Round the world in 80 summits

The high expectatives generated by Obama led only to one possible scenario: deception. But maybe the new President can reach the first 100 days in office without breaking the hope. Not all of it at least. According to a Washington Post poll, more than 60% of Americans approve Obama’s Government.

That’s at home. But where he was most feared was abroad. Many though he would be like many other US Presidents; maybe good for Americans but a disaster -although not as big as Bush- for the rest of the world. But instead of that, it’s being quite satisfactory the experience so far. In fact, where Obama’s policy has shown more active has been abroad and for now, it has been for the better.

It mostly has been thanks to Clinton’s effort, but also to Obama’s extenuant agenda in the past two weeks. First a congress about Afghanistan -with Russia and Iran among others- in the Hague, then the G20 in London, the EU-USA summit in France, the NATO meeting in Prague, another meeting in Turkey and finally, even an uneschedulled visit to Iraq. And in all of them, American policy hasn’t done anything but gaining popularity and stakes among allies and foes.

For instance, relations with Iran look way better. It has contributed that during the week, Obama has mentioned several times the right of the Persians to have nuclear technology for civil use. Even with Russia things are smoother.

In fact, both countries (Iran and Russia) will help America in the new Afghan strategy. It is unclear if they make this because they are willing to restart the transoceanic relations or because they both hate the Talibans as much as America does.

Obama and Medvedev have put a lot of effort too in the mutual disarment -even though what Russia said. Just yesterday Obama was praising for a world free of nukes, as he has been doing for all week.

Indeed, one of Obama’s highest peaks of popularity came in Prague, talking about nukes. In front of tens of thousands, Obama gave one of his most memorables speeches up to now. Some have already compared it with Kennedy’s “Ich bin Berliner”. If there is something that outstands from it, it is this:

“As a nuclear power -as the only nuclear power to have used a nuclear weapon- the United States has a moral responsibility to act. We cannot succeed in this endeavor alone, but we can lead it”.

Luckily for Europe, their relations with the other side of the Atlantic are also improving. They appreciate as well the new way of policying. Speeches before masses and citizens’ participation have been a constant in Obama’s tour. Like in the meeting between the American President and a group of young professionals and students in Strasbourg.

Also the Governments of Europe are getting in better terms with Americans. The most anti-American European country, France, with Sarkozy in the frontline, couldn’t be prouder of receiving Obama in his soil. Although it should be said that at the end it was more of a meeting between Carla Bruni and Michelle Obama rather than their husbands.

Even those that in the latest years -or even weeks- have had a horrible relation with the United Status, like Spain, have had their little push: Zapatero finally have a photo with an American President, has been invited to the White House -and Obama is eager to pay back the visit as soon as possible- and even has been called a friend! In the middle of an internal crisis and with elections on sight, how many votes does that mean? How many votes are a photo with Obama?

The US wants to get closer to the world and recover the lost time after Bush. And if something, they want to regain the Muslims. The White House inhabitant has said it once and again: “We are not enemies of Islam”.

To show his determination, alter the nomination of Anders Fogh Rasmussen as the new NATO secretary, he made him offer an apology to the Muslims for Muhammad’s cartoons among other concesions. And he even left himself be seen in Turkey in the Alliance of Civilizations forum.

It’s a pity, however, that the Republican machinery has already woken up and started to work agitating the bases at home. And all because of a bow of Obama to king Abdallah from Saudi Arabia. The comments in the pro-right-wing blogs are funny and scary at the same time. They are like “I told you so! He is called HUSSEIN! He is a Muslim!”.

In two months all women in Chicago will wear burkhas. You’ll see.



Photo: Reuters