America in the World

September 25, 2009

Obama accused of "economic vandalism" for protectionist moves

Last week we reported Barack Obama's decision to impose 35% tariffs on imported Chinese tyres. The Obama administration's protectionist instincts are the subject of a damning editorial in The Economist magazine:

"The tyre decision needs to be set into the context of a string of ominously protectionist policies which started within weeks of the inauguration with a nasty set of “Buy America” provisions for public-works contracts. The president watered these down a bit, but was not brave enough to veto. Next, the president stayed silent as Congress shut down a project that was meant to lead to the opening of the border to Mexican trucks, something promised in the NAFTA agreement of 1994. Besides these sins of commission sit the sins of omission: the president has done nothing at all to advance the three free-trade packages that are pending in Congress, with Colombia, Panama and South Korea, three solid American allies who deserve much better. And much more serious than that, because it affects the whole world, is his failure to put anything worthwhile on the table to help revive the moribund Doha round of trade talks. Mr Bush’s tariffs, like the Reagan-era export restraints on Japanese cars and semiconductors, came from a president who was fundamentally committed to free trade. Mr Obama’s, it seems, do not."

Read the full piece here.

Posted at 05:50 AM in Free trade | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

September 24, 2009

Obama highlights seven key changes in American foreign policy since Bush left White House

In a major speech to the United Nations yesterday Barack Obama set out the ways in which American foreign policy had already changed since he became President:

Closing Guantanomo: "On my first day in office, I prohibited -- without exception or equivocation -- the use of torture by the United States of America. I ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed, and we are doing the hard work of forging a framework to combat extremism within the rule of law."
Withdrawing from Iraq: 'We have removed American combat brigades from Iraqi cities, and set a deadline of next August to remove all our combat brigades from Iraqi territory."
Reductions in America's nuclear arsenal: "I have outlined a comprehensive agenda to seek the goal of a world without nuclear weapons."
A new effort at Middle East Peace: "I appointed a Special Envoy for Middle East Peace, and America has worked steadily and aggressively to advance the cause of two states -- Israel and Palestine -- in which peace and security take root, and the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians are respected."
Global leadership against climate change: "To confront climate change, we have invested $80 billion in clean energy. We have substantially increased our fuel-efficiency standards. We have provided new incentives for conservation, launched an energy partnership across the Americas, and moved from a bystander to a leader in international climate negotiations."
Action against the global recession: "We worked with the G20 nations to forge a coordinated international response of over $2 trillion in stimulus to bring the global economy back from the brink."
A new respect for the United Nations: "We have paid our bills. We have joined the Human Rights Council. (Applause.) We have signed the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We have fully embraced the Millennium Development Goals. And we address our priorities here, in this institution -- for instance, through the Security Council meeting that I will chair tomorrow on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and through the issues that I will discuss today."

Read the full speech here.

President Obama gave the speech on the day when the New York Times reported that the White House was reconsidering its strategy in Afghanistan. Vice President Joe Biden disagrees with US generals on the ground that more troops are needed. "Rather than trying to protect the Afghan population from the Taliban," the New York Times suggested, "American forces would concentrate on strikes against Qaeda cells, primarily in Pakistan, using special forces, Predator missile attacks and other surgical tactics."

It is not clear if the consideration of alternatives represents a real change of heart since Obama promised an Iraq-style troops surge or is a necessary exercise to reassure Democrats that all alternative options have been explored.

Posted at 04:17 PM in Afghanistan, American foreign policy, Barack Obama, Climate change, George W. Bush, Human rights, Iraq, Israel, Nuclear proliferation, United Nations | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)

September 17, 2009

Obama abandons Bush's plan to protect Europe with missile defence system

The Czech government has confirmed that America has abandoned George W Bush's commitment to build a missile defence system in central Europe.

President Bush had said the system was an essential protection against rogue states attacking Europe with a nuclear-armed missile.

Critics of the Obama administration are suggesting that persistent Russian opposition to the plan is the explanation. Other theories include the enormous expense at a time when the American budget deficit is growing sharply and also continuing concerns that a missile defence system - first proposed by President Reagan in the early 1980s - is technologically too difficult. Some believe that a dirty nuclear bomb - smuggled into a major urban centre in a 'suitcase' - is much more likely and a missile defence system offers no protection against it.

Obama administration officials are claiming that the policy shift reflects their belief that Iran's long-range missile plans are less advanced than originally predicted.

Nile Gardiner of Washington's Heritage Foundation is in no doubt that the White House has been intimidated by the Kremlin:

"This is bad news for all who care about the US commitment to the transatlantic alliance and the defence of Europe as well as the United States. It represents the appalling appeasement of Russian aggression and a willingness to sacrifice American allies on the altar of political expediency. A deal with the Russians to cancel missile defence installations sends a clear message that even Washington can be intimidated by the Russian bear."

Last November Russia moved its own ballistic missiles to Kaliningrad between Nato member states Lithuania and Poland. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had threatened to "neutralise - if necessary - the [US] anti-missile system".

Last week Russia shut the door to tougher sanctions against Iran. It may be that this U-turn reflects a hope by Washington to trade the missile defence system for Russia pressurising Tehran. Time will tell.

The Wall Street Journal has an informative background report on this developing story.

Posted at 12:22 PM in America and Europe, Missile defence, Russia | Permalink | Comments (19) | TrackBack (0)

September 14, 2009

Decline in anti-Americanism has not yet been converted into strategic gains for USA

AmericaInTheWorld recently noted a worldwide decline in anti-American sentiment since Barack Obama's election. That important change has not yet translated into strategic gains for America. John Bolton made this point in connection with Scotland's release of the Libyan bomber. Europe's reluctance to support Obama's objectives in Afghanistan is the most important failure but Michael Goldfarb of The Weekly Standard noted others in a blog at the weekend:

"We see the benefits of the "reset" with Russia as Lavrov shuts the door on real sanctions. While Obama is pressuring Israel on settlements and reaching out to Damscus, we learn that Syria has more nuclear sites. Hariri has given up on trying to form a government in Lebanon. And Iran has apparently stepped up its support for killing Americans in Afghanistan."

Click here to access the links within The Weekly Standard blog entry.

Posted at 12:30 PM in American foreign policy, Strong America | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)

China accuses Obama of "rampant protectionism"

Last week China accused Barack Obama of "rampant protectionism" after the American President imposed a new duty of 35% on Chinese tyre imports. US labour unions - a key part of the Democratic Party's coalition - had sought the tariffs.

Writing for The Financial Times, Charles Freeman accuses the Obama administration of "calculated cynicism" in its new protectionist attitude toward China:

"The levying of new tariffs on imports of Chinese tyres is not particularly heartening. To be sure, China is no angel in international trade matters. As everywhere, China’s domestic politics complicate Beijing’s economic policies and bedevil efforts of international negotiators to ensure a level playing field in cross-border trade. But this particular White House decision, taken through a process that is widely despised in China as uniquely discriminatory against that country, is no mere slap on the wrist for run-of-the-mill Chinese perfidies. This decision provides fodder for nationalist interests in China that will not just push for tit-for-tat retaliation against US economic interests, but play into a broader trend within China to roll back market-opening reforms. That could result in a back-and-forth battle of retaliatory trade measures which, given the importance of US-China trade relations to global commerce, will provide cheer to only the most parochial of interests worldwide."

Posted at 12:18 PM in China, Free trade | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

September 04, 2009

Obama is warned against "Rumsfeldian half-measures" in Afghanistan

Critics of President Bush's invasion of Iraq often complained that the necessary war in Afghanistan was being starved of resources because of the decision to topple Saddam Hussein. AmericaInTheWorld has always supported the Iraq war but it is difficult to argue with the contention that the campaign in Afghanistan was neglected. Barack Obama vowed to correct that while a candidate for the White House and has already committed another 21,000 US troops to the country.

He will soon receive another request for more troops from his commander in the field, General Stanley McChrystal, but that request will come at a time of mounting opposition to the campaign among US voters. A recent Washington Post opinion poll found 51% of Americans believing that the war is not worth fighting. Among the President's own Democratic party opposition is even higher, at 70%. Nearly twice as many voters want troop numbers reduced as support extra troops.

All this comes at a terrible time for Obama. The politician who could do no wrong is facing difficulties on multiple fronts. His flagship domestic reform - on healthcare - is unpopular. Earlier today unemployment hit at 26-year high of 9.7%. The budget deficit is exceeding the Obama White House's own forecasts. His net approval rating is down to 11.7%.

Continue reading "Obama is warned against "Rumsfeldian half-measures" in Afghanistan " »

Posted at 07:56 PM in Afghanistan, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Iraq, War on terror | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

August 30, 2009

Anti-Americanism has declined across the world since Barack Obama's election

Late last month the Pew Global Attitudes Project published its regular polling on global attitudes toward the USA.

The increases in 'US favourability' are particularly substantial in France, Germany, Spain and, outside Europe, in Indonesia.

America led by Obama has maintained support in parts of the world where George W Bush was reasonably popular. See the graph opposite for resilient or improving numbers in India, Japan, Israel and throughout Africa.

What the Obama administration has yet to prove is that increased favourability translates into concrete gains for American policy goals. Former UN Ambassador John Bolton is sceptical.

Posted at 07:00 AM in Opinion polls | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

August 25, 2009

Obama sets up new unit to interrogate high value terrorist detainees

The interrogation techniques used during the Bush years became a major new source of anti-Americanism. The Bush administration approved techniques such as waterboarding (a simulation is pictured) and sleep deprivation (defended recently by Dick Cheney) but we are also now learning that other unauthorised techniques were used. These included threatening to kill a detainee's children and revving a power drill near next to the head of a hooded detainee. The Obama administration is now investigating whether CIA operatives who used unauthorised detainees should be prosecuted.

Present Obama has said that there need be no conflict between American safety and American ideals and has set up a new unit to ensure ethical and scientific interrogation of suspects who could help provide information about America's enemies.

The High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group will be headquartered at the FBI but will include expert operatives from other parts of the security establishment.

The Washington Post reports:

"Members of the new interrogation unit will have the authority to travel around the world to talk to suspects and will be trained to handle certain high-interest people, such as al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Linguists and cultural and interrogation specialists will be assigned to the group and will have "some division of responsibility" regarding types of detainees, a senior administration official said. Most of the group's members will work there full time, although they will have part-time support from the FBI. Interrogators will not necessarily read detainees their rights before questioning, instead making that decision on a case-by-case basis, officials said. That could affect whether some material can be used in a U.S. court of law. The main purpose of the new unit, however, is to glean intelligence, especially about potential terrorist attacks, the officials said."

> Background on the HVDIG from the State Department.

Posted at 02:13 PM in Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Human rights, War on terror | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

The BBC's outgoing North America Editor writes a fond farewell to the USA

AmericaInTheWorld.com has featured the writings of the BBC's Justin Webb on a number of occasions. He also addressed a gathering of journalists, politicians and other opinion formers hosted by AITW.

Mr Webb has now left America and will soon become one of the principal presenters of the BBC's flagship currents affairs programmes; Radio 4's Today programme.

Before he left he wrote a goodbye reflection. You can read it all here but this was his conclusion:

"I deplore the superstition and the eating competitions and the tatty dreariness of so much of America, and I note that the new president is also unimpressed by the infrastructure and not a fan of fat but, after more than seven years living here, I am increasingly convinced that these elements of the nation are not the flip side of the greatness of America, they are part of that greatness.
There is something about the carelessness of America that gives space for greatness.
Out on route 17 in South Carolina, you can do very well or very badly. You can crash and burn, or you can fill up with cheap petrol and ride off into the sunset. If you do not like yourself in South Carolina, you can hire a self-drive hire truck and take it to Seattle. If you do not like your life and you have drive and luck, you can change it because - being American - you believe you can change it.
Sitting in a dingy apartment in New York watching Perry Mason on the TV, you can decide to make it big in law as eight-year-old Sonia Sotomayor once did. This summer, now in her fifties, she becomes a Supreme Court justice and the latest American story to send shivers down the spines of dreamers of the American dream. But if Sonia Sotomayor is to make it big, there must be something creating the drive, and part of that something is the poverty of the alternative, the discomfort of the ordinary lives that most Americans endure and the freedom that Americans have to go to hell if that is the decision they take...
More than 300 million people live here now, settlers from all over the world. From Ho Chi Minh City, from Timbuktu, from Vilnius, from Tehran, from every last corner of the earth, they have made America their home and they are still streaming in. I feel crazy going back to the old world. My five-year-old daughter Clara, who is the proud owner of an American passport, agrees. She says she intends to leave home, at around 12-years-old, and return to her native land. I do not blame her.
If you are willing to chance your arm, if you back yourself, if you want to live the life, America is still the place to be. Drive out on Route 17 and take a chance! So that's it from me, I am checking out. But part of me can never leave…"

Posted at 10:05 AM in 'The second superpower', American exceptionalism, Britain and America, Open America | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

August 21, 2009

Obama unhappy at release of Lockerbie bomber

Earlier today Barack Obama - echoing Hillary Clinton's earlier remarks - expressed his unhappiness at the decision of the Scottish government to release the Lockerbie bomber on 'compassionate grounds':

For Janet Daley of The Daily Telegraph the release is another proof that Obama has made America more likeable but not necessarily more influential:

"The rehabilitation of America’s standing in the world was going to be one of the great gains, if you remember, of the Obama election victory. No more was the voice of the US to be held in contempt by its old allies. The Obama White House would restore the moral authority of the nation, and thus its influence in the world. So much for that. As the Scottish Justice Secretary intoned his ruling that Megrahi was to be permitted to go free because he was “a dying man”, most Americans (even of the liberal Obama persuasion) would be wondering what a life sentence meant if it did not involve dying in prison. But the important political lesson will have gone home. The President and his Secretary of State could do nothing - for all their administration’s supposed global prestige - to prevent what they considered to be an outrage. On yet another score, Mr Obama could not deliver the goods."

Posted at 05:01 PM in American foreign policy, Britain and America, Libya, War on terror | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)