Three little words... YES.....WE.....CAN! And one more.... CHANGE! It's here..... Thank God! And David Axelrod.
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Here it COMES!!!!!
(71 posts)-
Posted Monday Jan 19, 2009 20:50 #
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American Woman - The Dream Came True...
Posted Monday Jan 19, 2009 21:01 # -
Done... even if the Chief Justice screwed up.
Enjoy this great day...
"Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time," Obama told hundreds of thousands of people gathered on the National Mall in front of the Capitol.
"But know this, America -- they will be met," he said.
He also vowed to end the divisiveness and partisanship he said was rampant through Washington.
"We come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics," he said.
Posted Tuesday Jan 20, 2009 11:34 # -
Barack Obama has been sworn in as the 44th US president. Here is his inauguration speech in full.
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and co-operation he has shown throughout this transition.Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we, the people, have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.We remain a young nation, but in the words of scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labour, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and travelled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and ploughed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
'Remaking America'
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - that a nation cannot prosper long when it favours only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
'Ready to lead'
As for our common defence, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the spectre of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defence, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
'Era of peace'
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
'Duties'
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honour them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have travelled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.Posted Tuesday Jan 20, 2009 12:17 # -
BINGO!!!
Obama spoke words worthy of our nation
John Kass
January 21, 2009
WASHINGTON—”President Barack Obama faced straight into a hard sun, raised his right hand, took the oath of office just a few feet from where I was sitting, and then he turned and began to deliver his amazing, beautiful inaugural address."On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics," our new president said. "We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to put aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history."
That's when I felt that tingle in my leg.
Actually, it was my right foot tingling, not my left, and not throbbing from liberal giddiness, but because my foot was frozen. It was so cold Tuesday that my toes curled in my black oxfords like boxed shrimp in your grocer's freezer.
Yet as I listened to him, my foot got warmer, and so help me, so did the rest of me. So go ahead, accuse me of being a Hopium Eater, but it was one heck of a speech. It was clear, a thoughtful man talking, a man hoping to unite his country even as he could feel the weight of the Earth settling upon his shoulders.
"To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent," said the president, "know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."
For a second I thought he was talking about the Daley machine in Chicago, but he wasn't, and my foot started tingling again like mad.
The phrase that may be the most widely quoted is the one about the Republican-engineered security state.
"As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. . . . Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience' sake."
He is a natural speech giver. The media will give him a longer-than-usual honeymoon. And already he's taking care of the guys who count, his nominee for transportation secretary goes before a Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday promising to spend $800 billion on concrete and asphalt.
What many of his apostles in the media refuse to understand about Obama as they heap virtues upon him before he's even governed one day, is that he rose up in Chicago politics not by challenging power but by accommodating it, and now other nations will measure his character by prodding and testing him.
Yet his speech was a success because it tapped into that identical nerve running through moderates, liberals, conservatives and libertarians: love of country. His speech clearly told us that Obama loves this nation as an immigrant's son, a kid who grew up with a funny name, a young man who accepted the American offer to reinvent himself.
There were surprises. He reached out to Muslims, something not promised so publicly by predecessors. He didn't talk only of heroes carved in marble, but of anonymous African-Americans who labored in the fields under the lash of the whip. He reminded us that years ago, his own father would have been refused service in a Washington restaurant because of the color of his skin.
I thought of all the parents watching with their children, and grandparents who worked the fields, telling the young ones to look at the president and know there are no limits to what can be achieved.
From where I was sitting, less than 100 feet from him, I turned around and looked out into the National Mall, where more than a million of our countrymen stood, compelled to witness, and I felt guilty that I was so close and they so far, in that rippling sea of believers.
Yet for all the nobility in the speech, there was some crafty politics in the bones.
"What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them—”that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply," Obama said. "The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or small, but whether it works."
Clearly, those who disagree with our president about the size and reach of the federal government risk being branded as cynics. So he can mistakenly call me a cynic. But I admire the man, and his inaugural address delivered on a cold day under a clear sky, for what was at the heart of his words, his love for America and her promise.
Posted Wednesday Jan 21, 2009 12:22 # -
Here we go - Obama pledges 'era of openness'
President Obama faces a packed agenda on his first day in office
US President Barack Obama has issued executive orders on government ethics and transparency as part of a packed first full day in office.
The measures include curbs on lobbying and a pay freeze for senior White House staff. Federal employees will have to sign up to new ethics procedures.
The new president said he was beginning "a new era of openness" in government.
Later Mr Obama and his advisers are to discuss the economic crisis - as well as the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Earlier judges suspended several of the military trials of terror suspects at Guantanamo, following Mr Obama's call for all cases to be suspended, made hours after his inauguration.
Mr Obama arrived at the Oval Office at 0835 on Wednesday, the White House said.Families are tightening their belts, and so should Washington
The new president read the note left to him by his predecessor George W Bush in an envelope marked "To: #44, From: #43".
Mr Obama telephoned four Middle Eastern leaders - President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel, King Abdullah of Jordan and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.
"He used this opportunity on his first day in office to communicate his commitment to active engagement in pursuit of Arab-Israeli peace," the White House said.
The president later attended a prayer service at Washington's National Cathedral - a tradition dating to the time of George Washington.
After returning to the White House, Mr Obama announced his first executive orders saying he wanted a "clean break from business as usual".
The new rules ban aides from lobbying the administration when they leave his staff. Officials are also banned from receiving gifts from lobbyists.
Announcing the pay freeze for senior officials, Mr Obama said: "Families are tightening their belts, and so should Washington."
The economic crisis will is expected to be high on his agenda on his first day. The president is due to meet economic advisers to discuss his $825bn rescue plan.Sounds like something we need to do right here in Riverside.
Posted Wednesday Jan 21, 2009 13:38 # -
Another great idea and way to do givernment: Obama announces the entire recovery plan will all be itemized and listed on the new web site they are making just for this part of the package. That, and the new lobbying rules are all things that should have been started and adopted years ago...
Posted Saturday Jan 24, 2009 10:26 # -
Obama speaks: His weekly TV address outlining the recovery plan...
Posted Saturday Jan 24, 2009 10:53 # -
Interesting analysis from Robini's RGE Monitor:
Obama's Presidential Honeymoon Faces Daunting Economic and Geo-Political Tasks
Here's the link for those that care: http://www.rgemonitor.com/economonitor-monitor/255249/obamas_presidential_honeymoon_faces_daunting_economic_and_geo-political_tasks
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Arpitha Bykere, Rachel Ziemba, Kavitha Cherian and Jelena Vukotic | Jan 22, 2009Now that Barack Obama has taken the oath and become the 44th President of the United States, he faces great expectations at home and abroad to steer the U.S. and global economy out of the greatest post-war recession and financial crisis, to re-align the U.S. foreign policy stance and global standing on issues like financial sector regulation, climate change, trade talks and nuclear proliferation. He —“ and his team —“ enters with large amounts of political capital. Obama's public acknowledgment that the country's economic woes will remain challenging in the near-term and will involve great adjustments, and his choice of a strong economic team are a sign of optimism that the administration will be quick with policy measures. While the domestic economy (especially passing a fiscal stimulus package) will take most of his time in the short-term, the Israel-Gaza offensive indicates foreign policy concerns —“ especially in the Middle East and South Asia will also demand attention from the beginning of the Obama presidency.
Fiscal Stimulus Significant growth contraction in Q4 2008 and Q1 2009 along with mounting job losses, declining asset incomes, corporate bankruptcies and tight credit conditions, mean Obama's first priority will be to pass the fiscal stimulus package by February 2009. The payroll tax relief, extension of unemployment insurance and food stamps for low-income households included in the package will cushion vulnerable groups from the recession and boost consumer spending. However, these policies may do little to boost growth in the short-term. With only about US$100bn of around US$500bn in planned infrastructure spending expected to kick in within the first three months, the initiative may not be timely in spite of being potentially effective in boosting the economy during late 2009 and 2010.While tax cuts will be timely, households facing financial pressure will save the proceeds rather than boost spending just as they did during Q2 2008, limiting effectiveness. Similarly, tax credits for businesses to hire workers and invest in new equipment will be ineffective in stimulating investment since firms forecasting a prolonged slump in domestic and export demand and high credit costs will cut capex plans. However, given that state and local governments support greater spending and jobs than the federal government, grants for the recession- and budget-deficit hit states will be more effective in preventing cut backs in public services, infrastructure projects and jobs, and also partly offset declining tax revenues and slump in debt financing. But given our estimated contraction in private demand of around US$700bn in just 2009 alone, the US$800bn-plus stimulus package distributed over two years (2009-10) might not be enough to offset the contraction in GDP in 2009. Also, the extent of job creation via the stimulus might be limited as infrastructure projects will, at best, absorb workers from real estate construction and low-end manufacturing while services and manufacturing in general will continue to witness hiring freezes due to low demand. Moreover, investment in infrastructure, renewable energy and R&D will simulate the economy and create jobs only in the medium to long run.
Hence, the prolonged slump and a very sluggish economic recovery might actually necessitate a second stimulus package. More importantly, unless the government addresses problems of bank capitalization and mortgage crisis, any fiscal stimulus will be ineffective in steering the economy out of this crisis.
Continued bank bailouts have signaled to the administration that further bank writedowns are imminent and the banking system as a whole might be insolvent. Capital injection on an ad-hoc basis, or even after banks write down bad debt to establish asset values, might only delay a broader solution for toxic assets while making inefficient use of the TARP funds. One possible solution would be the creation of a 'bad bank' that can buy toxic assets from banks to ease pressure on their balance sheets and help stimulate lending to the private sector. An alternative might be to use the remaining TARP funds to extend government insurance to banks' toxic assets. Obama's economic team also has voiced concerns that the TARP funds have been inefficiently used by banks so far in order to absorb losses on their balance sheets, fund acquisitions and pay for compensation rather than fuel credit growth in the economy. The new administration will likely direct the remaining funds towards unclogging credit markets and renewing lending to households and firms by targeting consumers and municipalities - credit cards, mortgages, auto loans, students loans and muni bonds. Total loan losses are expected to hit US$1.6 trillion and additional negative feedbacks on MBSs and other ABSs are imminent, especially as the recession raises default by households and corporates (a detailed RGE Monitor analysis on this is forthcoming for RGE Premium subscribers).
Tight credit conditions and financial headwinds for households will continue to raise foreclosures and mortgage defaults. Increase in the excess home supply now poses the risk of over-correction in home prices thus leading to further bank losses and contraction in consumer spending. As a result, Congressional Democrats and the Obama administration will have to work on modifying the troubled mortgages and refinancing them into longer term low interest loans. But given the limited effectiveness of past government programs, the new government needs to reduce the mortgage principal to fix the problem of homeowners' insolvency rather than just extending the maturity period or reducing the interest rate. To encourage greater lender participation, the government will have to share the cost of modifying the loans and offer lenders a share in future home appreciation and share any losses from default on the modified loans. While Democrats favor using some of the remaining TARP funds for this purpose, estimates suggest that the cost of such a program might be as much as US$600bn to US$1 trillion, especially as home prices overcorrect downward, more homes fall into negative equity and defaults on the refinanced mortgages continue. To contain fiscal costs, the government should be the senior debt holder in the modified mortgages to benefit from future home appreciation.
Continued bank bailouts, fiscal stimulus packages and refinancing at-risk mortgages will likely push up the fiscal deficit to over US$1.3 trillion in FY2009. While these counter-cyclical spending measures are warranted to address the crisis and Obama might also delay his plan to raise taxes, the U.S. will have to consider fiscal consolidation during the recovery phase. Unless the government reforms the tax system, reduces health care costs and finances Social Security and defense needs, a structural budget deficit will continue to pose risks to the U.S. debt financing needs and the dollar for many years to come.
Trade Global trade talks might take a backseat in 2009 as the U.S. and other economies remain occupied with domestic counter-cyclical fiscal and monetary policies. However amid slumping exports, more and more governments might impose import restrictions, offer trade distorting fiscal stimulus to domestic firms, prevent stimulus leakages via imports, bail out national champions and favor undervalued currencies. Escalating trade protectionism during the Great Depression actually worsened the global economic crisis. In such a scenario, the U.S. would need to take the lead to renew global trade talks and establish WTO guidelines to prevent countries from pursuing protectionist measures. However, this will be a longer term objective. Meanwhile the discussion on NAFTA is likely to re-emerge in light of the President's visit to Canada, reportedly his first foreign trip. While policy on trade agreements, the Chinese reminbi and inward-investment by foreign governments might take a backseat in the initial days of the new administration, China's bias for an undervalued currency to support exports and the need for investments from foreign governments in the face of U.S. bank and corporate bankruptcies might rekindle these issues. Moreover, as imports and exports shrink for deficit and surplus countries respectively, U.S. will lead the world in the painful unwinding of global imbalances.
Energy and Climate Change Although climate change is a major priority and the new members of Obama's energy team are focused on increasing energy efficiency and the share of alternative fuels in the U.S. energy mix, coming to consensus on these issues may be difficult —“ and comprehensive climate change legislation might not come to the fore until 2010. In the short-term, the most significant policies to support alternative fuels may come through other economic packages —“ the fiscal stimulus, the terms of the support to the auto sector are some examples. President Obama has emphasized that the fiscal stimulus will include support for 'green jobs' - jobs that support alternative energy and help to wean the U.S. from fossil fuels that are increasingly sourced abroad from unstable countries, but these will take time to have effect. However, political momentum globally may build as the next climate change conference approaches at the end of 2009. Steven Chu and other members of Obama's energy team are expected to push for significant energy policy changes towards renewable and federal climate change legislation, including an economy-wide cap-and-trade program however the severity of the economic recession may make a gas tax unpalatable even if it is matched by offsetting payroll tax cuts.
Despite the fall in demand as global output contracts, there are obstacles in diversifying both the source of energy supplies and the type will be difficult, particularly in the short-term. Not only do the costs of alternative energy remain high, particularly as technologies are still being developed. Government policies might offset this gap. The reduction in oil prices may deter some of the demand for drilling off the U.S. coastline even as it deters investment in alternative technologies. Similarly, environmentally costly fuel from Canada's oil sands may find U.S. markets less welcoming, even if it spurs investment in carbon sequestration in the long-term. Already the fall in gasoline prices has deterred the purchases of hybrid vehicles, possibly reversing some of the behavioral changes that led to lower petroleum consumption in mid-2008.
Foreign Policy
Despite the administration's focus on passing a fiscal stimulus and domestic policy issues, President Obama has inherited a complex set of foreign policy issues from President Bush that will occupy him, his Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and their teams. Political and security issues in the Middle East and South Asia are particularly urgent. Obama comes to power with significant political capital and a set of experienced officials determined to increase diplomatic efforts to counter global threats given the limitations of hard power to solve global issues.
The Gaza crisis pushed the Middle East and especially the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to the top of the President Barack Obama's agenda. In particular the focus will be on trying to prevent a precarious ceasefire from contributing to regional instability. The cease-fire in Gaza could present a fresh opportunity for mediating a peace process, but Obama will be faced with a set of challenges nevertheless that may absorb a lot of U.S. political capital in the region. The conflict had deepened a rift between the Palestinian rival political factions —“ Hamas and Fatah —“ and the lack of national unity may continue to impede the serious advancement of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, as will divisions between Arab states. Furthermore, Israel holds parliamentary elections on Feb 10 and the commitment of the Israeli government to the peace process will vary. Finally, brokering a successful Middle East peace process involves a broad regional approach and an effort to address regional players, such as Syria and Iran and involving both tradition power brokers like Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia and newer entrants like Qatar
A set of elections in the Middle East, especially in Israel, Iraq and Iran in the first half of 2009 may provide testing times. The reduction of U.S. troops in Iraq and transfer of power to Iraqi authorities is already well under way but more details are yet to emerge regarding the exit of U.S. troops. While Obama pledged to withdraw troops from Iraq with 16 months of taking office, they might remain for some time. The President has emphasized a new approach to deal with Iran including the possibility of lower-level diplomatic engagement, but the country's emphasis on nuclear proliferation may be difficult to shake. With the fall in the price of oil, Iran's abilities to fund its proxies in Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine may be reduced as maintaining domestic support becomes paramount.
Regional security continues to deteriorate in South Asia with the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan, growing hostilities between India and Pakistan, and a weakening alliance with Pakistan against the war on terror. Obama has regularly echoed the need for more troops to be deployed and the Senate has agreed to send additional troops almost doubling American troops on the ground. However, the daunting task of constructing a comprehensive new strategy for a region defined by endemic corruption and the lack of basic amenities remains —“ and the economic crisis might make it more difficult to convince fellow NATO members to also increase their military presence. By contrast, despite the persistence of North Korea's nuclear program, East Asia is unlikely to grab as much attention. Economics will likely continue to dominate the U.S. China relationship particularly now that China's exports are contracting and China, like the U.S. faces a hard landing.
President Obama will seek to strengthen transatlantic ties that have weakened following the Iraq war. Washington will work together with EU closely together to respond to the financial and economic crises, peace and security issues, and to stop and reverse climate change. But convincing NATO allies to increase military presence in Afghanistan may be difficult. U.S.-Russia relations have been strained by NATO's eastward expansion, war in Georgia, gas politics, Kosovo's independence to name a few. Despite a warning that Russia might deploy short-range missiles in the Baltic region if Washington proceeded with its missile defense shield in Eastern Europe, Moscow has signaled its willingness to reexamine relations with the U.S. under the new administration. The U.S. and Russia may be able to make common cause regarding the nuclear threat from Iran, helped perhaps by Obama's ambivalence about the missile defense and ruling out of a speedy NATO membership track for Ukraine and Georgia. Yet neither country will be willing to compromise on its core interests, and a divided Europe may make responding to a poorer, but still determined, Russia more difficult.
Posted Sunday Jan 25, 2009 21:35 # -
HERE IT COMES --not a 19th nervous breakdown, but...
-- fed stimulus money coming into Illinois, and in partucular, money/projects that wd impact Riverside directly - anyoneknow what we might be getting?
Posted Saturday Jan 31, 2009 01:33 #
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