Posted on 11/15/2010 7:09:05 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
Coming off a marathon Asia trip where Obama often found himself rebuffed by fellow world leaders, he will head to Europe this week where the agenda will be clouded by a growing divide over economic strategy and a sense of neglect among traditional U.S. allies.
His challenge is to reassure European partners that, despite political weakness at home and embarrassing setbacks abroad, he remains committed to better cooperation on issues ranging from the war in Afghanistan to the fight against trade protectionism.
But it will not be easy for Obama, whose Democratic Party suffered heavy losses in this month's congressional elections, to dispel the impression that his stature has been diminished on the world stage. He will attend back-to-back NATO and European Union summits in Lisbon on Friday and Saturday.
"The tricky thing for Obama is to show the Europeans not only that he's still important to them but that they're still important to the U.S.," said Sally McNamara, a European affairs expert at the conservative Heritage Foundation in Washington.
Accustomed to being at the center of U.S. foreign policy, Europe may be feeling jilted.
Despite the European love affair with Obama when he was elected two years ago, he has let transatlantic ties slip down his priorities list while focusing on rising Asian powers like China and India and domestic concerns such as high unemployment and an anemic economy.
It will not be lost on his European hosts that Obama, who visited Europe six times in his first year, is dashing to Lisbon for little more than 24 hours on the ground after conducting a 10-day four-country tour of Asia.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
By the time he’s out of office we will have to replace AF1 or at least have it fumigated. How many engines has he worn out so far?
sorry, we can’t afford your get out of the States for Thanksgiving trip. Please use ‘go to meeting’ and video conference it.
Those are really nice pictures.
Hardly... his challenge will be to convince Europe that a majority Islam population won't be as bad as feared by the greedy white people who currently run the place...
That’s alright. Nothing much dignified gets typed around here after midnight anyhow.
But they are plenty generous when it comes to giving goodies to themselves..they are SOOO thoughtful and they don't hold back!
The truth is they are cheap a-holes...totally disgusting people and it shows in so many ways.
President Tinkerbell will get to lick more ice cream cones
..... Another trip? A perfect example of ognitive dissonance in action. Perhaps he’ll ask Cameron for the return of that bust of Churchill with the argument that he can now relate to the idea of being a beleaguered great statesman.
nobama cares not for their tears.
Obamas failing to maintain any semblance of dignity on this planet.
Good for you! The same thing happens to me a lot since this ... person ... got elected.
"Oui, oui, Meechelle, may I give you just a little bit of advice, something I have considerable experience in? For a time I was a fashion model. Nobody in France wears boob belts. Might I suggest you lose it?"
The comments at the bottom of the article are great.
He’s gonna need a hot rock band, lots of beer and a ton of bratwurst to draw a crowd in Germany!
I don’t think muslims celebrate Christmas...remember he wore no jewlery during ramadahm???? Do they give presents at that time?
Thanks,..will take a look...just getting back to the thread .
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