Obama’s State of the Union Speech: Action for the Entire World, Not Just America

Published in Mainichi Daily News
(Japan) on 30 January 2014
by Editorial (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Dan Schilling. Edited by Bora Mici.
In his yearly State of the Union address, U.S. President Barack Obama declared that 2014 would be a "year of action" and stated that, given the current gridlock in Congress, if necessary he would use his executive authority to implement critical policies. Perhaps it should go without saying, but with the myriad problems facing not just the United States but also the whole world, I want to be hopeful for the president’s "action."

Inaugurated immediately following the beginning of the recent recession, President Obama’s administration has prioritized the economy, and it has considered the withdrawal of troops from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan — begun by the previous Bush administration — a major issue. In this year’s State of the Union speech too, the president spent the majority of his time on domestic policy. Speaking on the topic of diplomacy and defense, however, he declared that he would "not send ... troops into harm’s way unless it’s truly necessary," reaffirming that the U.S. is not the "world’s police." I understand those who say that we are in an age where we can no longer rely solely on the United States. However, it is clear that regions that have been under America’s influence could grow unstable if America’s presence suddenly dissipates. Even if the U.S. withdraws, then, steps must be taken to ensure the stability of those regions going forward.

Take the Middle East and North Africa. The riots, bloodshed and terrorism that began in Syria and continue in a number of countries can hardly be blamed on the United States. However, given that every administration from the 1980s on has grown America’s influence in the Middle East, would not a sudden shift to neutrality only encourage the radicals and terrorists in the region? It is something that must be considered, and East Asia is no different. China has repeatedly intruded into Japanese territory, including unilaterally establishing an air defense identification zone that includes the Senkaku Islands. As a response, the U.S. flew B-2 bombers into the region. So for President Obama to miss touching on this issue in his speech, at a time when China is putting more and more military pressure on Japan, is less unfortunate than it is curious. Can this kind of posture really be beneficial to the stability of East Asia? Even the president’s remarks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership made no direct reference to Japan.

In November of this year, the U.S. will hold its midterm elections. In the State of the Union address, President Obama emphasized issues like raising the minimum wage, the wealth gap and the expansion of women’s rights — all issues where the president can curry favor with the middle class. If the Republican Party can wrest control of the Senate from the Democratic Party — the president’s party — while maintaining control of the House, there is a real danger of President Obama quickly becoming a lame duck. That is precisely why immediate action is necessary. For the president who made "change" his banner and who was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, it would be unfortunate to finish off his eight-year term as it stands now: The president has focused on finding a solution to the issue of Iran’s nuclear program, but North Korea’s situation is much more serious, and the current state of Afghanistan, from where American troops are scheduled to depart within the year, is also a cause for concern. So I want the president to act — for the stability of the entire world.


社説:米一般教書 世界の安定へ「行動」を

毎日新聞 2014年01月30日 02時35分

 オバマ米大統領が年頭恒例の演説(一般教書)で、今年を「行動の年」にすると宣言した。連邦議会の与野党対立で政治が動かない現状を踏まえ、今後は大統領の権限で重要政策を遂行するという。当たり前とも思えるが、米国の内政だけでなく世界に難問が山積する折、オバマ大統領の「行動」に期待したい。

 リーマン・ショック直後に発足したオバマ政権は経済を優先し、ブッシュ前政権が戦争を始めたアフガニスタンやイラクからの米軍撤収を懸案としてきた。今回の演説も内政に大半の時間が割かれたが、外交・国防に関してオバマ大統領は「真に必要でない限り、危険な派兵はしない」と語り、米国は「世界の警察官」ではないとの主張を再確認した。

 もう米国だけに頼る時代ではないという考え方も分からないではない。だが、米国の影響下にあった地域で米国の存在感が弱まれば域内が不安定化するのは目に見えている。米国が身を引くにしても、安定を維持する措置が必要になるはずだ。

 その一例が中東・北アフリカだろう。シリアをはじめ少なからぬ国々で続く騒乱、流血、テロは、別に米国のせいではない。だが、1980年代から米国の歴代政権が着々と影響力を築いてきた中東にあって、オバマ政権には不介入の姿勢が目立つことが、域内のテロ組織や過激派を勢いづかせていないか。そう考えてみることは必要だろう。

 東アジアも同様だ。中国は尖閣諸島をめぐって日本の領海侵犯を繰り返し、防空識別圏を一方的に設定した。米国は当該空域にB52爆撃機を飛ばしてけん制した。中国が日本に軍事的圧力を強めている現状に、大統領が演説で触れなかったのは、残念というより不思議である。こうした姿勢が東アジアの安定に資するのかどうか。環太平洋パートナーシップ協定(TPP)に触れたくだりも含めて日本への言及はなかった。

 米国は11月に中間選挙を控えている。今回の演説は最低賃金引き上げや所得格差是正、女性の権利拡大などを強調し、中間層の取り込みに力点を置いた。今はオバマ与党の民主党が多数を占める上院で共和党が逆転し、下院も制すれば、6年目に入ったオバマ大統領のレームダック(死に体)化は急速に進むという危機感がある。

 だからこそ今年は行動が必要なのだ。「チェンジ」を旗印に登場し、ノーベル平和賞も受けたオバマ大統領が、このまま8年の任期を終えるようでは残念だ。大統領はイラン核問題の外交解決を力説したが、北朝鮮の核兵器の方が深刻だ。年内に米軍主導部隊が撤退するアフガン情勢も気になる。大統領は、世界の安定のためにこそ行動してほしい。
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