Edited by Robin Silberman
Obama, New and Powerful Agent of Change
Published in El Pais
(Colombia) on 4 April 2009
by (link to original)
On January 20th of this year Barack Hussein Obama became the President of the United States. His ascension to the position of leader of the greatest world power was the culmination of a true revolution, even more remarkable if one considers the fact that his wife Michelle is a direct descendant of slaves.
Few nations on the planet have borne witness to such significant social mobilization. His popularity rises profoundly and spontaneously in every part of the globe that he visits. People of all creeds and ideologies consider him a real symbol of the change created, or longed for, across the face of the Earth.
Time will tell if Obama is capable or not of confronting the difficult challenges facing his agenda. It is one thing to possess proven attributes to capture the enthusiastic support of an electorate, but entirely different to demonstrate statesmanship and leadership skills on a scale that covers the totality of this intricate planet on which we live.
Let us take a look, then, at some of these challenges.
In the first place, without a doubt, there is the serious financial crisis that has taken on the characteristics of a globalized phenomenon. The very fundamentals of the capitalist system, as well as the role of the state have been questioned, and the commercial relations between various countries have been deteriorated. Thousands of factories, businesses and banks have closed, forcing millions upon millions of workers into unemployment, and dismantling states and societies. It is true, as the saying goes: there's always a calm after the storm. Nonetheless, how will the world emerge after this terrible experience?
All eyes are on Obama, the new and powerful agent of change. In the midst of this critical situation, Israel has declared that it is not bound to the Annapolis accords - involving the creation of a neighboring Palestinian State centered on peace and mutual respect - a solution that the U.S. has repeatedly called for. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Avigdor Lieberman, who is responsible for said statement, added more fuel to the fire upon ruling out the option of returning the Golan Heights to Syria.
These intransigent attitudes - in conflict with UN resolutions- drew widespread criticism, even within Israel. Former Foreign Minister Livni condemned them and is asking her government to repudiate Lieberman's actions as damaging to the image and interests of the country. Is this not the way to end the fateful chain of protests, attacks, vengeance, retaliation, repression and so on?
Obama has a very difficult task at hand. He has to do something quickly, even though no one, not even his team, is getting their hopes up.
Let's not forget that the heart of the Middle and Near East is composed of an Iraq that is possibly en route to normalization, an Iran that is still considered a member of the “axis of evil” and an Afghanistan that is struggling with a war both internal and against Western foreigners.
While in Turkey, the new U.S. President sent out a friendly and compassionate message to the Islamic world, an extremely important source of religion and culture.
Another headache, potential or real: North Korea's launch of a supposed communications satellite. Is it just that or could it be a missile test for an intercontinental weapon? In this case we believe that China will act decisively.
Lastly, what will the Obama presidency mean for Latin America?
Lula da Silva, the first Latin American leader to visit the U.S. Commander in Chief, spoke without hesitation: "we want association, not interference; collaboration, not meddling."
To make matters worse, he also argued for the tightening of U.S. relations with Chavez's Venezuela, the Castro brothers' Cuba and Morales's Boliva...
Aren't the demands of the Brazilian leader, who has legitimately assumed the role of a valid speaker for Latin America before the U.S. and the respectable voice of an emerging nation among more developed countries, a little bit too unrealistic?
The game is about to begin and it's Obama's move. The world is waiting.
Few nations on the planet have borne witness to such significant social mobilization. His popularity rises profoundly and spontaneously in every part of the globe that he visits. People of all creeds and ideologies consider him a real symbol of the change created, or longed for, across the face of the Earth.
Time will tell if Obama is capable or not of confronting the difficult challenges facing his agenda. It is one thing to possess proven attributes to capture the enthusiastic support of an electorate, but entirely different to demonstrate statesmanship and leadership skills on a scale that covers the totality of this intricate planet on which we live.
Let us take a look, then, at some of these challenges.
In the first place, without a doubt, there is the serious financial crisis that has taken on the characteristics of a globalized phenomenon. The very fundamentals of the capitalist system, as well as the role of the state have been questioned, and the commercial relations between various countries have been deteriorated. Thousands of factories, businesses and banks have closed, forcing millions upon millions of workers into unemployment, and dismantling states and societies. It is true, as the saying goes: there's always a calm after the storm. Nonetheless, how will the world emerge after this terrible experience?
All eyes are on Obama, the new and powerful agent of change. In the midst of this critical situation, Israel has declared that it is not bound to the Annapolis accords - involving the creation of a neighboring Palestinian State centered on peace and mutual respect - a solution that the U.S. has repeatedly called for. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Avigdor Lieberman, who is responsible for said statement, added more fuel to the fire upon ruling out the option of returning the Golan Heights to Syria.
These intransigent attitudes - in conflict with UN resolutions- drew widespread criticism, even within Israel. Former Foreign Minister Livni condemned them and is asking her government to repudiate Lieberman's actions as damaging to the image and interests of the country. Is this not the way to end the fateful chain of protests, attacks, vengeance, retaliation, repression and so on?
Obama has a very difficult task at hand. He has to do something quickly, even though no one, not even his team, is getting their hopes up.
Let's not forget that the heart of the Middle and Near East is composed of an Iraq that is possibly en route to normalization, an Iran that is still considered a member of the “axis of evil” and an Afghanistan that is struggling with a war both internal and against Western foreigners.
While in Turkey, the new U.S. President sent out a friendly and compassionate message to the Islamic world, an extremely important source of religion and culture.
Another headache, potential or real: North Korea's launch of a supposed communications satellite. Is it just that or could it be a missile test for an intercontinental weapon? In this case we believe that China will act decisively.
Lastly, what will the Obama presidency mean for Latin America?
Lula da Silva, the first Latin American leader to visit the U.S. Commander in Chief, spoke without hesitation: "we want association, not interference; collaboration, not meddling."
To make matters worse, he also argued for the tightening of U.S. relations with Chavez's Venezuela, the Castro brothers' Cuba and Morales's Boliva...
Aren't the demands of the Brazilian leader, who has legitimately assumed the role of a valid speaker for Latin America before the U.S. and the respectable voice of an emerging nation among more developed countries, a little bit too unrealistic?
The game is about to begin and it's Obama's move. The world is waiting.
ok capitalism is a failed idealogy.
spiritual laws demands that it fails.
not religious laws they are man made.
second america is a failed state.
it is bankrupt and living on printed money and borrowed money from china.
when the dollar is no longer the currency of the world america will decline faster than cheney’s popularity.
massive inflation will come to america.
imperialism has a price americans will experience that price.
now americans dont have a clue they are imperialists even with 700 military bases around the world and building 67 in iraq. ie oil reserves.
american consumers are broke and living on credit cards with high interest rates.
wealth can be as severe a teacher as poverty and america is living proof of that.
the large middle class in america is history the very people that lined up to vote for reagan economics. he gotcha good americans.
reagan like bush jr hated the middle class and they both served the have mores in america. the trickle down theory trickled up. 🙂
americans can afford wars for profits for its industrial military complex but cannot afford universal health care insurance for its people.
that says it all about capitalism and its effect on the masses. ie greed and selfishness and arrogance.
travel to america sometime and visit its tent cities. oh the price of imperialism.