Here’s an interesting article from Spiegel Online International:
THE WORLD FROM BERLIN: ‘Obama Created His Own Movement‘
Barack Obama’s honeymoon has proven remarkably short. Just a day after celebrating his election as America’s 44th president, the real world began to dampen the euphoria. German commentators look at some of the hurdles facing him.
For much of the last eight years, the European view of the United States has been relatively one-dimensional, particularly after the hated George W. Bush was re-elected in 2004. America was aggressive, arrogant and disrespectful of the international community and international law, according to the accepted view. Once it was clear that Barack Obama would be chosen by the Democratic Party to challenge John McCain for the presidency, a further element was added to the damning picture: America, many Europeans were certain, was far too racist a country to elect a black man to occupy the White House. (keep reading…)
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Yesterday I read on Spiegel that it’s very possible that Obama will come calling soon asking for more support in Afghanistan from Germany. What will Germans think of him then I wonder. I know that over 100 Canadians have died there (we are in the most dangerous part of the country) and our parliament has already voted to withdraw in 2011. Prime Minister Harper reiterated that Canada will not stay beyond that time. Interesting times ahead…ciao
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The Germans are still in Obamaphoria. I mean Maischberger’s first discussion after the election was whether Obama can save the world. Or Die Zeit this week had SEVEN pages of Obama coverage/worship. Amazingly except for the man elected President America is still composed of the same people that the Germans talked trash about.
Now as Obama gets to work he is expected to fix the economy and the two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Germans are afraid he is going to develop a coherent strategy for Afghanistan and have to commit troops to fight. Or he is goint to have to take some protectionist moves to help the auto industry. Then the honeymoon will be over.
Obama’s biggest hurdle will be in creating a positive image of the United States to other countries. The US tends to make a bad impression on Europe for some unexplainable reason (didn’t the US defend Europe in the last couple of World Wars?) and, in any case, Obama will need to do something to help improve the image of the US.