100 Days of Diplomacy: Obama Isn't Afraid to Be "Soft"

In his book Democracy in America, French political philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville points out that religion and freedom, though sometimes opposing, are wonderfully linked in America. The descriptions of America in this classic masterpiece date back to the first half of the 19th century, but those words still fit 21st century America very well.

To be precise, it is not that the two factors are perfectly fused; it is like they coexist in an exquisite balance. America is certainly a land of liberty, but as the large religious right wing can attest, it is a country where Christianity has great political clout. The neoconservatives who became famous for the Iraq War also came from America.

If you consider this balance, the Obama administration, which overcame the oppressive Bush administration and now promotes liberty, will also someday confront the aftershocks of religious conservatism. That will be a critical moment for President Obama.

Following his inauguration, President Obama ordered the closing of the infamous Guantanamo Bay detention camp, and set the itinerary for the Iraq withdrawal while deciding to send U.S. reinforcements to Afghanistan. Usage of the phrase, “War on Terror,” created by the Bush administration, has ceased. Indeed, the Obama administration is commendable for quickly dealing with the problems that have been piling up since the last administration.

Mending Russo-American relations to avoid a new Cold War and restarting nuclear weapons reduction talks are also plus points. The new administration also supports the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban treaty as a step toward a nuclear weaponless world. The Obama administration has continued to repair America’s tarnished image, even admitting that America is the only country that has ever used nuclear weapons.

However, if Obama’s goals cannot be reached, confidence in his leadership will fall. Right now, the most important issue of all is his ability to get things done. With regard to dialogue with Iran, a strong spirit is necessary to brush aside criticism from conservatives of being “soft.” In recent years Democratic administrations have been criticized as being “soft” while the Republican administrations have tended to emphasize their strength. The Carter administration’s human rights-based diplomacy, and the Clinton administration that touted its policy of being engaged with China and North Korea, were both criticized for being “weak.”

Of course, direct dialogue is not always the best option. Multinational schemes like the Six-Party talks on North Korea should be made use of. However, if you consider stability in Iraq and harmony with the Muslim world, dialogue with Iran would be fruitful. America, as a country that respects the spirit of religion in society, should try to suppress its “Islamic allergy,” which was made worse by the Iranian Revolution.