“Make It or Break It” Time for Obama

America is ready to lead again – or at least that is what Barack Obama promised in his inaugural speech eight months ago. This week will go far in showing if he is able to deliver on his promise.

The president is due to appear in a series of international summits and their unforgiving limelight, while back at home his abilities are beginning to come under questioning from several fronts. Obama’s domestic support has been declining steadily, and soon there will be almost as many of those opposing him as there are those in support. The flagship healthcare reform has ground to a halt, and his actual achievements in foreign policy have not stood up to the lofty rhetoric of his speeches.

The chilling effects of domestic politics could be sensed already on Tuesday when Obama addressed the UN Climate Summit. Opposition from the Senate has weakened his prospects of pushing through effective emission cuts or securing U.S. funding for poorer countries’ climate programs.

The persistent hot spot of global politics will also take center stage when Obama meets the Israeli and Palestinian premiers, Benjamin Netanyahu and Mahmud Abbas. The probability for a new beginning in peace talks is fleetingly small. Obama’s favorable reputation within the Muslim world will be seriously hurt if he is seen as “giving in” to the new Israeli prime minister’s hard-line policy on settlements.

On Wednesday, when Obama is due to appear in front of the UN General Assembly, he will have an opportunity to tell to the world how his vision of global leadership will differ from President George W. Bush’s attempts of domination through strength and bullying. A mere plea to share responsibilities and strengthen cooperation will not be enough – the time for catch-all slogans is over. U.S. leadership is at the moment visibly on trial in Afghanistan, requiring Obama to bring clarity into the resulting chaos and confusion.

Before Obama starts hosting the G20 summit on the economy at the end of this week, he has another appearance in the UN – this time at the Security Council meeting dealing with nuclear weapons and anti proliferation measures. The meeting was called for by the U.S., and Obama must be able to demonstrate not only a steadfast U.S. commitment to battle nuclear proliferation, but also a willingness to push through radical nuclear disarmament amongst the already established nuclear powers. If the meeting is not a success, the non-proliferation treaty’s (NPT) extension next year is at risk and the entire treaty could fall apart.

In the bilateral talks peppered around the summits this week, Obama will have a last chance opportunity to forge a common policy among world superpowers with regards to Iran’s nuclear program, formal talks on which should commence in October. The salience of Iran and its potential threat will be reinforced if President Mahmud Ahmedinajad uses his speech in the general assembly as a platform for slandering others, as he has done in the past.

This week of challenges is, however, in a sense proof on its own that there is at least one promise Obama has fulfilled. Obama has left behind his predecessor’s suspicions and arrogance towards the United Nations and has given the UN a prominent role in his foreign policy. The U.S. has paid its overdue membership fees, returned to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and begun to give due respect to UN-sanctioned international treaties.