The Significance of Obama's Foreign Trip

Sometimes it pays to be careful what you wish for. John McCain's challenge to Barack Obama to visit Iraq and Afghanistan created the premise for Obama's trip to the Middle East and Europe this week. That trip may become a major watershed event in the presidential contest.

It may also one day be viewed as a significant event in the broader history of our country's relationship with the rest of the world.

How can a foreign trip affect Obama's domestic presidential campaign?

Of course it doesn't hurt that on the first day of Obama's journey, Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki edged very close to endorsing his plan for American troops to withdraw from Iraq. In an interview in Der Spiegel he is quoted as saying: "U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes".

The trip will highlight the fact that it isn't just the American people who want us to leave Iraq -- all of the polls of the Iraqi people want us out as well -- and now so does the U.S.-backed Prime Minister of Iraq. That leaves Bush, McCain and the neo cons as the only people around still committed to their reckless program of keeping U.S. troops in Iraq far into the future. It puts in full relief McCain's flawed judgment when it comes to foreign policy.

Of course, by making his first stop the front lines in Afghanistan, Obama also emphasized once again how Bush, McCain and the neo cons have taken their eye off the ball by diverting resources to an "elective" war in Iraq and away from the central front where terrorist cells intent on attacking the United States are actually organized.

But there's more. Swing voters are eager to vote for change, but one of the questions holding them back is whether Barack Obama can lead America in a dangerous world. More than anything else, this week's trip will allow them to imagine Barack Obama as Commander in Chief -- to get a sense of how he looks on the world stage.

Obama's "world stage presence" should do more than simply reassure them. It will provide a demonstration of how fundamentally Obama will improve the way people around the globe -- and especially young people -- view the United States.

Obama's calm, friendly, but decisive style is perfectly suited to the world of international politics. If he is elected, his own story and background will instantly engage the imagination of young people -- especially the 80% of young people who live in India, China and the developing world. The very fact that our country would elect a person of color -- someone like them -- to lead us will say more to them about the soul of our people than thousands of pronouncements of policy or millions of dollars spent on "public diplomacy."

Obama's ability to inspire will do more than anything else to turn him -- and America -- once again into a beacon of hope and possibility for the billions of people who desperately hope for a better life.

People's fundamental life-long views are shaped when they are young. The mental frames they use to place the political world around them into context -- to understand the meaning of what they see and hear -- are largely formed when they are in their late teens and early twenties.

Nothing is more critical to our own national security than assuring that future generations of leaders around the world think of America as a progressive force that will benefit their lives rather than an "evil empire" intent on dominating them and preventing them from achieving their own aspirations. Like it or not, it is this latter message that George W. Bush has sent to young people world-wide.

The Bush years have convinced vast numbers of young people around the globe that America is the country of neo con unilateralism and preemptive war. It will be very difficult for us to change those perceptions as the current generation of young people ages and takes on responsibilities for running their countries. When it comes to public perception we will pay the price for George W. Bush for years to come. Those perceptions will damage our security for many years.

We can't afford to lose another generation. Obama's election -- especially if it is decisive -- would go some distance to shock even those in the "Bush generation" into re-evaluating the way they view America.

In the United States, presidents are more than decision-makers and leaders. They are Chiefs of State, symbolic embodiments of the values that define our country. This week Americans -- and people around the globe -- will get a glimpse of what it would be like if Barack Obama becomes the personal embodiment of America in the 21st Century. I believe they will like what they see.

Robert Creamer is a long-time political organizer and strategist, and author of the recent book "Stand Up Straight: How Progressives Can Win," available on Amazon.com.

Comments

[deminmo]

Media coverage this evening is focused on two things,
the fact that Obama refuses to say "the surge worked",
and the lack of media attention on McCain.
There seems to be an endless coverage of this Presidential
race, Period! I am tired of negative ads, I am tired of
assaults on an individual instead of the policy, and attempts
to disparage a candidates background. I want honesty!
I want an end to what amounts to an invasion in Iraq. I
want no rehtoric about war with Iran. I'll be glad when November comes!

[dhinds]

" I am tired of negative ads, I am tired of assaults on an individual instead of the policy, and attempts to disparage a candidates background. I want honesty!"

You're not going to get it from the McSame campaign.

This is about how GW Bush won the 2004 election: Generate a wave of comments designed to draw attention away from the fundamental issues, inventing phantom issues in their place that call Obama's character into question.

When the Pentagon discourged Obama from visiting injured troops at a military hospital in Germany, it was a trap and Obama made a mistake. Instead of being "fair" (because the trip was paid for by the campaign), he should have insisted on seeing the troops anyway, as a Senator. They couldn't have turned him down and it would have given the McSame campaign's mercenaries and stooges something much less substantial to criticize.

A lot more of this can be expected to follow.

Creamer wrote: "The Bush years have convinced vast numbers of young people around the globe that America is the country of neo con unilateralism and preemptive war".

This election offers a clear choice. The question is how many Americans will recognize the difference and make the right one.

[nomorebombs]

any future thought of further war is not the answer..

i think we all know that..

lets make it happen..

[Tulka2]

I don't know if you will find this, but want you to consider what we were talking about at the beginning of the war in Iraq when we were begging Bush to concentrate on Afganistan. At that time there was a lot of talk about the difference between a police action and a war against a nation state. What Obama is proposing is essentially a police action against the Taliban in Afganistan. That is okay. It is really okay. Policemen are necesssary in the world. Now... we can discuss if the U.S. armed forces are up to this kind of modern police action. I think that is something worth talking about.

[wayoutleft]

i suppose we'll be welcomed with flowers in afghanistan too. what's basically happened, apart from the most partisan, positive spin ever spun, is two more years of iraq presence and a declaration of war against the muslim tribes of pakistan and afghanistan. the war has been expanded.
the right did a nice job of fixing up barack on the trip. mccain was stabbed in the back by the co-ordinated bush maliki endorsement of barack's timeline. with indefinite war set up to the approval of cowed progressives; and institutionalized executive immunity with unilateral war powers. obama is in position to enjoy unprecedented executive power and total command over data pprocessing capable of tracking every single american citizen anywhere. if you go to obama's website you will be captured in a database capable of tracking you online and compiling that data for commercial or political purposes. remember, 90% of you were saying "god bless george bush" five years ago. it has become unwise to ask obama questions- especially to ask for explanations. one interesting explanation would be whether he'll practice torture by us, rendition destinations, or proxy with captured combatants- i mean if you really want to spoil the party and be right now instead of three years from now.

[tel8034]

90% were saying "God bless Geourge Bush", because they were still in shock after 9/11 AND THEY THOUGHT THAT BUSH WAS TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT WMD................. But we know where that went.

World peace comes about when everyone is talking, and everyone is respectfully allowed to air their views, understanding that there are cultural differences to take into account, and knowing that despite our differences (cultural and outward appearence), we all want the same things for ourselves, our family and our country.

Dubya's approach (endorsed by McSame) is to DICTATE to every country, refuse to hear the views of others, and that the solution to everything is BOMB, BOMB, BOMB.......... But that's what happens when you lack smarts, can't put a simple sentence together, and have no self esteem.

Obama (who is articulate and actually LISTENS) clearly understands that in this global village, diplomacy rather than INVASION brings others closer to one's point of view ............... And he is not alone in this thinking, because the majority of Americans and indeed the world agree with this position, and on this Obama, tour thousands will come out to show their appreciation for his foreign policy approach.

[wayoutleft]

obama demanded more troops to chase osama and bust open peoples' homes in afghanistan. he said nothing about diplomacy with pakistan's newly elected government. obama has backpedaled from a peace and diplomacy foreign policy ever since he backed down in front of hillary over meeting with antagonistic leaders after he is elected. i wonder how many people caught that venezuela and russia closed an arms deal today when obama was knee deep in press panties? that's the real substantial diplomatic story. however, i don't think the american press is capable of covering diplomacy- certainly not as something beyond the exploits of a hero-president.

[Willz]

Suds Dont Make it Clean
I remember it well, that day¦.I was watching a commercial on TV, the Ad stated, "Look at all the great Suds this detergent makes!!!! I"m a Chemical Engineer, and my first thought - What"s the correlation between "Suds" and "Solvency"? Answer " none. However, the advertisers were counting on absence of rationale amongst Americans, so the ad campaign was very successful. Herein is the problem with American Politics and the Media. Too often, Americans are duped with ""Suface-Logic"¦ideas that don"t make the litmus test, in terms of intellectual capital.
"Wasnt he wrong about the surge???" ; "Who would you like to answer the phone when it rings at 3AM" My first thought is, isn"t this the same tune that"s been played the last decade, but with a new piano player " "Ode of Fear"? My second thought is, Why aren"t we as Americans asking the question, "Why is the phone ringing in the first place?" I"ll go out on a limb, If we have true leadership in the White House, the likelihood of getting that 3AM phone call is greatly diminished¦.
What you"re getting in these commercials is discussion about, well " Suds.
I"d like to offer you the following notions " A) There"s an 8-letter word for doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results; B) Sometimes you have to change the Chef if you want a better meal; C) Suds don"t make it clean

[daddysboy]

If you only look at the positive messages of each candidate so far, Obama is the only candidate to consider in terms of representing our interests in the world. If you look at the negative messages and pay attention to any warnings of dire consequences, mccain sounds more like the ideal candidate. The problem is that all the fear-mongering is just that; fear-mongering. We have heard about all the negative things that can happen if we vote improperly from the folks that have been elected for eight long years and it seems that they have brought about most of that themselves. Most of this has been centered around severing diplomatic ties in order to reap higher oil profits. Obama has clearly already connected on some level with the rest of the world on his first trip out and he is visiting the right places. Whether his message of hope is a campaign slogan or the real deal, We the people have the power to make his presidency the real deal by supporting his election and supporting the positive changes needed. We could also choose to cower in fear and elect another 'father' figure who will likely take us into a war with Iran in addition to the other countries we are currently destroying so that they can be dismantled and remade in the image of dubai. I challenge John McCain to illicit the same response from any middle eastern leader currently being acknowledged by the US.

[wayoutleft]

i'm not exactly clear on how obama's plans interfere with oil profits.

[hipocampelofantocame]

Good column, Mr. Creamer. Another affirmation of "Yes, we can!".

[jc23blue]

Brilliant article. Thank you, Robert Creamer.

I believe they'll like what they see, too.

[gbht12]

Great article. It will be a welcoming change if Obama is elected not only in the US but abroad. The world is watching how we will react. Could we possibly be stupid enough to vote for a Republican president again?

I am glad to see that Obama has moved slightly to the center. After the Bush/McCain years we need someone that dosen't dig their head in the sand and never see a different side to an issue. He might have moved to the center but the alternative is McCain. For me that is not even a slight option.

[Dunsmuir]

I know if Obama came to Ottawa, Canada I and my friends would fly 3,000 miles from the west coast to see him. I hope he comes. There would be hundreds of thousands there to see him. Keep doing what you're doing Obamacans. Foreigners are watching your backs for you.

[TekMaestro]

This is one of the most inspirational comments that I have read on the many blogs that I have been looking at. It brings back to mind the song performed by Chicago Transit Authority back in the early seventies: "The Whole World's Watching." My great country America has lost so much respect, so much "face" in the eyes of the world, and indeed in the eyes of many of its own residents, in the past 8 years that I am no longer anxious to let it be known that I am an American when I travel abroad. Barack Obama has a "long row to hoe" to try to repair the United States' tarnished image and sullied reputation, but he is the only one of the candidates (or even candidate wanna-bes) who can do it.

I am confident he is up to the task. Thank you, Canadians, for your support of the next President of the United States, Barack Obama.

[HartlessBeest]

Hopefully, Obama will be the antidote that will free us of the scourge created by the Bush Regime.

[NorVaGal]

Amen to that!

[MetalCanuck]

Hey people, this guy voted for FISA and shredded your constitution. Do you not care about that anymore? The Dems helped Bush do it and gave him more than he even wanted.

[ALOBAMA]

HEY METAL CA NUCK!
DID YOU READ THE CREAMER ARTICLE HERE?
Do you blindly memorize the age-old rhetoric: "voted for FISA and shredded your constitution..."
Please for the sake of any future children you may sire, read, reflect, consider the possibility, THINK FOR YOURSELF CA NUCK! Jeez

[MetalCanuck]

I am thinking for myself. I never read whatever article you are talking about. He helped to get rid of your rights..you guys are just drinking the koolaid one more time.

[NorVaGal]

When comparing Obama's FISA vote with the shredding that McCain would do to our constitution and every other facet of American domestic and foreign policy, NO I DO NOT CARE about that anymore. Bush will be gone in January. A President Obama will not abuse government surveillance powers, and even better, would insure that McCain never gets a chance to do so. In addition, the FISA bill will be addressed again in the future, and will be improved upon-- a winning proposition all around.

[Vermontah]

He'll fix it when he gets in office. Some of the stuff in the bill that the FISA issue was included in had to pass. It's ok.

[MetalCanuck]

No he won't, he never said he would and the government NEVER gives back what it takes away. If they do anything you will not have guaranteed rights like you used to. Do not fall for this.

[billw8017]

These are arguments for a Republican to vote for Obama and in no way arguments for any Democrat to vote for McCain. Electing more Democrats will, at the least, move the political center.

[MetalCanuck]

I am not saying to vote for McSame, People should vote Third party because they are corrupt.

[C65]

MetalCanuck,
Do you not know that as president he can change it?Put your thinking cap on,
or better still read the constitution.

[mouselion]

"More than anything else, this week's trip will allow them to imagine Barack Obama as Commander in Chief -- to get a sense of how he looks on the world stage."

On this trip alone -- not to mention any foreign trip by Obama during his presidency -- I believe he will forge friendships and alliances that will be the seeds of important foreign policy-work benefiting not only the U.S., but the entire world.

[leonardse]

It is amazing in the developments in the past two days. The Republicans are jumping through their collective fuzzies about Obama's lack of International diplomacy. In one day, he gets Maliki to agree to a pull out of American troops in 16 months; Maliki agrees this is a good time table , give or take a bit. Iraqi elections are going forward in December. This has to be good news for Maliki, if he is to survive the elections. The British PM is parroting the same, and Members of Parliament are saying that GWB and the Administration are liars. This is more honesty and truth that we have seen in 7.5 years! It doesn't get any better for Obama if he can slam-dunk one these EVERYDAY OR EVERY WEEK OR EVERY MONTH!. Talk about teflon! Republicans try to paint him every day and it just runs off. McSame is in real trouble. His tired message won't play in Peoria, much less anywhere else. He can't even remember what he said last week. Obama has now eaten his lunch, Bush's lunch, and every other so-called senior administrator. It may be interesting to see what Crocker and Petraeus have to say when they report in September. WOW!

[DavidGD]

My sister is three years my junior; however we are far from being juniors, having seen over six decades. At one time she lived in Indonesia and rented a house from Barak's mother and also met him many years ago. She has been a Barak Obama supporter from the get-go (this mama is for Obama). I was a Hillary supporter at the beginning but am warming to the idea of having Obama in the WHITE HOUSE. I am literally counting the days until the vermin leaves the White House. It is now less than six months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, I can hardly wait. I can cut my hair and my beard after January 20, 2009. I can hardly wait. It will be like Christmas in January. Hooray, hooray!!!!!

[sherbug]

Interesting story. Thank you for your support.

[dmmathis]

Wow, leaders of the free world. Peace makers, I've waited my entire life for this and I'm 51 years old. Lets lead civilization by setting a good example. Can we do all this and remain strong if attacked? Yes.