A Metaphor for the History Books

U.S. President Barack Obama wants a new American foreign policy. He has made grandiose announcements many times in the past. Now, he must back these words up with actions.

“Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country,” was a legendary quote by John F. Kennedy. Now, a sentence from U.S. President Barack Obama could also go down in history. In a foreign policy speech in front of a group of military cadets, he said, “Just because we have the best hammer does not mean that every problem is a nail.” No U.S. president since the end of the Cold War has so clearly described how complacently the only remaining superpower has conducted itself on the world stage in recent years.

However, if actions do not follow up his fine words, Obama’s commitment to international cooperation is implausible. Yes, Obama has put an end to the Iraq war. Yes, he wants to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Repeatedly, however, nothing of substance follows these announcements. The Guantanamo prison camp still exists, and a year ago, Obama stated that he wanted to make transparent the legal basis on which the United States can hunt for suspected terrorists through the use of unmanned drones. However, this has not yet happened. Obama says the right thing, but whether he will also do the right thing is uncertain. Only when we have clear evidence of this will we know whether Obama’s sentence about a hammer is a metaphor for the history books.