President Obama's historic victory had aroused hopes and expectations all over the world. At home, a large number of people were enthused by his health care program, promise of better fiscal discipline, and change in tax policy in favour of workers and low income groups.
The world, at large, felt relieved by his commitment to non-proliferation, disarmament and preserving environment. The Muslim world had hopes that a black president with a Muslim background would display a better understanding of the issues that deeply concern the community. While the American people are the best judges of his domestic policies, Obama's initiatives that affect the globe, the Middle East and South Asia are under-evaluation all over the world. Late in September, President Obama called an extraordinary summit on nuclear disarmament under the aegis of the UN Security Council. The meeting unanimously approved a resolution that envisaged a world without nuclear weapons. The move was widely hailed.
The resolution however was criticised for failure to include mandatory provisions requiring nuclear weapons states to take concrete disarmament steps. The critics maintained that the nuclear powers were more interested in non-proliferation than disarmament. This was, however, a significant move, which will have to be supplemented by numerous others to produce meaningful results. Despite environment enjoying high-priority in the Obama administration, whatever policies are being initiated by it are of long gestation, like an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050 and investing $150 billion, over next 10 years, into private enterprises developing clean energy sources. What is significant is that within weeks of taking office, President Obama placed the United States at the forefront of the international climate efforts, raising hopes that an effective international accord might be possible.
Soon after entering the White House, Obama initiated efforts to reach out to the Muslim world. In January, he spelled out his policy of engagement in an interview to Saudi newspaper Al-Arabiya. In April, he further elucidated his views in a speech at Turkish Parliament and two months later in his address at Cairo University. Unlike Bush, he spoke with humility and indicated keenness to hold dialogue rather than make peremptory demands. He said the US was not at war with Islam, that it was keen to resolve differences left over by history. He indicated keenness to initiate dialogue with Tehran.
He said he understood the plight of the Palestinian people and supported an independent Palestinian state. He was keen to end terrorism, but opposed profiling of Muslims as terrorists, as Islam was a religion of peace. Soon after being sworn in, Obama appointed George Mitchell as his special adviser for the Middle East. The problem that Obama face is the strong Zionist lobby in Washington, opposed to any pressure on Israel.
This explains why despite the earlier promises to get Israel to stop the ongoing settlements, they continue apace while the Obama administration has retreated from its stand. This has isolated allies like President Mahmoud Abbas, who realising the extent of anger among the electorate, has declared he will not seek re-election. The stalling by Iran over implementation of the low-enriched uranium export plan, agreed in principle last month, is making it increasingly difficult for Obama administration to resist growing pressure from the Israeli lobby and its Republican and Democratic allies in Congress to adopt crippling sanctions against Tehran.
Obama had declared the fighting in Afghanistan as the war of necessity and had scaled down US expectations of the eradication of the al Qaeda and a relatively stable government that could ensure that the terrorists do not take over Kabul again. The re-election of Karzai, whose regime has been known for inefficiency and corruption, is likely to add to the problems faced by the US. Karzai's lack of legitimacy and inability to extend governance outside Kabul to the provinces would stand in the way of achieving the two goals. Suspicions about the intentions of a hostile India, which despite repeated urging by Islamabad is unwilling to restart the unilaterally suspended composite dialogue, stand in the way of Pakistan diverting the major portion of its troops to the tribal areas to fight the terrorists.
There is a perception in the country that while Washington hectors Pakistan to do more, it is not willing to use its clout with India to get the Kashmir issue resolved. A perception that US was exerting pressure on Pakistan, strengthened by an indiscreet phrasing of the Kerry-Lugar bill, spurred widespread resentment against the US in the country last month. Few would blame Obama alone for the lack of substantial progress on a number of fronts. Among the forces that have caused set backs to his initiatives are the well-entrenched Israeli lobby and the newly emerging Indian lobby in Washington.