Obama's Foreign Policy

How is Obama's foreign policy so far?

I can't believe that I started a new thread in Politics. But I'd like to have the opportunity to say that I really like his tone and the way he approaches the Arab world. Christian and Muslim need reconciliation. Neither could conquer the other, that's the fact. The best thing to do is to respect each other and live in peace. Of course, Obama is not afraid of using military force. But military force is the last option. That is the core of the Obama foreign policy which I like very much.

OT: I don't want to start a new thread about it, but the biggest disappointment to me about the Obama administration is his informal style. No suit in the oval office; fist bump instead of formal hand shake ... Will he be doing high fives with the foreign officials? Oh, my, to think of that.

Well, his choices of Mitchell for Israel and Holbrooke for Afghanistan/ Pakistan (especially the latter) are pretty good. However, he hasn't had to make any tough choices yet. It was certainly a smart move on Israel's part to wrap up the Gaza offensive before Obama took office; no need for a baptism by fire on the first day in the Oval Office. The real test, though, will come soon enough, especially if Israel does elect Natanyahu into the PM office.

I pretty much agree with Ptichka. I can't complain, but nothing big has happened since he actually took office. And of course it's not entirely a bad thing that nothing big has happened yet.

've heard there is some disagreement about troop levels in Afghanistan. But that is amongst the people who will be making recommendations, not between the President and one of his policy chiefs. Also, that decision is not due to be made for a little while yet. And I always keep an eye on Putin.

What is this claim of no suits in the Oval Office, Jenny? I have seen 1 day of interviews in the White House where the president was in shirtsleeves, tie and suit slacks. He had removed his suit jacket only because the thermostat was broken and stuck on 85 or something outrageous.

Susan

decker said:

What is this claim of no suits in the Oval Office, Jenny? I have seen 1 day of interviews in the White House where the president was in shirtsleeves, tie and suit slacks. He had removed his suit jacket only because the thermostat was broken and stuck on 85 or something outrageous.

Susan

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I hope it's not a regular practice. But several major medias have already discussed about Obama's informal style, and said so far they are "not sure if it's going to help him or hurt him". I say it could potentially hurt him. I have seen his interview with NBC. Matt Laur was in suit and tie but Obama was in shirt with unbuttoned collar and no tie. He needs to maintain the image of the authority and seriousness and class. It's the image of the United States too.

i think the "shirt sleeves" thing was brought to light by andy card, gw bush's former chief-of-staff. he stated that obama was showing disrespect for the oval office by being without a coat and tie at all times, and that gwb NEVER would have done that. only he did. pictures surfaced today of gwb, ford, carter, clinton, and reagan without a coat and tie in the oval office. so obama was setting no precedent by governing in his shirtsleeves...the pictures of former presidents doing the same thing goes back to '74.

decker said:

And I always keep an eye on Putin.

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I think it was a grave mistake for Bush, Clinton and W. Bush to put so much stock into Gorbachev, Yeltsin and Putin, respectively. I hope Obama's less emotional approach will keep more of a distance, and support specific policies, not people.

Dress codes are not important to me. I believe Obama will wear the appropriate drag when he is visiting foreign dignataries.

As to his foreign policy, nothing could be worse than W. Bush who lost all respect in foreign countries for America. Shall I name the goofs? Well, beginning with the rejection of the UN team's negative search for WMD in Iraq and causing all that blood shed by invasion - worse than Hussein. You can fill in the other goofs like Abu Grave, etc.

It shouldn't be difficult for Obama to get the respect back for America. I think he will.