Obama's Foreign Policy: A Grand Century of Days -- Light Years Away from Bush

Two years ago, Barack Obama was a mere back-bencher on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, whose chairman is now our Vice President, Joe Biden. From his 24 month journey as back-bencher to Commander-in-Chief, President Obama has made an incredibly impressive start altering the direction of America's foreign policy -- altogether for the better; perhaps for the best!

With all of the conviction and objectivity I can muster, I resolutely accord President Obama and his foreign policy team a well earned grade of "A" in the conduct of America's national security challenges in the first 100 days of his presidency.

Highest on the kudo list: he has inspired a recalibration of America's tarnished image in the world. From each journey abroad (Europe, Turkey, Mexico and Trinidad), the president has brought back home to the American people a down payment of the lost currency of global respect which had been so patently squandered by the Bush Axis of World Contempt: Cheney, Rice and Rumsfeld.

In just a mere three months or so his national security team has proven to be agile, daring, far-sighted, and has so far avoided the back-biting and jealousies that the so-called team of rivals was predicted to produce. No team of rivals here, but a team of national security leaders.

Sec. State Clinton has hit the ground with such panache and seriousness of purpose that she has rightfully earned credit all around from domestic and foreign observers alike. Vice President Biden has, by all accounts, brought sage counsel as the wise man of the Situation Room, ensuring accountability and steadiness to new policy initiatives. National Security Advisor Jones and his strategic communications team have brought exacting discipline to the White House global message and beginnings of an entirely fresh policy agenda. Sec. Defense Bill Gates has helped guide Obama forge a new era of respect and affection from America's uniformed military. Obama even faced down the pirates!

Barack Obama has made it look oh so easy....as if he had been navigating America's national security challenges for 1000 days and not merely 100 days. But don't be fooled. This has required a monumental investment of time and effort by the president and his team to meld the substance and performance into a winning national security start.

Behind the scenes, this president has burned every ounce of midnight oil to avoid pitfalls and make sure he produced the unanticipated and inspired with each venture abroad. Obama now knows, unlike before, where the secret dangers lurk and opportunities present themselves. The American people clearly recognize he has rekindled a renewed sense of confidence in America's global leadership despite our ailing economy and the tragic role Wall Street played in fostering a global recession. National polls reflect renewed optimism in the conduct of U.S. foreign policy.

Just think back to Inauguration Day. Obama inherited an unmitigated global mess of galactic proportions. Two wars. World opinion of America at its absolute nadir. A massive rudderless international financial crisis. Tyrants aplenty spoiling for a fight. Indifference, if not open hostility from our allies.

True, in his first trans-Atlantic encounter he did not convince NATO allies to inject more force structure into Afghanistan. True, he did not get the G-20 European members to significantly increase their own stimulus packages to expedite an end to the global recession. But in the scheme of things these did not amount to anything more than just getting a little less than hoped for.

During his maiden voyages abroad, Obama unveiled groundbreaking proposals, including a commitment to reduce the threat of nuclear war as a cornerstone of his foreign policy; resetting America's policy with Russia, reengaging with the Muslim world, challenging Iran's leadership to unconditional dialogue; reasserting an unyielding pledge to a Palestinian state living side by side with a safe and secure Israel notwithstanding the new Israeli government's hesitation to utter these words, and jettisoning a shopworn policy toward Cuba.

Inspirational rhetoric notwithstanding, Obama has proven to be extraordinarily pragmatic. He has dispatched respected diplomatic envoys to the Middle East and South Asia to produce tangible improvements in America's global security and to lay the groundwork for far-reaching diplomatic proposals, notably in the Middle East and South Asia, where Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan collectively pose a potential trilateral train wreck for America's future security. He has adjusted his Iraq policy to ensure no precipitous danger to America's departing forces.

The next 100 days will surely force President Obama to transform inspirational policy ideas into serious policy decisions. The greatest headaches will surely emanate from Iran and Pakistan, where no amount of that ole Obama magic will adequately substitute for innovative, hard-headed strategic tough calls that may require every ounce of America's smart power and military power.

Seizing the world stage, Barack Obama has emerged as the metaphorical shining city on the hill. Friend and foe alike recognize America is turning full circle. The nation stands poised to reassert and earn the mantle of admired global leadership under his baton. But successful foreign policy is traditionally measured not in a few short months, but in the rear-view mirror of history. Whether an Obama-led global engagement produces a new doctrine or new disasters...time will tell. But so far given his inheritance, Obama has certainly so far made the best of a very bad hand indeed and the American people and the world are grateful so far for achievement.

Comments

[ApolloSpeaks]

LIGHT YEARS AWAY

Ginsberg's article is an exercise in blind optimism. Obama is light years away from Bush, but so is his mind from reality.

[ApolloSpeaks]

THE OBAMA DOCTRINE AND ISALM

As the vast number of Moslems in the world dream of restoring Islam's gloirious imperial past and becoming a great military and political world power again the weak inept apologetic Barack Obama is raising hopes that the day of restoration is at hand.. In other words, the conflict between Islam, America and the West is about to intensify and grow more deadly.

[ApolloSpeaks]

When the day of battle comes what will Obama do? Will he raise his sword and lead the charge against the Moslem enemy? Or will he point it toward Bush and Dick Cheney and changing his mind for the 100th time seek their heads for tortoring the enemy hoping he'll be appeased?

[JEP57]

"...the president has brought back home to the American people a down payment of the lost currency of global respect which had been so patently squandered by the Bush Axis of World Contempt: Cheney, Rice and Rumsfeld. "


Due to the ironfisted approach to the war on terror by the Bush/Cheney administration, we have won the respect of the one group worldwide we want respect from: the terrorists themselves, which has kept us safe. Like the bully in the school yard, they respect those that stand up to them. Beyond that, what difference does it make what the elites in France and Germany, etc. think of us.

[sawdustinhershoes]

All Cheney and Bush did was galvanize islamic people against the US and provide justification for their hatred of the West. They engaged in war for strategic control in the Middle East and control of the world's second largest known oil reserves. They then proceeded to torture people and lie about it. They behaved as no AMerican should behave. They brought shame upon this country.

They destablized the entire world and their policies hastened the largest global financial breakdown ever.

Bush and Gang made our world incredibly more dangerous for Americans and the US.

They did not keep us safe. FYI, the bankruptacy of a nation, which occurred under Bush because of his policies, is what leads to social discord and the potential for violence in an otherwise peaceful country. Personally, I think Bush and Gang wanted to see the US go bankrupt, because they could impose martial law. But they were outdone by the fact that people finally figured out what was going on. People started paying attention and they voted out the party of Bush and Gang.

Rightwing obstructionism will only serve to make people vote out more republicans.

Keep it up.

If we continued to behave like Bush and Gang, we'd be even more isolated and there'd be an even greater arms race because everyone would be scared of the US. Frankly, Bush and Gang didn't show themselves to be either competent or trustworthy.

[oxi]

No one's ready to write-off Obama just yet, but he needs to show he's the real-deal by taking steps to ratchet-down the war machine and reign in the corporate elites and bank vermin. But is it really possible for one man--however well-meaning--to change the course of a nation by standing up the gaggle of racketeers who pull the strings from behind the curtain? Keep in mind, America's history of violent interventions, unprovoked wars, color-coded revolutions and coup d' etats has a long pedigree that stretches from Bunker Hill to Baghdad. That river of blood did not begin with George Bush and it won't end with Barack Obama. Every generation has produced its own litany of crimes, from Wounded Knee to Nagasaki to My Lai to Falluja. In Harold Pinter's Nobel acceptance speech, the playwright invokes one such incident which epitomizes the pattern of hostility which has been repeated over and over again wherever the Washington mandarins detect opposition to their iron-fisted rule.

[oxi]

For leftists, Obama has been a total bust. He's escalated the war in Afghanistan, increased the cross-border bombings of Pakistan, hemmed and hawed about prosecuting war crimes, refused to actively lobby House members to make it easier for workers to organize (EFCA), and surrounded himself with bank industry reps who've committed $12.8 trillion to sinking financial institutions with no assurance that the money would be repaid. Apart from a trifling bill on stem cells, Obama has done absolutely zero to confirm his bone fides as a liberal. The truth is, Obama is neither liberal nor conservative; he's simply an inspiring orator and a skillful politician who has no strong convictions about anything. If he achieves greatness, it will be because he was thrust into a crisis he couldn't avoid and reluctantly acted in the best interests of the American people. That possibility still exists, although it seems more unlikely by the day.

[PlaceboStudman]

you act as if acting in the best interests of the American people is a bad thing. It's a wonderful thing, if he manages to pull it off for all 4 years, but I suspect, in the end, he will become more and more like every other self-preservation minded president and do less and less for the interests of the American people and more and more for his own self interests. He has already failed many of us, and made us question if not completely abandon his loyalty. But, I must say, the thing that irritates and infuriates me the most about your assessment is your relegating the stem cell ban reversal to "triffling", when that one Executive Order has the potential to save, or dramatically improve the lives of literally millions of disabled men, women and children who sacrificed so much under BushCo.

[oxi]

"you act as if acting in the best interests of the American people is a bad thing"

Sure is this iron fist either join us or be bombed arrogant attitude of the U.S.

[oxi]

Obama was the perfect choice for president. Not because of his experience. He had none. He was a two year senator with a resume' small enough to fit on the back of a matchbox. Still Obama had what Brzezinski and Co. were looking for, symbolism; the kind of symbolism that connected him to people around the world and made them feel like one of their own had finally clawed their way to the top. Even better, Obama was a charismatic populist who could fill stadiums with adoring fans and put a benign face on America's interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq. What more could Brzezinski hope for? After 8 years of dragging "Brand America" through the mud, the country would finally get the emergency facelift it needed and begin to restore its battered image as the world's indispensable nation.

[priorato]

I must strenuously disagree with you Mr. Amb:

I do not find as much difference from Bush to Obama as you do -- as I do not count lofty rhetoric as substantive difference­... here are a few examples:

1) Obama ordered more troops to Afghanistan without having a strategy or exit plan. This region is quickly becoming quicksand and intractable.
A. Obama did not find much support from allies on this front.

2) Obama is signalling a delay in the withdrawal from Iraq -- despite his virulent criticism of this mangled war effort.

3) Despite saying we no longer practice extraordinary rendition -- Obama's DOJ argued in open court that detainees in Afghanistan have no habeas corpus rights.
A. Obama's DOJ also invoked the abuse [unConstitutional "state secrets" privilege in other cases -- mirroring Bush's policies]

4) North Korea launched a missile and seems as far as ever from disarming.

5) Iran is closer than ever to having a nuclear program.

I could go on and on, but for those of us who look at the reality and not the propaganda see little difference in the past 100 days.

[zaz33]

priorato -

5) There is no evidence that iran has ever pursued nuclear weapons. NONE

[MBWinters]

Greetings Ambassador and Citizens:

Flattery, Brown Nosing and Mimicking :How Can You Keep Your Job and Move Ahead in Politics

I must say an A for foreign policy is a little over the top; but if you do consume some of the BarackOdelic Cool Aid you just might find yourself in a completely diffrent rabbit hole than the Prime Minister of England or the French President. Both of those gents really irespects his star power.

Enough sarcasm aside, and with all honesty nothing has happened to priovide an unequivacal grade and especially an A. At this point it would be fair to grade him on his ettiqutte within the international community-giving a queen an Ipod and bowing to a foreign king are honest mistakes for a rookie. If we apply any grade at all the best we can do is to give him a satisfactory for participating. We will have to see just how well he does in the coming days...

By the way I am still holding my breath for Biden's prediction to evolve....­and hope that he is wrong and nothing does confront the young President or if it does it wont require anything more than taking credit for particpati­ng...like the Somalie Pirate Rescue....

Warm regards,

Michael Winters

[rwext]

what????!!!!!!!!! ....Just look at the World pages on Huff since Nov 4, Since Jan 20 and you are complimenting Barack?

[louisamast]

Engaging in Pakistan will not be as a big a problem as Iran, mainly due to having powerful AIPAC blocking most of his attempts for political engagement. Thanks to individuals such as yourself who would support president Obama when he faces opposition form AIPAC.

[Dredd]

Mos Def a breath of fresh air.

Friendship floats on many waters.

It is a good symbolism that it is happening on the anniversary of the Berlin Wall too:

http://blogdredd.blogspot.com/2009/04/americas-berlin-wall-come-on-down.html

[bronceye]

Bush kept saying it was "hard work". Obama has done "hard work".

[mollyjackson]

Some policy...i­ts the same as Bush.

[Donkslayer]

"True, in his first trans-Atlantic encounter he did not convince NATO allies to inject more force structure into Afghanistan. True, he did not get the G-20 European members to significantly increase their own stimulus packages to expedite an end to the global recession. But in the scheme of things these did not amount to anything more than just getting a little less than hoped for. "

Uh, so, what else did we need? What else were we looking for? "He wasn't Bush" was the grand victory here?

All the objectivity the author could muster was not very much. Effective diplomacy (and leadership) requires repore and trust, something that Obama really doesn't have and hasn't really had the time to earn yet. That's not really a big deal or unexpected­...it's his first 100 days (and it was earlier when he was traveling), he wasn't a well-traveled Senator who was on the foreign relations committe for awhile, etc. Still, let's not Obama-worship ourselves into denial of reality of what is, was, and what isn't, please, or we won't correctly motivate the administration to do what he needs to do for the US.

[leapyearmark]

yes, no blind Obama-worship, thank you.

[jeanrenoir]

Obama is the president from J St, not AIPAC. So far, his foreign policy has been superb, not least in his brilliant appointments. Who could have a better chance to solve the MIddle East than the team of Clinton, Mitchell, and Holbrooke--the best of the best, all of them. When I first saw Obama speak, I was so excited by him partly because it was obvious that brilliant people who rush to serve with him. He's got the smartest cabinet I've seen, certainly including "the best and the brightest" of Vietnam fame brought in by JFK. If Obama succeeds with the economy, even Archie Bunker might finally realize that it's better for HIM if the government is run by people MUCH smarter than he is.

[stpmdn]

you forgot the neocon AIPAC handy man denis ross

[zaz33]

jeanrenoir - As the siege on Gaza continues and obama remains silent.

I'm coming accross reports from doctors and others about the effects of "cast lead" on the Gazans.

They seem to struggle to find the words to describe what they witnessed.

I will not support a president that allows special interests to determine his stand on moral issues.