U.S - European Ties with Obama as President - Essay Example

U.S - European Ties With Obama as President President Obama and his foreign policy are currently undergoing heavy discussions among the political analysts. “Change”, the mantra sung by Obama before the American elections has attracted many people not only in America, but all over the world as well. Most of the political analysts are looking for what Obama is going to do in Iraq and Afghanistan. Others looking for the economic policies of Obama; how Obama going to revitalize the American economy?

Amidst these serious political and economic crisis matters, Obama’s relationship with the European countries is not getting much attention from the world. “The election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States opened a new chapter in transatlantic relations, transforming European assessment of the American president, U.S. standing in Europe, attitudes toward U.S. global leadership, and perceptions on both sides of the Atlantic of the U.S.-EU relationship” (Transatlantic Trends Key Findings, p.6). It is a fact that Obama enjoys heavy support from the European countries compared to his predecessor.

Obama’s handling of international affairs has already attracted many Europeans. The handling of Afghan crisis, economic crisis and climate change has helped Obama to acquire support even from the traditional anti- American publics in Turkey and Central and Eastern Europe. On the other hand, Western Europe is almost unique in supporting Obama’s policies. In fact Obama enjoys more support from the European publics than from the Americans at present. In America at least the Republicans are strongly opposing Obama’s economic and foreign policies whereas in Europe, irrespective of the political difference, Obama enjoys strong support at present.

The recently concluded G20 summit and the winning of Nobel Prize for peace have helped Obama to polish his face among the Europeans. “People in the European Union and Turkey have fallen under the Obama spell..In 2008, their assessment of Bush was 18 percentage points lower than Bush’s approval in the United States. In 2009, the situation was reversed. Their positive judgment of Obama (77%) was 20 percentage points higher than in the United States (57%)” (Transatlantic Trends Key Findings, p.6). The leadership of America in global matters is more acceptable to the Europeans at present compared to the Bush regime.

But it is a fact that the former socialist countries like Bulgaria, Slovaks, etc are still keeping reservations about the American leadership in global matters. Europeans are more concerned with the climate change and global warming problems compared to Americans. Former American presidents did nothing serious to tackle the climate change problems. On the other hand, Obama has already expressed his concerns over changing climate and he has included many incentives in his economic reformation package for the buyers of environment friendly fuel efficient vehicles.

Even though Obama enjoys better support at present from the Europeans, it is not wise to anticipate that the honeymoon period may prolong for a substantial period of time. “In 2009, in 8 of the 11 EU countries surveyed, peoples’ assessment of U.S.-European relations was less positive than their predictions were in 2008” (Transatlantic Trends Key Findings, p.9).It is difficult to analyze the presidency of Obama within this short time span. The challenges ahead are more complex. Observers are watching Obama’s movements in ending the Iraq and Afghan crisis along with his steps in regaining the American economy.

In short, Obama enjoys better support from the European countries at present compared to most of his predecessors, but for a more comprehensive analysis of the success of Obama regime, needs more time. The question, whether Obama was succeeded or not in bringing “change” in America can be answered only at the end of the Obama regime. Works Cited1. Transatlantic Trends Key Findings. 2009. 01 December 2009.