International Response to Obama: Is it More than Short-term?
Rebecca Macvaugh
Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: Opinion
When Barack Obama won the Presidential election on November 4th, it was not only his fans in Grant Park or his national supporters who celebrated his victory. Much of the international community rejoiced as well. Only several countries seemed to favor McCain, according to both the New York Times and The Economist World Poll.
For months the Presidential election has been featured in newspapers internationally. When I was in Uganda, my host family was more abreast of our political happenings than I was, a politics major with frequent internet access. The news coverage in other countries is a testament to the widespread interest.
Despite the decreasing role of America in foreign affairs, the U.S. is still seen by many as the most important country in the world. At the very least, it is hard to deny the symbolic role of the U.S. on the international level. Amanda McMillan, a recent alumnus now working in France, observed that, "for Europe, Republicans and Democrats are not playing a game…they are vying for leadership of the world."
The world's reaction to Barack Obama is one only comparable to its reaction to the invasion of Iraq in recent times. The major difference is that instead of the overwhelmingly negative attitude, the international community is responding with hope and optimism. The rest of the world is now seeing a nation--viewed by many as a paradoxically Christian nation with a history of slavery and racism--elect as President a black man who grew up in Indonesia and Kenya. During election time, McMillan saw that "from customs officers in Barcelona to conversations in the London Tube to dinner guests at A Rocha France's base in Provence, Obama was the only choice." Even President Ahmadinejad of Iran sent a congratulatory letter to Obama, despite the fact that the U.S. has not had diplomatic ties with that nation in thirty years.
The question facing us now remains: Do their reactions matter? It's not simply an anti-Bush or anti-Republican outburst. Instead, people hope that Obama's policies will actually affect them. Wairimu Kuguru, a Kenyan student here at Messiah, frequently hears about support for Obama back home. Not only are they hoping that Obama's presidency will cast Kenya in a more positive light, but in various other ways as well. In the short-term, this election brought people together, especially after tribal division accentuated in December's elections. In the long-term, Wairimu has observed that Kenyans hope for increased tourism and favor in U.S. foreign policy.
For months the Presidential election has been featured in newspapers internationally. When I was in Uganda, my host family was more abreast of our political happenings than I was, a politics major with frequent internet access. The news coverage in other countries is a testament to the widespread interest.
Despite the decreasing role of America in foreign affairs, the U.S. is still seen by many as the most important country in the world. At the very least, it is hard to deny the symbolic role of the U.S. on the international level. Amanda McMillan, a recent alumnus now working in France, observed that, "for Europe, Republicans and Democrats are not playing a game…they are vying for leadership of the world."
The world's reaction to Barack Obama is one only comparable to its reaction to the invasion of Iraq in recent times. The major difference is that instead of the overwhelmingly negative attitude, the international community is responding with hope and optimism. The rest of the world is now seeing a nation--viewed by many as a paradoxically Christian nation with a history of slavery and racism--elect as President a black man who grew up in Indonesia and Kenya. During election time, McMillan saw that "from customs officers in Barcelona to conversations in the London Tube to dinner guests at A Rocha France's base in Provence, Obama was the only choice." Even President Ahmadinejad of Iran sent a congratulatory letter to Obama, despite the fact that the U.S. has not had diplomatic ties with that nation in thirty years.
The question facing us now remains: Do their reactions matter? It's not simply an anti-Bush or anti-Republican outburst. Instead, people hope that Obama's policies will actually affect them. Wairimu Kuguru, a Kenyan student here at Messiah, frequently hears about support for Obama back home. Not only are they hoping that Obama's presidency will cast Kenya in a more positive light, but in various other ways as well. In the short-term, this election brought people together, especially after tribal division accentuated in December's elections. In the long-term, Wairimu has observed that Kenyans hope for increased tourism and favor in U.S. foreign policy.
Be the first to comment on this story