The Barack Obama foreign policy is US foreign policy during his presidency from 2009 to 2017. Obama was named New York Senator Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State during his first term, with Massachusetts Senator John Kerry taking over the post at February 2013.
Substantial geopolitical developments that occurred during the Obama presidency include:
- After the "Great Recession" of 2008 and the next Euro Zone Crisis.
- The widespread Arab Spring protests.
- The growing and controversial role of the drone plane.
- Attempts to negotiate free trade agreements in the Trans-Pacific and Transatlantic areas.
- Edward Snowden's revelation of the government's strict supervision.
- Russia's annexation of the Crimea in 2014 and intervention in eastern Ukraine.
Obama's foreign policy supporters hailed cooperation with his allies and efforts to end the Iraq War, government efforts to crush al-Qaeda's core leadership, the assassination of Osama bin Laden; The Paris 2015 agreement on global climate change, bridging the nuclear deal with Iran, and normalizing US relations with Cuba.
Relatively, the Obama administration's foreign policy received criticism across the political spectrum. Conservatives such as Obama's 2008 Republican challenger John McCain and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham have accused the president of being shy and ineffective in using American influence. On the other hand, liberals including Jimmy Carter and Dennis Kucinich accused him of cynicism and stubbornness. More specifically, some critics allege that he has applied the same imperialistic policy to his predecessor, George W. Bush, among whom Obama was critical during his tenure in the Senate and his presidential campaign in 2008.
Video Foreign policy of the Barack Obama administration
History
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Obama gave his first foreign policy speech about his campaign on April 23, 2007 to the Chicago Council for Global Affairs, where he outlines his foreign policy goals, emphasizing five key points:
- "brings the end in charge of the war in Iraq and refocuses on the critical challenge in the wider region,"
- "by building the first truly 21st century military and showing wisdom in the way we apply it,"
- "with the marshalling of a global effort to deal with increasing threats above all else in urgency - securing, destroying and stopping the spread of weapons of mass destruction,"
- "rebuild and build alliances and partnerships needed to meet common challenges and face common threats", and
- "While America can help others build a safer society, we must not forget that only the citizens of these countries can support them."
President-elect Obama nominated his former rival, Senator Hillary Clinton to serve as Secretary of State on December 1, 2008, and chose to defend Defense Secretary Robert Gates as his Defense Secretary. He appointed General James L. Jones to serve as National Security Adviser and nominated Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano as Secretary of Homeland Security.
Clinton stated during a confirmation hearing that he believes that "the best way to advance American interests in reducing global threats and seize global opportunities is to design and implement global solutions." He stated, "We must use the so-called" intelligent powers ", the tools we have - diplomatic, economic, military, political, legal and cultural - choose the right tool or combination of tools for every situation, intelligent power, diplomacy will be the pioneer of our foreign policy. "
During the last weeks before his inauguration, in addition to some major conflicts in the world, fighting-related Israeli-Palestinian conflict broke out, particularly in Gaza, between Israel and the Hamas-led government. Israeli-Gaza conflict 2008-2009 ended with an unhealthy ceasefire on January 18, 2009, two days before Obama's inauguration.
Initial theme
In his inaugural address, Obama, who outlined his foreign policy, suggested that he hopes to start the withdrawal process from Iraq and continue to focus on the conflict in Afghanistan. He also mentioned reducing the nuclear threat through "working tirelessly with old friends and former enemies." He spoke of America's determination to fight terrorism by proclaiming that American spirit is "stronger and immutable - you can not live longer than us, and we will beat you." To the Muslim world, Obama extended his invitation to "a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect." He also said that the United States is willing to "reach out" to those "who hold on to power through corruption and deceit" if they are "willing to reveal" their fists.
On the full first day of the presidency, Obama called on Israel to open the Gaza border, detailing the initial plan on his government's peace plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Obama and Secretary of State Clinton named George Mitchell as Special Envoy for Middle East peace and Richard Holbrooke as a special representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan on January 23, 2009. Mitchell's appointment suggests that Clinton might move away from the level of the immediate Secretary who negotiates that he is his predecessor, Condoleezza Rice, has spent a lot of effort over the past two years.
In less than a week in his new position, Secretary of State Clinton has summoned nearly 40 foreign leaders or foreign ministers. He said the world was eager to see the new American foreign policy and that, "There are big breaths going on around the world, we have a lot of damage to fix." He pointed out that not every past policy would be rejected, and specifically said it is important that the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons program continue.
His trip to Denmark, which failed to convince the International Olympic Committee to award the 2016 Summer Olympics to Chicago, made Denmark the sixteenth country Obama has visited since becoming President on January 20, 2009. It defeated President Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush (both tied to 15 visits in their first year) to make Obama the most-traveled first-year President.
Appointments
Administration appointed, or allowed to remain in office, 2,465 ambassadors. Most are career diplomats. 805 is a politically appointed person. 110 of the 150 ambassadors are political in the Caribbean; 259 of the 358 people designated in Western Europe are political. Diplomat careers dominate all other areas including: North and Central America, South America, Africa, Eastern Europe, Middle East, East Asia, South Asia, and Oceania. In Central Asia, all that is designated is a career.
Maps Foreign policy of the Barack Obama administration
Africa
Although situated on the African continent, Algerian, Egyptian, Moroccan, Tunisian, Libyan and Western Sahara countries are not considered part of Sub-Saharan Africa and are therefore not associated with Africa for the purposes of US foreign policy.. Instead they are considered part of the Near East (commonly called the Middle East) when talking about US foreign policy. Depending on the source, these countries may or may not be included when African foreign policy is mentioned.
During the 2008 campaign, Obama outlined his priorities for developing African policies including taking action to stop "what US officials call genocide in Darfur, fighting poverty, and widening prosperity." Some analysts believe that the appointment of Obama from Susan Rice who is a former assistant secretary of state for African affairs, as the US ambassador to the United Nations is a sign that his government will prioritize the continent.
Then the Secretary of State appointed Hillary Clinton, in a January 13 session of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that administrative priorities would include "fighting al-Qaeda's efforts to find safe havens in failed countries in the Horn of Africa, helping African countries to preserve their natural resources and reap a fair profit from them, stop the war in the Congo, [and] end the autocracy in Zimbabwe and the destruction of humans in Darfur. "
Darfur, the eastern Congo, Ghana and Zimbabwe all play an important role in the African policy of the United States. Some foreign policy analysts believe that conflicts in "Sudan, Somalia, and eastern Congo" will "disrupt other policy plans."
President Obama visited Cairo, Egypt, where he talked about the "Muslim World" on June 4 and followed this trip with his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa, as President, on July 11, 2009 where he spoke to the Ghanaian Parliament.
He was followed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who traveled seven countries to Africa in August including stops in Angola, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria and South Africa. Some foreign policy analysts have made the claim that this is "the earliest in the US administration that both the president and the foreign minister have visited Africa."
The war in Somalia
The government has been interested in supporting the Transitional National Government in Mogadishu. To this end, as well as to help reduce terrorist activities and piracy in the region, the United States has deployed special operations forces, unmanned aircraft, air strikes and some military advisers to influence the ongoing civil war of Somalia and neutralize leading Al-Shabaab. member.
Hijacking
One of the first actions of the Obama administration is to sign a memorandum of understanding with Kenya to allow pirates captured off the coast of Kenya to stand trial in a Kenyan court.
Somali pirates took Richard Phillips, the captain of an American cargo ship, hostage on April 8, 2009 during a failed attempt to take over Maersk Alabama. President Obama ordered the US military to conduct a rescue mission to free Phillips who was held hostage by the pirates for five days. He was rescued on April 12, 2009 by the United States Navy SEAL that killed three pirates and received the fourth surrender, Abduwali Muse.
The Obama administration's reactions and responses to Phillips's kidnapping have been praised and criticized, while others downplayed his role in the rescue of Richard Phillips. In 2014, Obama is trying to improve operations in the Horn region in response to Westgate mall attacks in Kenya. A task force for the Horn peninsula has initiated an unmanned drone attack against pirates and al-Qaeda affiliates.
Zimbabwe
Obama is a strong critic of the Zimbabwean government led by President Robert Mugabe. Although Obama congratulates long-time opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to become Prime Minister of Zimbabwe under a power-sharing agreement, State Department spokesman Robert Wood warned: "We need to see good and especially real proof of government, a true power sharing in Robert's part Mugabe before we will make any commitment "to lift economic sanctions in the impoverished South African nation, which Mugabe has ruled since independence in 1980.
After the death of Susan Tsvangirai, wife of the prime minister, in a car crash in central Zimbabwe on March 6, 2009, the US State Department expressed his condolences to Tsvangirai, who also received minor injuries on the wreck.
Prime Minister Tsvangirai met with President Obama on June 12, 2009 at the White House.
After Morgan Tsvangirai, Mugabe's rival and leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, became Prime Minister of Zimbabwe under a power-sharing agreement, the Obama administration congratulated Tsvangirai, but said that the US would wait for evidence of Mugabe's cooperation with the MDC before considering sanctions. In early March 2009, Obama proclaimed that US sanctions will be extended temporarily for another year, as Zimbabwe's political crisis has not been resolved.
War in Mali
Under Obama administration, the US government supports the Mali government in the North Mali conflict, helping Mali in its fight against Tuareg rebels and their Islamist extremist allies, including Ansar Dine, designed by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization in 2013. The United States provides counterterrorism, intelligence sharing and other assistance to the French military, which led efforts "to drive out the rebels and protect the civilian government of Mali." The US also provides logistical support, in particular by providing air refueling to the French Air Force.
The Obama administration has promised not to install "shoes on the ground" in Mali, but in April 2013, the US Department of Defense revealed that it had deployed 22 US military personnel into the country. Of this number, ten support staff are liaison to French and African forces, while others are assigned to the US Embassy in Bamako; US troops are not involved in combat operations in Mali.
Arctic
During the Obama presidency, there is an increasing global concern paid to the Arctic, and the challenges and opportunities that exist in the region. The Obama administration responded appropriately by putting a much greater focus on Arctic and Arctic issues than the Bush administration, reaching the first in September 2015 by becoming the first President to sit to visit the Arctic Circle.
Arctic is divided between 8 Arctic countries that function as permanent members of the Arctic Council. The main policy of the Obama administration in the region is to facilitate cooperation among these countries on regional issues. After taking office, Obama has looked to rearrange relations with Russia as a whole; However, as US-Russian relations deteriorate in other matters of mutual interest, the Arctic remains a cooperative site between the two countries.
In 2011, the Arctic countries created the Pole Search and Rescue Agreement, which set the search parameters for the Arctic countries. Inter-Country Search and Rescue collaboration has been further strengthened with the establishment of the Coast Guard Forum in 2015.
During Obama's presidency, the United States takes over the leadership of the Arctic Council 2015-2017 and plans to launch a major collaborative project in the office. With the United States at the helm, the Arctic Council has focused on improving economic and living conditions for the Arctic community; improve the safety, security and stewardship of the Arctic Ocean; and also address the impacts of climate change. The last arctic board meeting of the Obama Presidency is in Maine on 4-6 October 2016 where the agenda is focused on sustainable development of the Arctic and climate.
Against the regional effect of climate change has been the main focus of the Presidential Arctic policy of Obama, especially during his last two years in office. Obama agreed in March 2016 to protect at least 17% of its Arctic region from development during a joint event with Trudeau of Canada.
Within the Arctic Council, an expert group formed in 2015 investigates the threat posed by black carbon to the region that summarizes its findings and recommendations by 2016. The administration has also looked to increase data sharing - a key agenda at the White House House's White House Arithmetical Confirmation in September 2016.
While regional cooperation to face common challenges has been a major commitment of the Obama administration, the military's military capability has also risen under Obama. By 2016, ICEX exercises are implemented and widely regarded as a great success. President Obama has also commissioned two new ice breakers in the US by 2015.
Asia
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced in 2011 a foreign policy rebalancing to put more emphasis on Asia, especially in response to China's rapidly growing role in the region. He called for "substantially increased investment - diplomatic, economic, strategic, and otherwise - in the Asia-Pacific region." In 2014, many analysts found no significant change and some argue that the US is again ignoring the region. Obama's support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership is motivated largely by his goal to "divert" the US into East Asia.
East Asia
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton went on her first foreign policy tour (to Asia) on February 15, 2009 with stops in Japan, China, South Korea, Philippines and Indonesia. The Secretary has traveled widely to the region, including at least three trips to various countries in the region in 2009, 2010 and 2011 In July 2012, the Clinton Secretary traveled to Mongolia, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. The visit to Laos was the first by the Secretary of State in 57 years.
On April 1, 2009, Obama and Hu Jintao announced the establishment of a US-China High-level Strategic and Economic Dialogue chaired by Hillary Clinton and Timothy Geithner on the US side and Dai Bingguo and Wang Qishan on the Chinese side and on May 16, 2009 Obama personally announced nomination of Jon Huntsman, Jr., the Governor of the Republic of Utah to fill the position of Ambassador to China. Huntsman is the only ambassador in the Administration to be privately announced by the President of the times. Later that year, President Obama and Secretary Clinton made a high profile trip to China on 15-18 November 2009 marking Obama's first visit to China. This is Obama's first Asian presidential journey since he was sworn in. He also traveled to Japan, Singapore for the APEC and South Korea Summit for the first ASEAN-ASEAN Summit. The US Pacific Command has also been at the forefront of efforts to strengthen military ties in the region. The United States and China often clash Chinese claims in the South China Sea, parts of which are also claimed by Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia.
In 2014, President Obama declared that the United States recognizes Tibet as part of China but also encourages the Chinese government to take steps to preserve the unique cultural, religious and linguistic identity of Tibetans.
In 2016, Obama became the first American president to sit down to visit Laos, which was bombed by the United States during the Vietnam War. Obama also raised funding to clean up unexploded weapons in Laos.
North Korea
North Korea is a major problem area, especially regarding nuclear weapons and the threat of military action. Not long after Obama took office, North Korea elbowed its way back to the international stage after a relatively quiet period, drawing allegations of planning a new long-range intercontinental ballistic missile test just weeks after Obama was sworn in and doing nuclear warheads and missiles that were not announced testing at the end May 2009 for State Department's disagreement. Relations are increasingly pressured by the imprisonment of American journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling over their alleged illegal entry into North Korea territory on assignments to media organizations. although the two women were later released on August 5, 2009. Later that year, Pyongyang announced its intention to end the 1953 ceasefire that ended hostilities in the Korean War on May 28, 2009 effectively restarted the conflict for nearly 60 years, and prompted the South Korean Combined Forces Command- United States for Watchcon II, the second highest alert level possible. In 2010, two major incidents with North Korea occurred: the sinking of a South Korean Navy ship that propelled a new round of military training with South Korea as a direct military response to its sinking and the Yeonpyeong Bombing that propelled the US aircraft carrier USS George Washington > will depart for joint exercise in the Yellow Sea with the Republic of Korea Navy, to prevent further North Korean military action. Given geopolitical developments with North Korea, the Obama Administration has called the US-South Korea alliance a "foundation of US security in the Pacific Region." During Obama's presidency, North Korea's nuclear and missile program has become "increasingly alarming", with its failure to paralyze it described as "glaring."
Japanese
Japan, a key ally of the United States, has engaged in disputed diplomatic with China over the control of the South China Sea. In the prime minister's tour of Hillary Clinton in East Asia, he convinced Japanese officials about the centrality of Japan within the network of the American alliance. In response to the 2011 T-hsu earthquake and tsunami, the United States started Operation Tomodachi to support Japan in disaster relief after the 2011 T-hoku earthquake and tsunami thanks from Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa who, while visiting Ronald Reagan, thanked his crew for his help as part of Operation Tomodachi who said, "I have never been more encouraged and proud of the fact that the United States is our ally."
South Asia
For U.S. foreign policy purposes, South Asia consists of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The Obama administration's foreign policy in Asia has been described in the "Obama Administration Policy in South Asia" by Robert O. Blake, Jr., Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Asian and Southern Asian Affairs, who wrote "[o] sovereign, stable, democratic countries, integrated into the world economy and working with each other, the United States, and our partners to advance regional security and stability.
At the beginning of the Obama administration there were several regional hot spots in South Asia including Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. Some conflicts in the area include the ongoing war in Afghanistan and the ongoing conflict in North-West Pakistan.
On February 18, 2009, Obama announced that the US military presence in Afghanistan would be supported by 17,000 new troops in the summer. Obama also ordered an expansion of air strikes to include the organization Baitullah Mehsud, the militant leader reported behind the assassination of Benazir Bhutto 2007, as a priority target.
There is also a tension between India and Pakistan that share nuclear weapons. This conflict has been taking place since August 1947 after Partition of India. The latest developments in the conflict involve Kashmiri territory with Pakistan controlling the northwestern part, India controlling the central and southern parts and the People's Republic of China controlling the northeastern part of Kashmir. Criticism has been raised on the Obama administration because of no initial response to US foreign policy with India. Former South Asia director of the Bush administration's National Security Council, Xenia Dormandy claims that India is an indispensable American ally in the region and that the Obama administration must take steps to improve relations with India.
Europe
Fabbrini in 2011 identified the cycle of anti-Americanism in Europe: simple in the 1990s, growing explosively between 2003-2008, then declining after 2008. He saw the current version linked to the image of foreign policy making America as unmanageable by the international. institutions or world opinion. So it is the unilateral policy process and the arrogance of policy makers, not the specific policy decisions, that determine.
Ukraine crisis
In the wake of the Euromaidan protests the Obama administration has embraced the new government of Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. After Russia began to occupy the Crimean peninsula, Obama warned Russia of "severe consequences" if Russia annexed the region and tried to negotiate the withdrawal of Russian troops. Until now, all negotiations have not worked. On December 18, 2014 Obama signed the Ukrainian legislation Freedom Support Act 2014.
Russian
Tensions remain as Russia pushes back towards extending efforts further east of NATO and the European Union to areas previously part of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. Georgia and Ukraine are the main flashpoints. Initially, Obama called for a "reset" relationship with Russia, and in 2009 the policy was known as a Russian reset; but critics debate whether it could improve bilateral ties or give too much permission to Russia.
At the end of March 2014, President Obama sacked Russia as a "regional power" that did not pose a major security threat to the United States. The statement was later sharply criticized by Putin as "disrespectful?" and efforts to prove the American exceptionalism as well as by European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker who in November 2016 said: "We have much to learn about the depths of Russia, we are very ignorant about it now... Russia is not, as President Obama said , "regional power." This is a big mistake in the assessment.
After Russia's military intervention in Syria in 2015 and alleged interference in the 2016 election campaign in the US, relations between the Russian government and the Obama administration became more tense. In September 2016, the US government publicly accused Russia of striking violations of international law? in Syria. Thomas Friedman argues, "Obama believes that the combination of pressure and involvement will moderate Putin's behavior.This is the right approach, in theory, but it is now clear that we have underestimated the pressure needed to produce effective engagement, and we must improve it. about the politics of Syria and Ukraine again.Now also about America, Europe, the basic civilized norms and the integrity of our democratic institutions.
In mid-November 2016, the Kremlin accused President Obama's government of trying to damage the US? relations with Russia to a level that would make normalization impossible for the administration of Donald Trump's entry.
In December 2017, Mike Rogers, who became Chairman of the House of Representatives? The Standing Committee of Select Intelligence in 2011-2015, said that Obama and his inner circle have a habit of rejecting the idea that Russia under Putin is a rising and dangerous enemy; and this disappointment in Russia? filter [ed] the way down?
Middle East
The war in Iraq
During his campaign for the presidency, Barack Obama advocated a gradual deployment of troops from Iraq within 16 months of being sworn in as president. To achieve this Obama states that he will, based on conditions on the ground, move between one and two battalions a month. Some troops returned to the United States, while others were rehired as part of a focus on larger areas including Afghanistan and Pakistan to counter terrorism.
Obama was in office for 3 years of the Iraq war. The US gradually completed the withdrawal of its military personnel in December 2011. At the end of February 2009, the newly elected US President Barack Obama announced an 18-month withdrawal window for combat troops, with some 50,000 troops remaining in the country. In November 2013 Obama met with Iraqi prime minister Nouri Maliki. He promised to continue the partnership but said there would be no public assistance, and urged that the prime minister be more inclusive, especially with regard to the Sunni population. Obama also encourages wider political participation and passes the election law. They discussed ways to curb al-Qaeda's resurgence and how to more thoroughly incorporate democracy in the country. President Obama changed the schedule of troop withdrawal from Iraq within 16 months of his post as elected in the election until 19 months after taking office.
Obama appoints several Special Envoys including the Special Envoy for Middle East peace (George Mitchell) and the Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan (Richard C. Holbrooke). In 2013, Obama urged leaders in the Middle East to do more to stave or overcome several locations where Sunni-Shiite disputes took place in the Middle East, including in Bahrain, Syria and Iraq.
Intervention 2014
Immediately after the outbreak of the Iraqi army after the northern Iraq invasion of 2014, Obama deployed thousands of American Marines, Special Forces troops and military advisers to support the remaining Iraqi forces. The troops are also in charge of securing the area around the American Embassy in Baghdad as well as taking over the International Airport. Obama said that the actions of these people would be "targeted and precise".
The government also moved the carrier battle group to the Persian Gulf. America has flown wide reconnaissance flights, both manned and unmanned. The F-18 American attack aircraft has also been seen in the sky above Iraq since mid-summer.
In early August, the Government announced a vast air campaign in northern Iraq aimed at Sunni militants, while making significant humanitarian efforts aimed at Iraq's threatened minorities.
Iran
After Iran's disputed 2009 presidential election, Obama condemned the Iranian government's crackdown on the opposition of the Iranian Green Movement, a group of pro-democracy protesters. Obama stated: "We respect Iran's sovereignty and want to avoid the United States becoming a problem within Iran, but" I am deeply troubled by the violence I have seen on television. I think that the democratic process - freedom of speech, the ability of people to resist peacefully - they are universal values ​​and need to be respected. "After more violence directed at protesters, Obama stated:" The United States and international societies have been shocked and angered by the threats, beatings and imprisonment of recent days "and issued a harsh condemnation of this" unfair act. "Some critics, including his presidential campaign in 2012, rival Mitt Romney, blamed Obama, saying he should have done more to support the Green Movement, others disagree, noting that the Green Movement does not need or want direct foreign support, that US direct support for the Iranian opposition is likely to "undermine his credibility, and perhaps even lend credence to the government's claim that this movement is a foreign-inspired plot that would usurp Iran's independence. "
Obama signed the Iran Comprehensive Sanctions, Accountability and Divestiture Act 2010 on July 1, 2010 to extend sanctions against Iran. New law restrictions are so tight that third countries have warned about their trade disruptions. But under Obama, Iran's oil exports have been halved.
Following moderate moderate elections Hassan Rouhani as President in 2013, Iran initiates a new phase of dialogue in its foreign relations in an effort to improve relations with the West. On Rouhani's official visit to New York City to attend the UN General Assembly, Obama requested a bilateral meeting with Rouhani, which did not occur due to time limitation according to Rouhani. Rouhani stated that more time is needed to set up the right meeting between the leaders of both countries because of the troubled relations between the two countries. On September 27, 2013, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Foreign Minister John Kerry held the one-on-one meeting, the first between the US and Iran in a generation. Rare get-togethers are breakthroughs, according to Iranian analysts. One day later, Obama and Rouhani talked to each other on the phone, the highest level of communication between the two leaders since the 1979 Iranian Revolution.
Israel
Relations between the US and Israel are getting worse under the Barack Obama administration. While the overall alliance remains intact, the antagonism between Barack Obama and current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has eroded the bilateral ties between the two countries. Israel announced that it was urgent to build 1,600 new homes in the Jewish quarter in East Jerusalem in March 2010, when Vice President Joe Biden visited. It was described as "one of the most serious lines between two allies in recent decades". Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Israel's move was "very negative" for US-Israeli relations. But Obama is the first US president to supply Israel with modern bunker buster bombs. And under Obama, US Foreign Military Financing for Israel has risen to $ 3 billion for the first time in history. Obama has pledged support for Israel's military superiority in the region and has described his loyalty to Israel as a sacrosanct. Under President Obama, the United States increased aid to the Israeli Iron Dome.
On September 20, 2011, President Obama declared that the US would veto the Palestinian application to statehood at the UN, insisting that "there will be no shortcut to peace". Furthermore, in February, the government has vetoed a UN resolution declaring Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal.
In 2014 Obama said that only a two-state solution could guarantee Israel's future as a Jewish majority democracy. Ehud Barak described Obama's support for Israel as the most unparalleled and most supportive in history, stating that Obama has done "more than anything I can remember in the past" and that Obama's support is "very deep and deep".
On December 23, 2016, the United States, under the Obama Administration, abstained from United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, which effectively allowed it to pass. On December 28, US Secretary of State John Kerry strongly criticized Israel and its settlement policy in a speech. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly criticized the actions of the Government, and the Israeli government withdrew its annual fee from the organization, which amounted to $ 6 million in US dollars, on January 6, 2017. On 5 January 2017, the United States House of Representatives voted 342-80 for condemn the UN Resolution.
Libyan air raid
After the initial skepticism of international involvement to prevent Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi from using force to suppress popular demonstrations in his country, the Obama administration strongly supported UN Security Council Resolution 1973 to create a no-fly zone of Libya, with the United States Ambassador to the United States. Susan Rice succeeded in pushing to include a language that allowed the UN mandate to release control to launch air strikes against Libyan land targets that threatened civilians.
In March 2011, Obama allowed the firing of 110 Tomahawk cruise missiles against targets in Libya, in response to the regime's actions against rebel forces, to enforce a no-fly zone of the UN.
Egypt
After increasing demonstrations challenged the long-standing Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's administration, Obama and many European leaders called for his resignation and he did so in 2011. Egypt elected a new government based on the Muslim Brotherhood. But new President Mohamed Morsi was ousted in 2013 by the military. President Obama noted that the crisis in Egypt was sad and tragic; the situation at the end of 2013 remains very tense.
Syria
In 2012, Obama, who previously demanded the resignation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, said that the use of chemical weapons by the Assad government would cross the red line and would require US military action. After a report on Aug. 21, 2013 on the use of chemical weapons in Syria, the Obama administration officially blamed the incident on the Syrian government and requested Congressional approval for military action in Syria. In addition, Obama seeks support from Britain and France for attacks in Syria. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel approved plans for a barrage of Tomahawk cruise missile attacks for those who canceled Obama in September. On September 11, 2013, Obama conducts a military or combat raid on hold and reaches an agreement with Russia and the Syrian government to destroy all chemical weapons in Syria.
Obama's decision to allow the violation of the red line he himself drew to go unpunished was widely condemned by the US political establishment, as well as its allies, as harming American international credibility. However, in early 2016, Obama said he was "proud" of his decision, which rejected the so-called "Washington playbook" and avoided US involvement in other "irreparable" situations in the Middle East. More broadly, regarding the lack of Obama's support for Syrian anti-government rebels, by 2015, The Economist argues, "Rarely has an American president who despicably abandoned his global responsibility", adding in 2016, "Syria's suffering is the biggest moral stain in Barack Obama's presidency and the rippling chaos of Syria - where many people are now turning to al-Qaeda, not the West, for salvation - is his greatest geopolitical failure." In 2016, Nicholas Kristof described the slowness in Syria as "Obama's worst mistake", while Jonathan Schanzer said "the policy of the Syrian White House has been an unmitigated fire." Michael Mullen, former chairman of the joint chief of staff, described the conflict in Syria as "Obama Rwanda".
In comments published on December 1, 2016, about the US becoming increasingly ruled out by Moscow and Ankara, Emile Hokayem of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, blames US marginalization in the Syrian Civil War and the general region in Barack Obama, "The American approach to this conflict guarantees the lack of relevance of the US, not only in the Syrian conflict but also the wider regional dynamics.There is a loss of face and the disappearance of political influence in this region is changing and this is under Obama, either due to design or failure.
In 2017, when Russia behind its successful Syrian military campaign established closer ties with Turkey and Saudi Arabia, analysts and politicians in the Middle East agreed that Russian influence in the region had grown "because Obama let it" by failing. to intervene strongly in Syria.
Ultimatum "Red Line"
Obama's statement "Red Line" is an ultimatum to the Syrian president and Syrian army to stop the use of chemical weapons, set in a statement by US President Barack Obama in August 2012. Obama's red line was imposed with the threat of a massive military force in September 2013 and resulted in the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons inventory by June 2014.
On August 20, 2012, President Barack Obama used the phrase "red line" in reference to the use of chemical weapons stating that "We have been very clear to Assad's regime, but also to other players on the ground, that the red line for" We are we are starting to see a large number of chemical weapons move or are exploited. That will change my calculus. That will change my equation. "
One year later, in the early hours of August 21, 2013, two opposition-ridden areas in the suburbs around Damascus, Syria were attacked by rockets containing chemical agents. The attack was the deadliest use of chemical weapons since the Iran-Iraq War.
A US-led military offensive to punish Syria for using anticipated chemical weapons in late August 2013 will see American troops and their allies launch more than 100 missiles into Syria.
The US Navy brings a total of four destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean Sea to a position to reach targets within the Syrian region. The carrier group USS Nimitz was transferred to Syria in early September 2013.
Russia and Great Britain among other countries began to evacuate their citizens to anticipate the bombing.
During the G20 summit on September 6, 2013, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama discussed the idea of ​​putting Syrian chemical weapons under international control. On September 9, 2013, US Secretary of State John Kerry declared in response to a reporter's question that air strikes could be avoided if Syria handed over "every bit" of chemical weapons reserves in a week, but Syria "no" I will do it and it can not be done. "Foreign Ministry officials stressed that Kerry's remarks and a one-week deadline are rhetorical given the possibility of Syria reversing its weapons.Several hours after Kerry's statement, Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov announced that Russia had advised Syria to release its chemical weapons, and the Minister Syrian Foreign Affairs Walid al-Moallem immediately welcomed the proposal.
The US-Russia negotiations lead to the September 14, 2013 "Syrian Chemical Weapons Framework," which calls for the abolition of Syria's chemical weapons stockpile by mid-2014. After the agreement, Syria approves the Chemical Weapons Convention and agrees to implement the convention temporarily until the date October 14, 2013. On September 21st, Syria seems to provide a list of its weapons to the OPCW, before the deadline set by the framework.
The destruction of Syrian chemical weapons begins on the basis of several international agreements with Syria that set the deadline of genocide on June 30, 2014. UNSC 2118 of 27 September 2013 resolution requires Syria to assume responsibility for and following the timeline for destruction. chemical weapons and chemical weapons production facilities. Security Council Resolution binds Syria to the implementation plan presented in the Organization's decision to Ban Chemical Weapons (OPCW). On June 23, 2014, the last chemical weapons were declared shipped from Syria to be destroyed. The most dangerous destruction of chemical weapons was carried out on the sea aboard the Cape Ray ship, a US Navy Ready Army ship, which housed a crew of US civilian merchant ships. The actual destruction operation, carried out by the civilian team and the US Army contractor, destroyed 600 metric tons of chemical agents in 42 days.
Bahrain Protest
Some in the media questioned Obama's decision to welcome Bahrain at Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa in June 2011 due to a crackdown on demonstrators in the country. The collaboration of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries with Bahrains royalty, has been mass suppression since mid-March. This includes holding, hitting and torturing thousands of people. In June 2013, Obama urged meaningful reforms in Bahrain. Bahraini officials rejected Obama's claim of sectarianism between Sunnis and Shiites. However, the Obama administration again provided weapons and maintenance to the regime during a crackdown on pro-democracy groups, including ammunition, combat vehicle parts, communications equipment, Blackhawk helicopters, and unidentified missile systems. Thus, the greater government policy to deal with the "Arab Spring" is to continue sustaining the old client regimes while fostering "regime change."
Saudi Arabia
The United States and Saudi Arabia continued their postwar alliance during the Obama presidency, and the Obama Administration supported Saudi-led intervention in Yemen during the Yemeni Civil War. However, tensions between the Saudis and the United States emerge following Iran's nuclear deal, as Saudi Arabia and Iran have strained relations and competed for influence in the Middle East. The Obama administration is trying to defuse tensions between the two countries, hoping for cooperation with both countries in the case of the Syrian Civil War and military operations against ISIS. Obama also criticized Saudi Arabia's human rights record, particularly about the imprisonment of Raif Badawi. When asked whether Saudi Arabia is an American friend, Obama responded with "It's complicated." According to The Economist, thanks largely to Obama, America's relations with Saudi Arabia became "very tense" under his tenure.
America
ArgentinaPresident Obama made a state visit to Argentina on March 23-24, 2016 to improve Argentina-US relations under the newly elected president of Argentina's Mauricio Macri. It follows a tense relationship under the predecessors of Cristina FernÃÆ'¡ndez de Kirchner and Kirchner NÃÆ'¼ stor of investment. Obama and Macri discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in promoting "universal values ​​and interests," such as in the fields of security, energy, health and human rights, in which both presidents have agreed to American aid to aid Argentine counter-terrorism efforts, to contribute to peacekeeping missions, combat illegal drug trafficking and organized crime, respond to diseases and outbreaks such as the Zika virus, and develop renewable energy resources and strategies.
Obama declared a "new era" of relationships to help Argentina's credibility in Latin America and the world, and announced trade and economic initiatives to reshape relations between countries after years of tension.
Canada
After the election victory of President Obama in 2008, it was announced that Obama's first international trip was to Canada, which took place on 19 February 2009.
In addition to the Canadian lobby against the terms "Buy America" ​​in the US stimulus package, the relationship between the two administrations has run smoothly until 2011. On February 4, 2011, Harper and Obama issued a "Declaration on Joint Vision for Security and Economic Perimeter of Competitiveness".
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, elected in October 2015, visits the White House for official visits and country dinners on March 10, 2016. Trudeau and Obama are reported to have shared a warm personal relationship during the visit, making a comical statement about which country is better in hockey and which country has better beer. Obama praised Trudeau's 2015 election campaign for "a message of hope and change" and "a positive and optimistic vision". Obama and Trudeau also held "productive" discussions about climate change and relations between the two countries, and Trudeau invited Obama to speak at the Canadian parliament in Ottawa later this year.
Colombia
Obama continues Plan Colombia, a diplomatic aid initiative launched by President Bill Clinton to help Colombia's economy. Partly as a result of the Colombian Plan, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos negotiated an agreement with the FARC guerrilla organization. Although Colombia remains a major producer of drugs, it sees tremendous progress in reducing abductions, murders, and unemployment. In addition to continuing Plan Colombia, Obama appointed Bernard Aronson as the special envoy for the peace process between the Colombian government and the FARC to facilitate the talks. However, Ileana congressman Ros-Lehtinen and others criticized Obama for engaging with FARC, an organization that appears on the State Department's list of terrorist organizations. Obama promised a continuation of his financial aid policy to Colombia after the proposed peace deal.
Cuban
During his presidential campaign in 2008, Obama asserted that his policy towards Cuba would be based on "libertad", promising that as President of the United States, he would encourage the Cuban government to embrace democratic reforms and free political prisoners. After his election, former Cuban President Fidel Castro said he was "open" to the idea of ​​meeting the president-elect. But much of his policy towards Cuba before 2014 has changed little from Bush's policies.
After Obama announced the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp planned shortly after his inauguration, Cuban President RaÃÆ'ºl Castro said Havana would continue to encourage the US to "liquidate" all of the Guantanamo Bay Navy Base and return the land to Cuba. He joined his brother Fidel, who abandoned his generosity towards the new US president and demanded the base be broken into Cuba.
While the United States House of Representatives passed legislation, backed by Obama, to ease certain travel and cash transactions imposed on Cuba by the United States, on 25 February 2009, sanctions further diminished by Obama unilaterally in April 2009, the president continues to oppose lifting the embargo against Cuba. Obama claimed to see the embargo as a useful tool to capitalize on encouraging reforms in Cuba. This is different from what Obama stated in 2004 when he said it was time to "end the embargo with Cuba" because it "completely failed in an effort to overthrow Castro." Obama's attitude has been criticized by Fidel Castro and members of the US government, including Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Richard Lugar. A panel with the Brookings Institution based in Washington released a report in late February 2009 that urged Obama to normalize relations with Cuba.
On June 2, leading a delegation to Honduras for the American General Assembly Organization, Clinton insisted that Cuba needs to achieve certain political and democratic standards to rejoin the organization. On December 10, 2013, Obama shook hands with Raul Castro at the state cemetery of Nelson Mandela.
In December 2014, after a secret meeting, it was announced that Obama, with Pope Francis as an intermediary, had negotiated a restoration of relations with Cuba, after nearly sixty years of dÃÆ'Â © tente. Popularly dubbed Cuban Drawing, The New Republic considers Cuban Liquor to be "the best achievement of Obama's foreign policy." On July 1, 2015, Obama announced that official diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States would continue, and the embassy would open in Washington and Havana. "The interests of" each country 'in the capital of each other are upgraded to the embassy on July 20 and August 13, 2015, respectively.
Obama visited Havana, Cuba for two days in March 2016, becoming the first US President to arrive to arrive from Calvin Coolidge in 1928.
Honduras
On June 28, 2009, President Manuel Zelaya was arrested and exiled from the country. Obama condemned the action and described the event as a coup. On July 7, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Zelaya and approved a US-backed proposal for negotiations with the Micheletti government, mediated by President ÃÆ' â € Å"the injured Arias from Costa Rica. At the end of the meeting, Clinton announced the suspension of economic and military aid to the Honduran government. However, the United States led a group of Western Hempishere states that supported the outcome of presidential elections Porfirio Lobo in November 2009 as a way forward to resolve the situation.
Venezuela
The Obama administration maintains a $ 5 million annual budget to support opposition activities against the Venezuelan government.
While Obama set a peaceful tone for his relationship with Venezuela during his candidacy, saying he would be willing to meet Venezuelan President Hugo ChÃÆ'Âvez without a precondition on July 23, 2007, presidential debate, the Venezuelan leader has been fluid in his opinion. from Obama. Even during elections, he varies from liking Obama to saying that nothing will change with the US.
On February 15, 2009, ChÃÆ'¡vez said, "Every day is right to talk to President Barack Obama," but then said that month he was "unconcerned" about the new US president's meeting ahead of the upcoming confrontation between two leaders at the American Summit in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, in mid-April.
ChÃÆ'¡vez ridiculed Obama as a "continuation of the Bush era" after a US report on narcotics trade was released in late February 2009. "Do not mess with me, Mr. Obama", warns ChÃÆ'¡vez, who has been president of Venezuela since 1999.
However, just recently in the first week of March, ChÃÆ'¡vez asked Obama to follow the path to socialism, which he called the "only" way out of the global recession. "Come with us, align yourself, come with us on the road to socialism.This is the only way.Imagine a socialist revolution in the United States," ChÃÆ'Âvevez told a group of workers in Bolujar state in southern Venezuela. He said that people called Obama a "socialist" for the state intervention measures he took to fight the crisis, so it would not be too far to say that he might join the "21st century socialism" project that the Venezuelan Leader is heading.
Then in March he referred to Obama as a "stupid fool" for not knowing the situation in Latin America and even implying that Brazilian President Lula was not entirely happy with his meeting with Obama. But the Brazilian Foreign Ministry denied that this was the case.
In Tokyo in early April, where he attended a meeting to discuss a trade deal with Japan, ChÃÆ'Âvevez says he is not biased against the Obama administration and he fully supports the free notion of 21st century conflict.
In Trinidad on April 17, 2009, Obama and ChÃÆ'¡vez met for the first time, with the first asking in Spanish, "Come estás?" Then, ChÃÆ'¡vez walked to Obama during the Summit, and submitted a copy of The Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent by Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano, an essay on economic disturbance and US and European politics in the region.. During the summit, Obama was reported to have said, to a lot of applause, "We sometimes do not get involved, and sometimes we try to dictate our terms, but I promise you that we are looking for equal partnerships." No senior partners and partners junior in our relationship ".
Oceania
New Zealand
The Obama administration continues to develop closer relations with New Zealand, particularly in the areas of defense and intelligence cooperation. The relationship with the National Government led by Prime Minister John Key has been smooth and friendly. This process has been initiated under the previous George W. Bush administration in 2007, culminating in a state visit by Labor Prime Minister Helen Clark to the United States in July 2008. While the United States and New Zealand have become close allies. since World War II and became a member of the tripartite ANZUS security alliance with Australia, the US-NZ bilateral relationship has deteriorated under the Ronald Reagan Administration in February 1985 due to New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy prohibiting visits by nuclear power or nuclear-powered warships. Consequently, no bilateral military drill lasts until April 2012 and New Zealand warships are prohibited from visiting US ports and participating in joint naval exercises until May 2013.
On November 4, 2010, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her New Zealand counterpart, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully signed the Wellington Declaration which made the two countries bilateral relations closer with increased emphasis on strategic partnerships. This strategic partnership has two fundamental elements: "a new focus on practical cooperation in the Pacific region, and improving political and material dialogue - including regular Foreign Ministerial meetings and political-military discussions." The agreement also emphasizes the continued need for New Zealand and the United States to work together on global issues such as nuclear proliferation, climate change and terrorism.
After the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, President Obama expressed his condolences to Prime Minister Key. The US government also donated $ 1 million in relief funds, while the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Los Angeles County Fire Department donated rescue teams. On July 23, 2011, Prime Minister John Key also visited President Obama at the White House. The National Government John Key also continues to donate military forces to support the US-led War in Afghanistan, including New Zealand's Special Air Services. The previous Labor Government has also donated military power to Afghanistan since October 2001. In April 2013, the remaining New Zealand troops withdrew from Afghanistan.
On June 19, 2012, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and his counterpart New Zealand Defense Minister Jonathan Coleman signed the Washington Declaration that made the United States and New Zealand closer defense cooperation arrangements. It seeks to restore defense cooperation between the two countries that have been limited by ANZUS Split. Two key areas of the Declaration include the re-opening of regular senior-level dialogue between the US Department of Defense and the New Zealand Ministry of Defense and the New Zealand Defense Force; and security cooperation. As a result of the Washington Declaration, New Zealand warships were allowed to visit US ports even though New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy remains intact. The Washington Declaration is also part of the Obama administration's pivot to the Asia-Pacific region to counter the emerging influence of China.
Other issues
NSA spy scandal
In early 2013 Edward Snowden leaked to the media a number of documents about Obama's controversial mass surveillance campaign. This revelation has strained relations between Obama and foreign leaders monopolized by his government. The fear of American spy software has also weighed on some American corporate contracts for export work.
Muslim relations
On January 26, 2009, Obama gave his first formal interview as president to the Arabic Al Arabiya Arabic television news channel. Obama said that, "My work in the Muslim world is to communicate that America is not your enemy." Obama mentioned that he had spent several years growing up in the world's largest Muslim country, Indonesia, and called for negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians again. Obama's attitude in reaching the Muslim world is unprecedented for the US president.
President Obama's first trip to a Muslim-majority country took place on 6-7 April 2009 when he visited Turkey and spoke to the Grand National Assembly.
President Obama spoke to the Muslim world in a speech in Cairo, Egypt on June 4, 2009. In the speech, President Obama issued a call for "new beginnings" in relations between the United States and Muslims around the world. He outlined his ideas about "engaging the Muslim world" and how to create "a new beginning."
Farah Pandith was named the first "Special Representative for the Muslim Community" of the Department of Foreign Affairs and was sworn in on September 15, 2009.
He described his responsibilities as including actively listening and responding to "Muslim concerns in Europe, Africa, and Asia."
Missile Defense
In 2012 Obama promised more flexibility on missile defense after re-election, this flexibility was demonstrated the following year when Kerry offered to reduce American defenses against Chinese missiles.
See also
- The Obama Doctrine
- Yemeni Model
- Hillary Clinton's tenure as Secretary of State
- List of presidential travels made by Barack Obama
- Middle East foreign policy of the Barack Obama administration
- The global war on terrorism
- Task: Memoir Secretary in the War , by Robert M. Gates
References
Further reading
- Bentley, Michelle, and Jack Holland, eds. The Obama Doctrine: A Legacy of Sustainability in US Foreign Policy? (Routledge, 2016).
- Bentley, Michelle and Jack Holland, eds. Obama's Foreign Policy: Ending the War on Terror (Routledge Study in Asi Policy
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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