http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldtonight/2008/12/obama_a_world_changer.html en-gb 30 Sat 26 Dec 2009 11:37:12 GMT+1 A feed of user comments from the page found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldtonight/2008/12/obama_a_world_changer.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldtonight/2008/12/obama_a_world_changer.html?page=16#comment5 Hmmm, I see we're all still second guessing (some of us (#5) contradicting our earlier predictions in the process).For the sake of the world, lets hope BO follows the desires of #1 rather than those of #5, who seems to jump at any chance for the USA to start a war (real, or more often imagined). Tue 06 Jan 2009 21:38:15 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldtonight/2008/12/obama_a_world_changer.html?page=13#comment4 The selection of Leon Panetta as Director of the CIA is one of the dumbest ideas I've seen yet. A return to the policies prior to 9-11-01 will allow another attack on the US. This is the kind of mistake you'd expect from a tyro like Obama. Feel good brainless policies that win friends abroad while allowing America's enemies freer reign to plot and execute their terrorist schemes will only lead to disaster. When it comes, don't say I didn't tell you so. There hasn't been a single successful attack on American soil since President Bush instituted his much hated but effective policies. When the next one happens, Obama will be impeached...or worse. If it's a nuclear attack, Constitutional democracy in America could be one of its casualties. Then you will really see what a malevolent hyperpower which cares nothing for the world is all about. Just as with the removal of the measures Congress passed in the 1930s to prevent another stock market crash and depression led to one, so removal of the kind of leadership which roots out terrorists and thwarts their plans will inevitably lead to more. Those who do not learn the lessons of history are condemned to repeat them. Santyana. Tue 06 Jan 2009 12:05:41 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldtonight/2008/12/obama_a_world_changer.html?page=10#comment3 Robin,In my opinion the long-expected change in the US foreign policy under Obama would not amount to much. After all, a withdrawal of troops from Iraq is not a real change. The USA has more or less achived everything it hoped to achieve by invading Iraq and there is no need for further presence of US combat troops there. The country is relatively stable now, with a friendly goverment which more or less has to rely on US financial and material support to stay in power. Even if there is a low-level fighting with the insurgency, the new Iraqi military should be able to at least contain it and not allow it to spread. The new defence agreement betwen Iraq and USA (with all its secret clauses) will probably allow for some kind of US military presence in the country and the possibility for a troop build-up in case of trouble with Iran. The bulk of troops will be shipped to Afganistan instead, where the situation is far more unpredictable and requires attention. Afganistan is of a great importance to the American interests, and more troops there will only confirm that Obama is following in the same path as Bush before him.The change of policy towards Russia is still not clear and at present no signs of that have yet appeared. At the end of the day the US missile shield will soon be build in Poland and the Czech Republic, and a 'softening' of tone towards Kremlin will not make it dissapear. Even if some sort of assurances are given to the Russians (vis. Russian observers at the sites), those will not change much. The end result is that the military potential of USA on the Russian borders has changed dramatically, and Russia will not be satisfied with some lukewarm assurances. After all, in case of further disagreements the Russian observers could easily be asked to leave the radar sites and any resemblance of cooperation withdrawn. In this region the only real change of policy will be the complete abandonment of the missile shield plans and review of the notion of driving Ukraine and Georgia in NATO. Anything less will just be the same old 'stick and carrot' policy.As it is, a real change of policy will require a radical re-thinking of the American interests abroad and since those do not change with the coming of a new president, I do not think we will see any major differences under Obama. Mon 29 Dec 2008 11:22:52 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldtonight/2008/12/obama_a_world_changer.html?page=6#comment2 Robin,"do US national interests always eventually over-ride Presidential ambitions?"Should they not be the same? And has the problem not been that the Bush/neocon perception of US national interest has been seriously disconnected from our true national interest.It is certainly true (imo) that for eight years the personal ambitions of the ruling cabal have over-ridden US national interests....Even a change of rhetoric will reap benefitsPeace and soft wordsed Sat 20 Dec 2008 16:21:16 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldtonight/2008/12/obama_a_world_changer.html?page=3#comment1 There is an apparent will for a fundamental internal change within the United States, i.e. vastly increasing the base of those who participate in and share in the enterprise- the nation.There is a painfully evident need to change the relationship of the United States to the World.Rather than resources (see #1 above), I think that the limitation will be that of internal politics- the resistance and cabals of those who seek to conserve their especially privileged advantage and those who are fundamentally mentally conditioned to authoritarianism.As this first Forum has indicated, the discourse will follow three main lines:techniques of assuring continuity;questions that challenge assumptions; new initiatives. Fri 19 Dec 2008 23:47:05 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldtonight/2008/12/obama_a_world_changer.html?page=0#comment0 Robin,You remember John F. Kennedy (1917 - 1963). You will also recall that the same things were said about him. The reality was rather different - as will the reality be with Barack Obama.The 'hope' that Barack Obama brings may possibly raise the expectations of the World (but only in the sense of the country that has a 'World Series'!)Arithmetic will constrain Barack Obama - the 'trillions' will condemn him to a struggle with sums. Faith may more mountains but dollars buy earth moving machines!The USA is broke - Barack Obama will be forced to constrain his actions by the lack of cash! Fri 19 Dec 2008 22:48:01 GMT+1