On Tuesday, history will be made when Barack Obama, , becomes the 44th President of the United States. The occasion will be unique, as to date, no African-American has been president; that changes Tuesday. In factors not related to ancestry, however, the President-elect has much in common with his precessors, and should learn from their successes and failures.
Every president from Truman onward has shaped the U.S. relationship with Israel and its immediate neighbors. As discussed previously, building on the efforts of past administrations (including that of the outgoing President Bush) is an essential step to bringing closure in an ongoing dispute where, for the moment, the shooting has stopped.
However, President Obama may be just the person to address another series of disputes — those plaguing Africa. More than arguably any of his predecessors, George W. Bush improved the American position in Africa through various initiatives, including on the continent. As helpful as Bush’s efforts in Africa may have been (even if only as a first step), Obama could to do more, particularly in the political arena of African affairs. Past aid efforts to Africa have faltered when inept local politicians would misappropriate aid dollars, and avoiding such catastrophries is essential for progress. While any sort of foreign involvement can have its detrimental effects, the is an area where Obama’s call for change should manifest itself into support for Morgan Tsvangirai against the continuing repression of the Robert Mugabe.
Last 5 posts by James Kane
- A November to Remember - November 8th, 2010
- On hope and fear - October 18th, 2010
- Expecting Different Results - September 12th, 2010
- A glaring omission on Iraq - August 31st, 2010
- Employing a losing strategy - August 7th, 2010