Army of Charm

(Quebec) Obama is back from Washington – Obama and the entire White House staff, it seems – so impressive is the “ army” that accompanies the president whenever he goes abroad.

Around 1,000 people have crossed the Atlantic with him: policemen are appointed to the surveillance of the armored presidential vehicle, pilots are assigned to fly the Marine One helicopters; as well as advisors, cooks, military men – it all has the look of an army in campaign.

This is the panorama of American power in all its splendor. This power, actually, was made evident in a special way during that presidential journey. Yes, indeed, it looked like an army in campaign… a charm campaign.

Obama confirmed that his approach and method are opposite to those of George Bush.

During this journey, there no longer was the American “hyper-power”, mostly represented by a lot of talks and a lot of orders. This time it was a listening and dialoguing power. Obama’s charm worked everywhere he went these last days. That is the first success of this presidential journey.

The one and only one success, one might say. What did Obama finally and concretely obtain in Strasbourg, Prague and Ankara (let’s put aside his quick detour by Iraq)?

The question was asked because one has to understand that he’s using his personal charm to serve America’s interests –and these latter basically haven’t changed. Not on an international level, anyway.

In Ankara, when he advocated that Turkey should join the European Union to create a bridge between the Muslim world and the West, he repeated what George W. Bush previously had said. From our little corner of the world – and even though the French and some other Europeans could feel offended about it – this idea was and remains a fair one.

When he said, in a magnificent way, that the United States “will never be at war against Islam”, he also is trying to protect his country’s interests – which are also ours. However, he does it with so much more subtlety and greatness than his predecessor.

The appeal he launched in Prague in favor of “a world without nuclear weapons” is more enigmatic. Ronald Reagan had delivered the same words in 1986.

Just as it used to be, Obama’s main goal is probably to counter the nuclear proliferation in some loutish states and within some terrorist conglomerates.

These are the most unchanging and permanent interests of Washington.

What can be expected from the current developments, when some people are hoping for tangible results?

There is no choice but to accept that during the G20 summit, which took place in London, Obama didn’t get the reflation plan that he wanted. The new worldwide directorate mostly tried to develop new regulations. That is some fairly good news at this stage. An increase of the deficit would end up causing more serious problems than the ones we’re trying to settle.

During the NATO summit, which took place in Strasbourg, the new tenant of the White House did anything possible to encourage his allies to be more involved in matters related to Afghanistan. He even told the Europeans that they are more threatened by al-Qaida than the United States. These were words in vain.

Obama’s pleasant manner was, on the other hand, much appreciated. That was, let’s admit it, his real true success during this journey beyond the Atlantic.

It’s true: it’s not an easy task. It’s even a significant accomplishment.

There are no immediate results to show to the American people, but an effect and an impact that will most likely be forgotten as time passes by.

The new American president is trying to restore America’s image throughout the world. He’s doing it with a good dose of intelligence, which is not so bad.

The people who, in the United States and anywhere else, think that he would have gotten more if he had left his negotiating partners with no alternative, are nothing but idiots.