The
countdown has begun. Curtains are being drawn. Analytics are sharpening their
skills, pens and memories to write a critique of his legacy. Yes, The Obama
administration has embarked upon its last leap before sunset. On 13th
January, the 44th US
president Barack Hussein Obama gave his last state of the union address in the US congress.
With it, he and his colleagues may not have starting packing up to bow out of
DC, but they surely have made a laundry list of tasks to be done within next
few months, have marked some goals to be achieved. They sure have been counting
their hits and misses, to write memoirs like, ‘My Obama Years’ on the lines of
great Henry Kissinger’s famous memoir, My White House years.
With
his last state of the union address, the Obama administration has started the
journey of their last year in office, as the US
constitution doesn’t permit more than two terms for a person to be the
president of the US.
This rule has had only one exception, when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
won four consecutive terms of the office presidency in third and fourth decade
of last century.
Though
it may be too early to analyze the legacy of Obama administration, as he is
still in office and the next president is yet to be chosen by the American
people. But, with his last state of the union address, we can have some hard
and soft looks at his white house years. We may not be in a position to
pronounce a judgment yet, as there may be some surprises or in worst case some
shocks in store, but we surely can try to recall his journey as president, his
milestones, his trials and tribulations.
Obama
aimed the presidency very early. As a first timer Chicago senator, he started to groom himself
for the top job of the world. Within the democratic party, he had many
obstacles. He had no political background, he was too young even for the US political standards and most of all, he was a
black, which is an ostracized class of people in the US society. But, he turned his
deficiencies into strengths. Within the democratic party, he posed as an icon
of non dynastic politics, with his dominating opponent being Hillary Clinton.
He cornered Clinton
on the grounds of her husband’s legacy. Obama sold his novelty in politics,
young age as long required fresh air for the sullen DC politics. And he sold
his being black as his major trait, urging US voters to chose him as first
black president of the US, appealing them that by doing so, they can turn a new
leaf in history, be part of history writing and show the world that, ‘Yes They
Can’ chose a black citizen as their president.
He spectacularly succeeded in selling his ‘Yes We Can’
slogan to the democratic party voters and later to the US citizen at
large. He defeated battle hardy republican candidate John McCain, by opposing Iraq war and saying that the US can’t play
the role of world’s policeman. These were positions diagonally opposed to the
normal US
politician, who have almost always preferred war over peace, due to pressure of
military-industrial complex or due to hawkish arrogance of having supreme
confidence in capabilities of their economy and military.
Interestingly, when Obama was chosen US president,
its economy was in deep recession, if not depression and world trade was in
shambles. Militarily too, the US
was in no position even to dictate terms in the war torn Afghanistan.
Its forces failed to establish peace in Iraq after dethroning and executing
Saddam Hussein.
Obama as president elect, participated in a meeting of
world leaders to discuss world economic situation in Washington. This meeting was called by
Obama’s predecessor George W. Bush. He must have had a feeling that he was
going to have presidency during one of the most challenging phases of US history.
But as was his wont, after taking oath of office, as
he walked into the worst US economic crisis in decades, he said, “while our
economy may be weakened, our confidence shaken, tonight, I want every American
to know this, we will rebuild, we will recover and the US of A will emerge
stronger than ever before.”
Well, that was seven years ago. These were words from
Obama’s first state of union address.
When Obama took office, the US was bruised militarily too.
Billions had already been spent on Bush’ War on terror, still the result was
big Zero. Al Qaida chief, Osama Bin Laden who made himself famous by attacking
the US
mainland first time in its history from outside through 9/11 plane attack, was
still at large. The famous Axis of Evil, as named by, Bush, were alive and
kicking, creating headache for the US. The European allies of the US had their confidence shaken in the US leadership,
due to repeated misadventures. Russia
under the strong leadership of Vladimir Putin was challenging US hegemony. China was on the verge of taking over the US as biggest
economy of the world. Obama inherited two stalemated wars from Bush. In Iraq there was
complete breakdown of a nation. In Afghanistan,
despite being there for almost a decade, the US forces were nowhere.
On home front, people were feeling invasion of state,
in their lives, due to enhanced security protocol being established after 9/11.
Economic hardships were widening the gap between rich and poor. Bush administration
was seen as siding with all pervading state security and intelligence agencies.
Immigrants were feeling most threatened. That fear was hindering the incoming
flow of fresh talent into the US
economy.
Obama started with rebuilding and reconciliation.
Rebuilding the economy and relationships, and, reconciling with the alienated
fellows. He set lofty ideals as his agenda. Taxing the rich, pushing for
greener fuel options, affordable healthcare for all, ending the war, winning
the confidence of allies, limiting the list of enemies, closing Guantanamo bay prison facility in Cuban Island.
He wanted to be people’s president. So, he was seen at times in university
campus, some time sprinting along with public, buying hamburger with his deputy
Joe Biden standing in queue.
When he chose his first term cabinet, it became an
example of reconciliation. He chose Hillary Clinton as his secretary of state,
with whom he had fought a bruising political battle to get his party’s
nomination for presidential election. Despite hugely differing his predecessor
Bush, he retained Robert Gates as his defence secretary, to have a continuation
of policies, still, making some turnaround decision like, withdrawal of forces
from Iraq and Afghanistan.
He advocated reconnect with Muslim world, visited Cairo university, made it
a point to chose a Muslim country for his first foreign visit. Despite huge
pressure from hawks of Republican party and his own party, he made a nuke deal
with Iran
to end the hostilities. After almost after half a century of animosity,
mistrust and conspiracies, he made up with Cuba, thus ending the longest
diplomatic hostility. Due to his breaking off from traditional US thinking, he
had several run ins with the US
congress. On relationship with Iran
and Cuba
and on taxing the rich. Due to his rich tax proposal, US government
had to shut down for 16 days, third longest in US history, as the US Congress
refused to approve Obama’s budget proposals. After threatening to rule by
executive order, he finally made up with the Congress by giving up on some of
the tax proposals. He again had to fight with the US
congress to get approval of his deal with Iran on his pet project Obama care,
which was and continues to be bogged down of controversies.
Despite his lofty ideal of pushing for greener and
cleaner fuel, Obama could not muster courage to tax gas guzzlers as he had
promised during his campaign. But, he claimed to have a cleaner America after
his seven year rules, via more solar and wind energy production, which became
historically high during his regime. It was during Obama regime that in 2010,
the US faced its worst
environmental disaster by the name of BP oil spill in the Gulf
of Mexico.
For the immigrants wishing to come to the US and work
there, Obama administration was like dream come true, despite continuously
reminding challenges from Indian and Chinese work force, Obama relaxed
immigrants law, despite stout opposition from hawks at home.
On war on terror front, at best it can be said that
Obama got mixed results. It was during his regime that the US finally succeeded in bringing Osama Bin Laden
to justice, by killing him in a night raid in Pakistan’s Abottabad. He withdrew
US forces from Iraq, refused
to commit ground forces in Syria
despite huge pressure. And with the help of his European allies, succeeded in
dethroning long time enemy Colonel Gaddafi of Libya. He announced a draw down
from Afghanistan.
But most of these action have led to chaos. Peace in Iraq in shambles. A terror colossus
has risen from the war ravaged Iraq
by the name of ISIS, which is targeting not just US friendly regimes in middle
east, but also, spilling blood in the US
mainland and Europe. Not to mention the huge
refugee crisis the bombarding and funding of anti Assad fighters in Syria has led
to. Despite his good intentions, Obama couldn’t send out a strong message of
respect for Islam by the US.
Which could have lessened the impact of rise of ISIS.
US is still seen as enemy. With its interest targeted worldwide. From, Iraq and Pakistan,
to Turkey and Indonesia. Afghanistan is
in complete chaos. The US
is forced to talk to ‘Good Taliban’. Its ally Pakistan
has become new Axis of evil as Obama himself said in his last State of Union Address.
If we talk about biggest high
point of Obama’s international relations achievements, it surely is
nuclear deal with Iran.
Re establishing ties with Cuba
comes a close second. But Russian usurpation of Crimea from Ukraine,
remains and will remain so, as the biggest blot of Obama regime. From the
perspective of Cold War philosophy, the US looked weak, having surrendered
its self respect to a bully named Putin. While the stated intent of US remains
to expand NATO towards east, the Crimean episode has almost stalled the
process.
Obama while committed to be a dove, when came under
nationalist pressure, acted unwillingly like a hawk. Or, he tried to look like
one. Result of these half hearted attempts at silencing his critics proved
disastrous. Examples are spread all over the Globe. North Korea is exploding hydrogen
bomb. China is exerting
itself across South China Sea,
Taiwan Straits
and Korean sea. Peace in Middle East looks
more and more distant. Latin American nations united in last year’s Summit of
Americas to oppose US’ hegemony in the region. But at the same breath, they
appreciated rapprochement between Cuba
and the US.
Despite his repeated promises to do so, Obama has been
unable to shut down the notorious Gunatanamo
Bay prison facility. His
associates has tried to assure that the President plans to do during his last
year in office.
During his two term, Obama has used every opportunity
to look like a middle class family man, a normal mortal. He took her daughters
for shopping, sometimes dropped them to school, expressed concern over bad
influence of violence in society and internet on kids. He as president, often
enjoyed walk with commoners, broke a leg, whenever he found time. He almost
always joked about his allies and opponents when he interacted with
journalists. He opened White House more than usual for citizens. During the
2012 School shooting incident, he literally wept out of concern for kids. And
we saw re run of emotional Obama when he issued executive order for gun control
as he couldn’t make Congress agree to his gun control measures.
During his last SOTU address, Obama renounced hardline
approach towards ISIS, saying that we
ourselves are giving them credence more than what they are. He tried to
persuade his fellow countrymen to be confident about their nation, their ethos
and not be afraid of immigrants.
If we look at this list, we find more failure than
mention of success. But this failure means a lot. It clearly established a fact
that he tried. And he tried hard. Like US
shutdown, like Nuke deal with Iran.
He made compromises too. And he also stood firm at times.
Obama started on a very positive notes, but he aimed
too high, even beyond his capabilities and what US system of governance allows. So,
I believe he should be pardoned for not succeeding and instead should be hailed
for his out of the box approaches towards various vexed issues. He may have
fewer achievements to mention. But, his attempts have shown us that the US can have
alternative approach too, and they can bear results too.
At this point I would like congratulate him for his
efforts. I wish he be remembered not just for being first black president of
the US,
but also for his far reaching efforts at making peace.
Thank You Mr. President for trying. People like us are
proud of you.
