Barack Obama

Euro crisis: “it is the fear of the unknown that is holding sway”

Pete Baker on June 8, 2011, 4:46 pm

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Frau Bundeskanzerlin has been to Washington, to pick up her Presidential Medal of Freedom. And to smooth over the ruffled feathers of that transatlantic relationship. As he handed over the medal, US President Barack Obama warned of the danger of the Euro debt crisis impacting the global economy, and in particular, the US economy. He might be looking for a handy scapegoat in the months ahead… But as, still everyone’s hero, Robert Peston points out “America’s banks would seem to have a good …

On Obama in Dublin and London and special relationships

Brian Walker on May 24, 2011, 12:07 pm

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What do you suppose “equality” means in relations between States? Last week much was made of the newfound equality between the UK and Ireland. But this week, if anybody claimed equality between the UK and US, they’d be laughed out of court. Is this a case of double standards? Part of the answer lies in our old friend “parity of esteem.” Nobody in their right mind can believe there can be any innate superiority of an Irish over a British …

The domestic problem with Obama’s multilateral approach to wars…

Mick Fealty on March 21, 2011, 9:55 am

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Clive Crooks in today’s FT on Obama’s Libyan tightrope: One imponderable, oddly neglected up to now, is the view of US voters. The mood has been against US involvement. If all goes well, voters will come round and be proud. If not, they will care not a jot about international legitimacy and will ask instead about legitimacy at home. If this is another war, where was Congress? Whose decisions, exactly, are putting US forces at risk? And why was the …

Clinton: “I think I’ll serve as secretary of state as my last public position”

Pete Baker on December 5, 2010, 4:11 pm

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As noted by the Telegraph’s Nile Gardiner, US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has told an audience in Bahrain that the post will likely be her last in public office. Clinton was speaking at a town hall meeting in Bahrain, where she’s attending a Gulf security summit hosted by Bahrain’s International Institute for Strategic Studies, where Yemen and Iran are expected to dominate the agenda. “I think I’ll serve as secretary of state as my last public position, and then probably …

Now he wants them to “wake up”…

Pete Baker on September 22, 2010, 12:14 pm

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According to The Guardian report that’s the message US President Barack Obama is sending to the Democrats ahead of the up-coming mid-term congressional elections, as another advisor leaves. From The Guardian report Obama deployed a carrot and stick approach at the three events – a televised town hall meeting and a fundraising dinner in Washington, and a speech to party members in Philadelphia. On the one hand he attempted to assuage Democratic doubts about his administration, but he then went …