEWS JUST REPORT IT AND SHUT THE HELL UP . THEY ARE AND HAVE BEEN GETTING ON MY NERVES .

[CR46]

I couldn't agree with you more. Where is president Bush in all this. President-Elect obama will not actually be president for 2 more months!!!

[chirps]

Two long, long, long months. That’s plenty of time for Bush to wreak more havoc. I’d say relieve him of his command, but then what? Two months of Dick Cheney? Let’s all just cross our fingers that Bush doesn’t start WW3 in his remaining days in office.

[curiousasheck]

Yeah if this Obamas first test and it backfires and goes out of control he'll be blamed for a disaster before he even takes the oath.

Real smart Media

[mentortfc]

How is this Obama's test? Bush is still president, even though he doesn't act like it. This is Bush's problem to deal with. I do believe we are still paying his salary, therefore he is expected to continue doing his job.