Obama to take over
US Presidency on Tues
Washington, Jan 19, 2009
Raj Kaur
Barack Hussein Obama will create history since he is to be coronated
as the first black-American President on Tuesday, riding a wave
of popularity but facing daunting challenges and huge expectations
both at home and abroad that he will herald a change in US.
The charismatic 47-year-old former community organiser who has
risen to the world's most powerful post will have his task cut out
to bail out America from the worst financial crisis in decades and
to carve a new path on the foreign policy front ensuring a clean
break from the disastrous Bush regime policies of the past eight
years.
As far as India is concerned, the new Administration will have
two of its best-known friends Secretary of State- designate Hillary
Clinton and Vice President-elect Joe Biden.
But even as Obama talks about India as a "natural ally"
of the US, recent attempts from his side to link Kashmir issue with
Afghanistan are causing some concerns in the South Block.
The very moment at noon tomorrow as Obama puts his hand on the
Bible once used by Abraham Lincoln, in front of an estimated two
million people - a record in itself for a presidential inauguration
- a new phase would start in the history of US as he would enter
the White House as the first African-American President of the country.
Obama, in fact, has already created history as he defeated well-established
political figures like Hillary Clinton to become the first black
Democratic presidential nominee and won a landslide victory in the
4th November presidential elections.
But that history has been made in America will soon fade away
from memory as Obama enters the Oval office facing daunting issues
both domestic and foreign.
Even Obama himself acknowledges the challenges in his speeches
post-presidential elections.
"There is no doubt that our road will be long, that our climb
will be steep," he told thousands of people at an inaugural
celebration on Monday.
Irrespective of what may be dished out by scholars and specialists
on the priorities of the new President, it goes without much saying
that the first challenge is in addressing the economic mess that
has been inherited from the outgoing Bush Administration.
No one else better than Obama understands that setting the financial
house in order is going to be his top priority.
The declining American economy, rising unemployment, the general
expectations of the common people that solutions are going to be
round the corner, which is perhaps the farthest from the truth,
are something that would be confronting Obama from the day one of
his Administration.
Obama has already started gearing up for the challenges ahead
on the domestic front.
He has forewarned the people of the tough days ahead and urged
them to get ready for sacrifices.
Experts believe the goodwill that Obama carries with the people
of the US right now, will help him in riding through the crisis
and motivate Americans to face the hurdles with a smile.
After the domestic economic crisis, the challenges confronting
on the foreign policy front are not less either.
The biggest task for Obama is repairing the image and credibility
of the United States that has taken a beating in much of the world
over the last eight years especially as the Bush Administration
miserably failed to cash in on the fund of goodwill that was there
internationally in the aftermath of the terrorist attack of 11th
September, 2001.
The two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, especially the latter, have
not only brought fresh challenges to US's global leadership, but
also had a great dent in its image.
How does the Obama Administration plans to handle it remains to
be seen as the President-elect has not been forthcoming in his views
on foreign policy.
There is only one President at a time, has been Obama's mantra
after winning the election.
However, he has brought in the former First Lady Hillary Clinton,
his rival in primaries, as the Secretary of State.
The Administration believes the goodwill Clinton carries world
over would help in shaping a new US foreign policy.
He also has the Vice President-elect, Joe Biden, another well-known
foreign policy expert.
All the three Obama, Biden and Hillary - are expected to drive
the US diplomacy on the international platform for the next four
years.
Other than the immediate challenge of Gaza situation and the Israel-Palestinian
conflict, terrorism would be on the top of the Obama Administration's
foreign policy agenda.
There is a lot of unfinished business to be accomplished on the
terrorism front especially in South Asia, Afghanistan and Pakistan
in particular.
Biden was recently in the two countries apparently laying the groundwork
for the Administration's policy in the region.
Both during the campaign days and after winning the election,
Obama has made it clear that Afghanistan is going to be his top
priority as far as the war on terror is concerned.
Obama is expected to come out with a new policy on Afghanistan.
Interesting would be to watch his approach towards Pakistan, especially
towards the homegrown terrorism that has come to light at the global
stage in the aftermath of the 26th November Mumbai terrorist attacks
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