Obama warms up ties

A visiting leader is profiled before arrival. But Barack Obama deserves to be profiled after he has ended a visit that is, and shall remain, historic.

That chemistry worked brilliantly between him and Narendra Modi is one reason. The larger reason is the broad convergence of India’s interests and those of the United States, leading to resolution of many vexed issues. Many more remain to be resolved. But then, relationship between any two people is never a one-off affair.

Indians warmed up to the audacious Modi invite to him as the chief guest at the Republic Day, and Obama’s acceptance of it. But there was, and perhaps still is, little awareness of the problems Obama encountered at home.

Influential American quarters insisted that Obama’s India visit was “non-essential.” To them Obama, already into the second half of his second and final term as the President, was leaving home just to show how pro-active he is in dealing with the world.

The Associated Press (AP) said: “President Obama crosses into one of the indisputable stages of a lame-duck presidency. That is the non-essential foreign travel stage."

“Yes, there are strategic interests with India, and those will be on the agenda, but think about the timing of this. The President is going to India three days after his State of the Union address, when he normally would be out trying to rally Congress and the public behind his agenda,” AP’s White House correspondent Julie Price said. She termed it Obama’s “lame-duck tour.” Thankfully for her, but not for Barack and wife Michelle who missed it for the second time, the Taj visit was off.

The Americans are forever irreverent towards their leaders. When it comes to foreign affairs, they put their President through multiple lenses that judge not just whether American national interests are safeguarded, but also if America has been shown as the richest, strongest, super power.

Probably, they are unable to digest the chemistry between Obama and Modi. Even post-India visit, the defence and the anti-nuclear lobbies are bound to target Obama for his perceived giving in to Indian ‘pressures.’ Probably, they will keep quiet when their arms and nuclear power reactors are sold at huge profits to India.

Despite his show of popularity among Indian Americans and American Indians at Madison Square Garden last year, when he attracted over 20,000 of them, a score of Congressmen and Senators and business honchos, Modi remains an enigma to the Americans.

They are used to seeing Presidents and Prime Ministers coming to Washington after attending the United Nations General Assembly. Hence, it would need passage of time, right moves by both India and the US, a continuing convergence of interests and hopefully, no controversies like diplomat Devyani Khobragade’s detention, for the Americans to see India in a positive light.

For Indians, Obama’s tenure has been good, despite fluctuations in ties. Unlike Bill Clinton and George W Bush who took note of India only in their second terms, Obama warmed up to India right from the beginning and has stayed that way for the last six years. This is saying a lot.

His affection is genuine, judging from the gracious manner in which he met the Congress leadership, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (whom he calls “wise guru”), even though they are no longer in power.

True, Obama is lame-duck, near the end of his sixth year in power. Assessment of how he has performed is already beginning to be made.

American history is barely four centuries old. But they do have a sense of history. They will want to watch whether Obama, who made history by becoming the first black president, will make history again as he goes out of the White House.

Some ‘instant’ analysts’ opinion on Obama, at home and abroad, has swung like a pendulum after the Republican Party won control of both Houses of the US Congress in November. Many Democrats blamed his style of leadership for their losses. But by end-2014, several domestic as well as international indicators have compelled a reassessment. The American Right has always considered him “un-American”. That has much to do with his being a black, not someone from the ‘establishment’ – in short, not a White man of Irish descent. But there are many moderates and liberals who credit him where it is due.

For one, the American economy is ticking after phases of downturn. Compared to six years ago, it is in a steady run of growth. The unemployment rate is down to 5.8% from over 10% six years ago. The budget deficit is declining as a proportion of GDP, the stock market booms. Most Americans, for whom he fought, can now have affordable healthcare.

Much of the American military involvement abroad, especially in West Asia, has to do with oil. Today, the US is self-sufficient and can even export, if it chooses. As global oil prices sky-rocketed owing to West Asian crises, the US hiked its domestic production, using the shale technology.

Obama inherited a continuing war against global terrorism plus two conventional wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The latter was a disaster that should never have occurred. Obama has kept his election promise, made when he first sought the presidency, by quitting Afghanistan. However, it is really a victory-less withdrawal. At least, he has cut military expenditure and minimised prospects of American soldiers coming home in coffins.

Neither Iraq nor Afghanistan is near being normal, nor are they likely to be. Obama’s getting the country out may take away at least one reason for the trouble continuing, that is the American military presence. The emergence of the Islamic State and its spread outside Iraq and Syria poses a real threat to world peace. This has undoubtedly complicated things. Obama still has a few months to act. His crowning glory remains the elimination of Osama bin Laden. But he has not displayed the grit to take the “war on terror,” in whatever name and form, to trouble spots where not just Al Qaida, but ISIS is thriving.

The world remains chaotic. But Obama has not rushed in like Bush did, triggering and/or worsening crises. He must be credited with talking with Iran, ending four decades’ confrontation. He has dealt with China’s rising global presence in a wise manner. Closer home, he has surprised everyone by rolling back America’s Cold War approach towards Cuba.

Finally, he has inducted maximum of ethnic Indians into his administration. His ambassador to India Rahul Richard Verma, is, for the first time ever, an Indian American.

By: Mahendra Ved