Self-Contradiction Makes Obama Hard To Read

When President Barack Obama was interviewed by The Economist on Aug. 3, he dismissed Russia as a country that “doesn’t make anything.” As for China, he declared that every Western country must remain “pretty firm” toward China or else it will continue to further its demands.

Obama stated that Russia fails to attract immigrants and, on top of that, its population continues to shrink, so it will be difficult for it to take a leading role in the international arena. He believes that the conflict between China and the U.S. is manageable and that the West should inform China of international norms while leading them to a better future.

The way Obama looks down on China and Russia encourages U.S. and Western societies to keep a closer watch on China.

It should be said that Obama himself has attached great importance to China, which to a great extent led him to implement his Asia-Pacific re-balancing strategy. He is not necessarily an aggressive president toward China or Russia, but no matter how much strategic insight he has, it is clearly not in his power to make decisions. He has introduced some ambiguous policies, but he is always unable to implement them consistently, instead causing numerous domestic and international crises. When he leaves office and collects his presidential inheritance, the achievements he can take pride in will not excuse him from the damage he has done.

There is not much to elaborate on concerning the Middle East; he may have withdrawn American troops from Iraq, but the situation in the greater region is a mess. American strategists could not possibly build him a monument for that.

In its relations with other major powers, the United States has done everything to strengthen Western support for a revolution against Ukraine, largely by maintaining sanctions on Russia’s strategic space, resulting in Putin’s fierce retaliation. U.S.-Russian relations are reminiscent of the Cold War. Whether Obama wants to confront Russia or not, he is already doing so. His “major contribution” to American diplomacy is exhausting a lot of his country’s resources and attention span.

In U.S. relations with China, Obama’s Asia-Pacific strategy, intended to create a balance between both countries’ allies, has become a tug-of-war. Chinese leaders have proposed new relations with the U.S., and the Obama administration basically accepts this proposal but hesitates due to its connotations, which has sent China-U.S. relations into a limbo state.

Obama realizes the unusual importance of China-U.S. relations in the 21st century, but his contributions to this ideology are few; he has not done anything to catch people’s attention. “Balancing” China, being “firm” with China — this way of thinking in the West is typical of a Cold War mentality. If Obama cannot only use these strategies to find his place in history; he needs to do more.

Obama needs to see that, although he has been in office for five and a half years, the world grows tense under his leadership. Just like the “cold snap” period after the Cold War under the Great Moderation, globalization has also become a bit shaky. The U.S. has not benefitted from this change; instead, its economic recovery appears to struggle.

The new China-U.S. major-power relationship is probably the Obama administration’s most valuable accomplishment in the last two years. When he leaves office, Obama will leave China-U.S. relations full of uncertainty, just as they were when he was elected, and his eight years will be merely a brief transitional period in 21st-century China-U.S relations. He can also work with Chinese leaders to develop a clear direction for China-U.S. relations and make a mark in this century’s international relations.

When Obama first took office, he frequently acted in moderation. Because of this [moderation], he also won a Nobel Peace Prize early on. However, the consequences of his policies have always contradicted his statements, which are full of loopholes, making people unable to see through him.

Presidents are bound to face all kinds of obstacles. Stand tall and see far as he may, those obstacles will force him to make important decisions. Will all future American presidents be like Bush, using mere firmness and hot-headedness to earn support?