Wishful optimistic thinking. Obama has three years to do to American foreign policy what he did to the healthcare industry.
Holy $hit that’s a stretch.
I doubt America will ever be fully appreciated in the world (most parts), let alone liked and admired. The world hated us even after the fall of the Soviet Union and the end to the cold war.
Our influence has suffered greatly thus far (past 5 years). And if Russia and China ever really understood how weak we are right now (leadership) they would act on their fantasies. Our allies may be trying to ramp up their own defenses. But they are way behind their future potential enemies. And their citizens don’t have the stomach to demonstrate the kind of will that affects influence as America has done in the past.
We are now a sedated giant.
During the recent shutdown, our pouty president refused to go to the APEC conference, citing the shutdown, and sent John Kerry instead. This was to teach us a lesson.
The lesson actually learned is that Asia can go right along without us. Note John Kerr's relative position in this group photo compared to Putin, who is front and center in the green shirt. If he was any more front and center, he'd be the leader of Indonesia.