Obama’s Foreign Policy: Amazingly Good

Barack Obama has refrained from every triumphant gesture. With his speech he has reminded his war-weary fellow citizens why the Afghanistan mission began in the first place. He has analyzed the situation by explaining which goals are achievable, and which are not. He has shown the path [to accomplishing the goals] and taken it by means of a new agreement.

According to the agreement, the U.S. will not rush out of Afghanistan. However, they will not stay permanently. Instead, Obama is ending the mission and has pushed his plan through, calling for resolute refocusing: A massive increase of the U.S. contingent was accompanied by the increase in attacks. The purpose was no longer to impose the blessings of American structures on other countries. Now it was once again about eliminating top al-Qaida leaders.

Actually, the terrorist network is barely in the headlines at the moment. It is an advantage of the incumbency that a president has and can use to promote himself if he reminds voters of such successes. Obama’s excellently composed speech to the U.S. media does not only ensure acknowledgment, but his foreign political record is also amazingly good. He is sending his challengers a taste of the incumbent’s resolve to defend the power of interpretation over his government. Whether he can portray his domestic political decisions as a purposeful path or not remains to be seen. Obama’s reelection campaign officially begins on Saturday, May 5.