The End of Unilateralism?

“America needs the rest of the world, just as I believe the world needs America,” said Vice President Joe Biden. “I come to Europe on behalf of a new administration, an administration that is determined to set a new tone not only in Washington, but in America’s relations around the world.”

Biden presented the Obama administration’s diplomatic vision at the Munich Conference on Security. This is no coincidence; it means that the main concern remains the security issue. During his first speech on foreign policy and security, “Number Two” said that the U.S. would “practice dialogue,” “listen” and “consult.”

“America needs the world, just as I believe the world needs America,” he told foreign officials.

After the excesses of unilateralism and the deadlocks caused by the invasion of Iraq outside the U.N. framework and the global war against terrorism carried out without respect of international law by the neoconservative George W. Bush and his nefarious methods, Biden said America needs its partners because “no single country, no matter how powerful, can best meet these threats alone.” Will the return of multilateralism that U.S. President Barack Obama outlined during his campaign and during his inaugural speech become a reality? Can the U.S. change its methods, tactics and strategy in terms of foreign policy?

Mixed Signals

It is reasonable to believe that it can, and to do everything to make it happen, even if it means an everyday diplomatic struggle. The U.S. being ready to work with the rest of the world means that countries with experience, such as Algeria, can send messages and contribute to the emergence of a new international order, more just and more consistent, based on law, not on power and the law of the jungle.

In terms of international relations, the U.S. will be judged on the quality of relations with their old and recent rivals, Russia and China; their long-standing allies, the European countries; emerging economies like Brazil and India; and finally, the Arab-Muslim countries.

For suspicious observers, Obama sends mixed signals. The only geopolitical region that he cited in his inaugural speech was the Muslim world, to which he offered cooperation based on mutual respect, while taking care to criticize the closed policies of these countries. His first TV interview was given to an Arab channel, where he clearly said, with conviction, that he respects Muslims. At the same time, he has not yet made the important decision to convene an international conference to resolve the Palestinian conflict. On another level, his spokesman announced that Obama reserves the right to use military force against Iran.

“The president has not changed his point of view, which is to keep all options,” the spokesman said.

However, Obama does not tackle political challenges in the same way his predecessor did. He deliberately takes time for reflection, while making immediate decisions on matters of urgency, such as the financial crisis. Concerning the relationship with Russia, Biden said:

“The last few years have seen a dangerous drift in relations between Russia and the members of our Alliance,” Biden said, concerning relations with Russia. “It is time — to paraphrase President Obama — it’s time to press the reset button and to revisit the many areas where we can and should be working together with Russia.”

He nevertheless warned that heavy disagreements are still there. “The United States will not recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states,” he said.

He was talking about the Americans refusing that anyone has a “sphere of influence.” This is a new development which aims to bury the Cold War once and for all and maintain U.S. supremacy, especially now that he has confirmed that the U.S. will continue to develop anti-missile defense, one of the reasons for tensions between Washington and Moscow. Is the American evolution only related to the economic situation and personal qualities of Obama?

Obama’s election, and his skills to consolidate U.S. power, has revived the question about the world’s delay, compared to the U.S., in scientific research and foreign policy doctrine. Obama, elected president in an America described as selfish, closed and hegemonic, is rehabilitating his country with intelligence and remeasuring its dose of multilateralism, while preserving its role as the first superpower. The democracy-loving people can only subscribe to a new order of debate.

The “American lessons,” which some of the Western media wants to learn, are not necessarily those we believe in. The real issue is, in essence, elsewherem rather than in the anti-racist American feeling. The American people have expressed an ambition to change the world on the basis of justice and merit. Without naivety and given the cynicism of politicians, the complexity of the system and its dark aspects, we can talk about a revolution here, a strong message that we must take and understand as a chance to redeploy the foreign policy of Arab countries as a contribution to the settlement of just causes.

Turning the Page on Bush

Today, the U.S. president is a man seeking balance and democracy. Before being African-American, Obama is an out-of-the-ordinary political and intellectual personality. He brings together the qualities of intelligence and confidence, but also charisma and determination, proven by his campaign that lasted a whole year. Such a synthesis of qualities is rarely found in a person. (We still remember Kennedy.) Obama is a person who is aware of the need to change, and his exceptional keyword, “change,” has demonstrated that he was in touch with the people and would turn the page on the disastrous eight years of Bush’s presidency. Of course, any Democratic candidate had strong chance to be elected, but only the one who offered the change Obama did could prevail.

Obama won not by relying solely on the forces that African Americans have been accumulating for forty years, or by focusing solely on the internal concerns of Americans, but by bringing together Americans and avoiding being a community and protectionist candidate. He refused the “ghettoization” of minorities and the U.S. as a whole.

His foreign policy is designed to somehow universalize his sense of dialogue and his egalitarian vision of relations between individuals and peoples, with the U.S. as the model. Surely, Obama has not sought to forget that he is black from a Muslim father, but he presented himself as primarily as an American Democrat.

Obama was elected in America (and in the world) in 2008 mainly because he fully utilized the rapid and profound evolution in recent decades in terms of development and new communication technology; and secondly, because of the awareness around the world that chaos has won over order. The world could not continue to support blind unilateralism and multifaceted crisis. This mental and scientific development should be integrated by Arabs who should embrace democracy and bear in mind that the key issue is to strengthen the rule of law.

Without a strong state and deep sense of patriotism, combined with the citizens’ resolve to participate in their future, there will be no future. It is under these circumstances that the Arab-Muslim world can emerge as a credible and prosperous region in 20 years – not in 100 years – and the Southern citizen can participate in a new fair international order.

In the meantime, the conservative and reactionary forces in the U.S., the outside world, and in the Arab world, are trying to prevent any real change. Everyone needs to get involved, to participate in the political and intellectual life and in projects and political events of their country. Resignation or “wait-and-see” attitudes are doomed to failure. New generations still have confidence in their elders, despite criticism. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”