World views of America in steep rise

And yes, the US has been viewed as having more of a negative influence in the world than both China and Russia previously…

Full story at BBC here.

The Nobel Peace Prize that President Obama recently was awarded.

He’s gotten a lot of flack over this, especially in the conservative media – he even himself stated that he doesn’t really think he deserves it. And he might be absolutely right, and it sure is a strange nomination and award.

But credit must be given to the Nobel comittee, because they’re not dumb. I believe their major reason for awarding Obama with the peace prize was for his quick actions in reaching out to the muslim world and initiating diplomatic negotiations – something the Bush administration actively refused, much to the detriment of the entire worlds stability. His speech in Kairo alone is applaudable.

Over at Salon.com there’s been a very interesting article written about Obamas work towards stability in the world so far. Much of what is written has never been mentioned in the general media, and one can argue that the democrats are pretty much worthless in reporting their own progress.

Some major important points both from that report and generally:

• The withdrawal of troops from Iraq are ahead of schedule. So far he has brought home 22,000 troops out of Iraq.
• He has cut war spending by $30 billion.
• Pakistan has as we speak today launched a major offensive towards the Taliban strongholds within their borders – as much as a response to the new US leadership as anything.
• He has managed to convince Iran to allow in UN inspections, as a result of direct negotiation.
• His effort towards dragging the US, kicking and screaming, toward a modern healthcare system (last country in the western hemisphere) could result in a much more stable and equal society.
• By dismantling the Bush plan of an aging missile defense system in eastern europe, he has opened up unforeseen diplomatic possibilities with Russia – apart from saving billions of dollars while at the same time planning a much more efficient defense plan in the area.
• His promises to close Guantanamo Bay and the administrations refusal to continue previous torture policies is a big move towards human rights in the world.

So give the guy some credit – and don’t listen to the major news outlets all the time. Obama is a force in the world most of us probably won’t acknowledge until years have passed and history can make its judgement. And so far, I honestly believe history will treat him as possibly one of the most important leaders of our time.

If we give him the chance.

Obama speaks to the muslim world

To renew our faith in Obama that he might just really be what we all hoped he would be, yesterday he addressed the muslim world from Kairo, Egypt, in what many talking heads around the world already likens to historic speeches like I have a dream and I am a berliner in terms of impact.

While this might be an exaggeration (we’ll know in a decade), it was an insanely impressive speech utilizing Baracks mastery of rhetoric in a way we haven’t heard since the campaign days.

What is quite interesting is that he passionately states the necessity of a two state solution, which surprisingly received massive applause from a skeptic muslim audience that consisted of quite a few groups that, as many extremist portions of islam such as Hamas, usually disregards the Israeli states existence.

With gripping use of his own life history and constant referrals to the bright side if Islamic traditions and teachings (yes, there are those!) and calling out for finding common human ground instead of pursuing political differences, this is surely a message that firmly brings this mideast situation one step further in the right direction. In fact, his very respectful and understanding tone rewarded him with actual standing ovations in the end. This must surely be one of the most impressive moments in his career, without a doubt.

“Tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a Cold War in which Muslim-majority countries were often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations. And I consider it part of my responsibility as president of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear,” said the president, who recalled hearing prayer calls of “azaan” at dawn and dusk while living in Indonesia as a boy.

At the same time, he said the same principle must apply in reverse. “Just as Muslims do not fit a crude stereotype, America is not the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire.”

See the whole speech here (and actually see the whole thing – it’s worth it):

Story on Huffington Post
Story on NYTimes

Even as it pulls back from harsh interrogations and other sharply debated aspects of George W. Bush ’s “war on terrorism,” the Obama administration is quietly signaling continued support for other major elements of its predecessor’s approach to fighting Al Qaeda.

In little-noticed confirmation testimony recently, Obama nominees endorsed continuing the C.I.A. ’s program of transferring prisoners to other countries without legal rights, and indefinitely detaining terrorism suspects without trials even if they were arrested far from a war zone.

Story on MSNBC

President Obama, with Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., signed the $787 billion stimulus bill at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science on Tuesday.

In related news, The President finally OK’d the awaited boosting of troops to Afghanistan.

Story on BBC

In other news, while Obama signed the Stimulus bill his press secretary stated “while there are no particular plans at this point for a second stimulus package, I wouldn’t foreclose it.”

Bill Clinton took the opportunity for some limelight on CNN to say “It’s quite a good bill!” as well.

Maybe we’re progressing from Obamania to Stimulusmania?

Story on NYTimes

Not since prime minister Olof Palme compared the bombings of Hanoi with Treblinka has Sweden been so debated on the other side of the Atlantic. In the times of financial crisis and regressing export markets the panicked Americans doesn’t want Volvos, Saabs or even Absolut Vodka anymore. A completely different blue-yellow (the colors of the swedish flag) product is high in demand: Swedish crisis solving.

There seems to be only two schools of thought on how to solve the crisis right now. Either the japanese version where limited support plans led to a lost decade, and the swedish model of “do it over again, do it right” where the banks are bought, cleaned up and then resold.

They use some Obama quotes where he on board of Air Force One stated in response to a question regarding the swedish model, “All I can say is that I won’t allow the financial industry to crash and burn.”

The Swedish version of Metro had a full cover today regarding Obamas stance on the swedish model set during the last banking crisis in the early 90′s when the banks were largely nationalized. He is largely skeptical, and with good reason as Sweden at the time only had about 5 banks while the U.S has thousands. The headline reads “The swedish model is completely rejected by Obama!”.

Translated excerpts:

The swedish governments saving of the bank industry in the early 90′s is a hot topic in the United States right now. But Barack Obama gives it a thumbs down.

“Sweden has a different culture when it comes to their relations to the market economy” Obama said to ABC news.

That didn’t stop two top economists from New York University stating “Nationalize the banks – we’re all swedes now” in the Washington Post (read it here). Correctly implemented the system could work in the US as well they argued.

Noteworthy point that isn’t mentioned in the article is that while the purchases of the banks cost the goverment around $6 billion at the time, most everything of that investment was quickly regained by the tax payers after the crisis.

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Sweden, which was once called the “cowardly nation up north” by Churchill, seems to have been lifted to international star status with balls of steel. All because they once had a banking system that didn’t work at all, and a number cruncher who set it all right again.

Forget the Abba museum. What the world seems to want now is the former head of the swedish financial department Stefan Ingves.

Story on E24 (swedish)
Story on Metro (swedish)

“I think there’s the possibility, at least, of a relationship of mutual respect and progress,” Obama said at the first press conference of his young presidency, but “it’s time now for Iran to send some signals that it wants to act differently.”

Story on Google News
Story on UPI
Story on FoxNews
Story on IHT

Russian approval

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Sunday he welcomed U.S. President Barack Obama’s offer to talk directly with Iran over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Ivanov also said the new leaders who had come into office in the United States and Russia were capable of taking a new look at their bilateral problems.

“It is obvious that the new U.S. adminstration has a very strong desire to change and that inspires optimism,” he said.

Story on Kyivpost

Afghanistan timetable

In his first prime-time news conference, President Obama said he has no timetable for the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan.

Story on CQPolitics

Potentially breaking first campaign pledge

Obama appears poised to break his campaign pledge to give the public five days to review a bill before he signs it.

The quick turnaround breaches Obama’s promise to offer “sunlight before signing,” a concept he detailed on the campaign trail and on his website.

Story on Politico

President Barack Obama presented a humble and conciliatory face of America to the Islamic world Monday in the first formal interview since he assumed office, stressing his own Muslim ties and hopes for a Palestinian state, and avoiding a belligerent tone — even when asked if America could “live with” an Iranian nuclear weapon.

Story on Yahoo News

He also proclaimed that the US would “actively and aggressively seek a lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians”, and named long-time diplomat George Mitchell as special envoy for the Middle East.

Story on ft.com

Story on presstv

Story on NY Times

Story on CNN

And in a broad swipe at the Bush administration’s lawyers, Obama nullified every legal order and opinion on interrogations issued by any lawyer in the executive branch after Sept. 11, 2001.

Details on Washington Post

• Before he even leaves home he halts the military tribunal processes at Guantánamo Bay.
• As soon as he gets in he phones several arab leaders, namely the leaders of Egypt (Hosni Mubarak), Israel (Ehud Olmert), Jordan (King Hussein) and the palestinian Fatah party (Mahmoud Abbas).
• He immediately froze salaries for senior White House staffers and implemented strict guidelines to prevent lobbyists from gaining influence over and positions within regulatory bodies.
• Releases a brand new White House website complete with a blog in order to start making true of his pledge of government openness. Most of the material on the site is also now licensed freely under Creative Commons.
• Met with top military advisers to discuss the withdrawal of all american troops from Iraq within 160 days.
• Convening with his economy staff to boot up the stimulus package.

This surely is off to a pretty good start!