Will Mr. Obama Fight the War?

While I was working in America, an acquaintance suggested that “it is easier to think of this country as militaristic democracy.” Of course, it’s not a “militaristic democracy”; however, military power can be thought of both as exactly the reason why America is the world’s number one power and as the method of obtaining this lofty ideal. That sense does not exist in Japan. Maybe it is a lie; I’ve also heard that the key to re-election is the president and his wife both gazing up at the stars and stripes at a war memorial and sobbing. As far as I know, the image of President and Nancy Reagan at the memorial in the ‘80s was deeply moving.

President Obama probably does not really like this production. Hot or cold — if we use a phrase from long ago — Mr. Obama is a cool president who represents the intellectual and rational class. Since the election, he has moved to end military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan and increase his track record in economic policy. Despite this, why did the Democratic Party suffer such a crushing defeat in the midterm elections? Because it is not enough to be just cool.

It is the backlash of the American public. They were not satisfied with Mr. Obama’s “change”— or the disappointed people were swept up in the extremely hot “tea party” group — but, speaking overall, the hot conservatism is gradually demonstrating its fertility and gaining strength. The conservatism, which can also be called the bedrock of the American public, includes a religious climate, which can only be described by the strange phrase “militaristic democracy.”

Now, Mr. Obama’s next target is the presidential re-election in 2012. Counting the 30 years since Mr. Regan’s inauguration in 1981, four of the past presidents have engaged in military actions during their first term, which drew attention. President Obama, too, is continuing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan; however, this is cleaning up after the previous administration and doing withdrawal work. Not using any additional military force is best; however, strengthening the cohesion of the administration seems difficult just on the topic of troop withdrawal. This area can be thought of as Mr. Obama’s dilemma.