7/13/09

Upon returning from Moscow, the G-8 summit, and Africa, President Obama – and almost anyone closely following the trip – will be surprised to learn from conservatives that nothing was accomplished.  In Moscow, Obama affirmed the renewal of Ronald Reagan’s START treaty, gained the US military access to Afghanistan transit routes, and sealed various commitments on military cooperation and business access. The New York Times explained that after Obama’s trip the two sides “are now back at the table and doing business.” Opponents seem surprised that, after the summit, Moscow continued voicing its positions on missile defense – just as it did after every Bush-Putin summit, though those comments passed without response from the American right. At the G-8, leading economic powers made new commitments on food aid for the world’s poorest and manifested a new unity against Iran’s repression at home and nuclear ambitions abroad – both achievements showcasing US diplomacy and Obama’s personal leadership. Yet conservatives, showcasing newfound concern for the environment, pointed to the lack of progress on climate change.  But few expected a deal to get done at the summit, especially since negotiations are just starting after eight years of American neglect and obstruction. Finally, Obama’s Ghana stop married unprecedented African enthusiasm with unprecedented straight talk about Africa’s potential and problems.  The formulaic nature of conservative criticism in response was perhaps best summed up by Oliver North in an op-ed in the Washington Times, which   said that “the trip to Chad... produced no serious risks to our future.” Obama’s trip to Chad did produce little – because he never went to Chad.

Conservatives desperate to spin Obama’s trip, ignoring reality to compensate for lack of credibility.  Conservatives were on the attack this weekend, condemning President Obama’s trip abroad without attending to the results achieved at each stop.  Appearing on Meet the Press on Sunday, former Bush administration Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes joined in, saying the visit amounted to not much more than “great pictures” and “nice words.”  Charles Krauthammer called Obama a “foreign policy neophyte,” and criticized the progress toward establishing a follow-on treaty to START.  “Unfortunately for the United States, the country Obama represents, the prospective treaty is useless at best, detrimental at worst,” said Krauthammer.  Liz Cheney went a step further, writing in the Wall Street Journal: “Perhaps Mr. Obama thinks he is making America inoffensive to our enemies. In reality, he is emboldening them and weakening us. America can be disarmed literally -- by cutting our weapons systems and our defensive capabilities -- as Mr. Obama has agreed to do. We can also be disarmed morally by a president who spreads false narratives about our history or who accepts, even if by his silence, our enemies' lies about us.”  Oliver North wrote in the Washington Times that “[t]he trip to Chad [in fact Obama never went to Chad] and the G-8 Summit in L'Aquila, Italy, produced no serious risks to our future -- other than the snapshot of President Obama shaking hands with Libya's colorfully clad Moammar Gadhafi, the usual Euro-pabulum about global warming -- now re-branded as "climate change" -- being ‘the greatest threat to mankind,’ and empty promises to do more about peacekeeping in Africa.” [Charles Krauthammer, 7/9/09. Liz Cheney, Wall Street Journal, 7/13/09. Oliver North, 7/12/09. Karen Hughes, NBC’s Meet the Press, 7/12/09]

President’s Moscow visit yield results, though tough negotiations still lie ahead.  The New York Times assessment: “President Obama kicked off a new chapter in Russian-American relations with significant progress on several fronts during a two-day visit to the nation that began Monday. About a year after the relationship ruptured over the war in Georgia, the two sides are now back at the table and doing business.” Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said of the overall result of the trip: “Obama is like a chess player who is playing simultaneous chess.”

• On the negotiations to develop a follow-on treaty to START, “President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev reached a preliminary agreement Monday to cut the American and Russian nuclear arsenals by as much as a third while exploring options for cooperation on missile defense,” according to the Washington Post.  As the Post notes, “[t]he agreement lays out a clear yet difficult path to replace a landmark arms-control treaty that will expire in December,” and the issue is no doubt further complicated by Russia’s push for the U.S. to abandon missile defense plans for Poland and the Czech Republic, but continuing what has become a keystone of the nonproliferation regime, one supported by Democratic and Republican presidents alike, remains an urgent priority.  

• On Afghanistan, the President gained agreement on the transit of U.S. military personnel and weapons through Russia, a critical success given ongoing instability in Pakistan, and the difficult state of relations between the U.S. and other Central Asian states along key supply routes.  According to the Post, “the two presidents appeared to achieve progress in the long-standing dispute over U.S. missile defense plans, agreeing to work together to assess threats posed by countries such as Iran and North Korea. They also agreed to explore cooperation in missile defense and intensify talks on establishing a joint center for early detection of hostile launches.”  

• The two presidents agreed to look forward on a number of important issues, via a joint Presidential commission aimed at fostering dialogue.  

• Obama followed up the summit by meeting with Russian civil society leadership, an important signal of the U.S.’s concern for Russia’s recent backsliding on democratic freedoms, which opposition leader Gary Kasparov lauded as a refreshing step away from “business as usual.”  [New York Times, 7/7/09. Henry Kissinger, 7/6/09. Washington Post, 7/7/09. Gary Kasparov, via WSJ, 7/13/09]

G8 Summit commits to assist poor countries through economic crisis and sends strong message to Iran. “Leaders agreed to spend $20 billion to improve food security in poor countries,” writes the Washington Post.  The food security pledge was praised as timely by World Bank President and Bush administration appointee Robert Zoellick.  Reuters reports, “[a] plan by G8 industrial countries to boost food security through increased farming investment is important and timely, and should not only focus on production but also on addressing hunger and malnutrition, World Bank President Robert Zoellick said on Tuesday... ‘I'm hopeful there will be a critical mass to move forward on this idea in some form,’ Zoellick said... Drafts of the G-8 pact have said leaders will agree to mobilize billions of dollars for agricultural investment, with the United States ready to give $3-4 billion over a multi-year period.”

On Iran, the G-8 – including Russia – took a strong, united, stance on Iran.  A FOX News correspondent writes, “The US got what it wanted. The real story here is consensus in the statement, including Russia (the statement condemns the violent crackdown in Iran after the elections) agreed... Iranian leadership [will] look at the G8 statement and realize world opinion is clear.”  The AP continued, “[s]peaking as the G-8 summit concluded in Italy, Obama stressed that he and others were not looking for their summit partners to embrace sanctions at this week's meeting. Instead, he said that ‘what we wanted was exactly what we got’ — a statement of condemnation about Iran's actions in the wake of its disputed presidential election.” In addition, Reuters reports that “[The] Group of Eight major powers will give Iran until September to accept negotiations over its nuclear ambitions or else face tougher sanctions, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Wednesday.” [Reuters, 7/8/09. Washington Post, 7/11/09. Fox News, 7/9/09. AP, 7/10/09. BBC, 7/9/09. Reuters, 7/7/09. G8 Chair’s Summary, 7/10/09]

In first presidential trip to Africa, Obama highlights the importance of Africa while stressing good governance, and pledging $63 billion in health spending.  In his remarks to Ghana’s parliament, President Obama said, “I've come here to Ghana for a simple reason: The 21st century will be shaped by what happens not just in Rome or Moscow or Washington, but by what happens in Accra, as well.”  President Obama sought to promote both economic development and good governance, as The Washington Post explains, “U.S. President Barack Obama told Africans on Saturday that Western aid must be matched by good governance and urged them to take greater responsibility for stamping out war, corruption and disease plaguing the continent... In an address that offered the most detailed view of his Africa policy, Obama took aim at corruption and rights abuses on the continent, warning that growth and development would be held back until such problems were tackled. He said America would not impose any system of government, but would increase help for those behaving responsibly.”  Obama pledged to focus on health care for the continent.  As CBS News sums up, “There should also be greater incentives in Africa, Mr. Obama said, for doctors and nurses to provide preventative and basic care. The United States, he said, will build on President Bush's efforts to fight diseases like AIDS with a commitment of $63 billion.” In addition, news emerged of a new special envoy to the Central African region around the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and other neighbors – home to one of the world’s largest and longest-running humanitarian crises.    As Laura Rozen reports, “Howard Wolpe, a former Michigan congressman who directs the Africa program and the project on leadership and building state capacity at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, will be named President Barack Obama's special envoy to the Great Lakes Region, sources confirmed.” [Barack Obama, 7/11/09. Washington Post, 7/11/09. CBS, 7/11/09. Laura Rozen, 7/10/09]

What We’re Reading

CIA programs not fully disclosed to Congress, coupled with President Bush’s management of a NSA wiretapping program, fuel demands for accountability, both in Congress and by Attorney General Eric Holder.

Violence in Afghanistan continues to rise as troops push against the Taliban, causing some debate as to how additional troops should best be put to use. In this environment, Afghan President Hamid Karzai produces a few gaffes during his campaign for  reelection.

Pakistanis displaced by the recent army offensive against Taliban strongholds are returning home under a government repatriation program.

Violence continues in Iraq as security forces attempt to maintain control over their new responsibilities.

Congolese voters go to the polls, but election observers fear a low turnout.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon’s offensive continues against drug cartels, despite cartels striking back.

Rivals in Honduras seek American and regional approval, as the presidential standoff continues following a military coup.

Tension continues to fester between Ecuador and Colombia, stemming from a Colombian military strike against rebel groups hiding in Ecuador.

A sense of normalcy returns to western China as Uighurs and Han Chinese reflect upon last week’s unprecedented ethnic violence.

Japan’s parliament dissolves and Prime Minister Aso calls for new elections.

Bombings in the Philippines are the suspected work of several separatist and insurgent groups.

Ethnic Tamils still languish in Sri Lankan camps, weeks following the government’s military victory over the Tamil Tigers separatist group.

Indians get their first Wal-Mart.

Commentary of the Day

Jonathan Fenby and John Pomfret explain the various factors influencing the violence in Western China between Uighurs and Han Chinese.

Jon Meacham discusses the detention in Iran of his colleague, Maziar Bahari, for reporting on the disputed presidential election.

Donald Rumsfeld biographer Bradley Graham muses on whether or not the former Secretary of Defense will be as contrite as was former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara.