Russia's View on Obama's first 100 Days - Admission/Application Essay Example

Russia's View on Obama's first 100 Days The Russian media has a largely positive view of Obama’s victory and his first 100 days in office. This is because of the widely held perception that the losing Republican candidate, Senator John McCain was against Russia and Russian interests. In the run-up to the US presidential elections of 2008, there was the conflict between Russia and Georgia that threatened to escalate and it was widely believed that Sen. McCain would have followed the same policies that the previous administration was following with regards to Russia. Further, the global economic crisis is seen by many Russians as something that originated in the US and hence the US should take responsibility for de-stabilizing the international economy by exporting its financial crises throughout the world. This is a view that not only Russians but also many other commentators are now voicing. Komsomolskaya Pravda writes: Now is not the time for Obama to rest on laurels. Russia's largest newspaper notes that Obama faces more challenges than perhaps any president since either FDR or Lincoln. RIA Novosti reports that Russian MPs more balanced US administration under Obama. The Russian news agency reports that several leading MPs expect more conciliation from the US because Obama will be focused on domestic issues. However, with the price of oil being cut in half from its former high over $140 a barrel to under $60, Russia might likely have to become more conciliatory as well. InterPress News Agency writes: Medvedev Hopes Obama Presidency will Strengthen Ties with Russia. Georgia's television network Rustavi2 reports on Georgian ministers’ comments on Obama victory. Georgian ministers are sure that the foreign policy of the United States and relations with Georgia will not change after the election of democratic candidate Obama in the U.S. presidential race. The English-language Georgian Times writes that Prime Minister of Georgia Congratulated Americans with New President. Georgia's new Prime Minister Grigol Mgaloblishvili said he expects US-Georgian relations will be strengthened under an Obama presidency. Russians this morning reacted enthusiastically to Obama's victory - with many voicing the hope that he will improve US-Russian relations, which have severely strained during the Bush years. There was also relief that John McCain - seen in Moscow as the more aggressively anti-Russian of the two presidential candidates - failed to win. McCain had infuriated the Kremlin by calling for Russia's expulsion from the G8 club of industrialized countries following August's war in Georgia. On this occasion the US electorate had got it right, several said. "I always assumed that Americans were rational and that they would pick Obama," Alexander Sukhov, 47, a lawyer, said today, near his Moscow office. Sukhov said that McCain's chances had risen during the war in Georgia - only to sink again with the global economic crisis. He added: "I don't expect relations with Moscow and Washington to change fundamentally, but I do think they will go in a better direction." Russians woke up to news of Obama's victory - with confirmation that he had won the presidency coming at 7am (4am GMT) local time, as workers struggled back to the office under a grey sky after a long three-day bank holiday. "Obama is good news for Russia. He will get America out of Iraq, improve relations, and end the Cold War with our country," Sergei Chizhov, a 31-year-old car dealer declared. Chizhov said George Bush's presidency had been "a nightmare" for Russia. "He supported Georgia against us during the war. Obama won't support Georgia in the same way. From the beginning Bush's rhetoric has been anti-Russian. Things have been difficult for us ever since he became president," he said. There were contrary views on whether ordinary Russians would welcome the US's first black president. Racism is commonplace in Russia, with frequent attacks here on ethnic workers from post-Soviet countries. "Personally I'm pleased that Obama has won," Max Stamen, 21, a musician, said. He added: "I think it's normal. But his election is likely to disappoint a lot of people in Russia, especially all our skinheads. I don't think many Russians are especially tolerant of the idea of a black man as president." Vladimir Sezdozetsky, 31, a businessman, said he was glad Obama had won – rather than what he termed "that old guy". "The most important thing about Obama isn't that he's black but that he's young. I'm glad he won. Its better that Obama is the president than some 72-year-old old guy who - let's face it - is going to die soon." In a country as diverse as Russia - which includes numerous ethnic minority groups - some identified with Obama as a fellow-outsider. Ludmila Igmatullina, 48, an accountant, said: "That he is black isn't important. I'm a Tartar and a Muslim, grew up in Siberia and come from an ethnic minority inside Russia. There is no reason why people from an ethnic minority background can't be trusted." The results of the US presidential elections always draw worldwide attention. This time it was positive. There was none of the usual resentment of the fact that the president of a country which in many respects determines the way the world is run is only elected by the population of that country. American sympathies clearly coincided with those of people in most other countries. The mass antipathy aroused by the current president has bred an expectation of change from a candidate who declared his desire for radical renewal. It has also prompted a readiness to cast him as the best representative of the ordinary people, someone directly connected not just with the West, but with Africa and Asia, someone who has his himself experienced the problems of minorities etc. As one Russian liberal of the older generation noted somewhat paradoxically: ‘If I were American, I would of course vote for Obama - firstly because he is black, and secondly because he is a man of culture.' Most Americans probably voted for other reasons, but the result was the same. Some of these hopes seemed to us naïve. Pretending to be against the system is not an entirely honest approach when submitting oneself for election. Nothing changes in an instant, and the candidates did not have sweeping plans for change. There were other concerns too; among them that Obama was immature and lacked experience to be president of the world's most powerful country. All this made us very doubtful that he was the optimal candidate. However, there was no candidate who was particularly inspiring - they all had their shortcomings. Over time the situation changed in all respects. Although we disliked the ‘Obama-mania', it could only be regarded as positive that a broader social demographic was participating in the political system. To some extent Obama became the representative of a mass movement. In Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, and to a lesser degree Ukraine, the fact that the ‘color' revolutions enjoyed mass public support did not prevent their ideals being betrayed. In a liberal democracy such a betrayal is much more difficult. The unfolding events were bound to change the electorate's ideas about the suitability of the different candidates. For example, in the circumstances of 2006, we might have expected a more sober view of Russian-American relations from McCain than after the Caucasian war, when he was too directly involved with one of the parties to the conflict. Hence his rigid adherence to the ‘punitive' approach. At present, when maintaining dialogue is the more important for being complicated, this position could seriously have escalated the confrontation. In the context of mounting anti-Americanism in different parts of the world, the mass support underpinning Obama's election will help resolve issues which the current administration were unable to tackle because it had become so mistrusted and disliked. While not wanting to join the chorus of raised expectations, it must be admitted that the new American president really does start from quite a strong position. In the end, mistrust, though of a different kind, underlies even an economic crisis, and recovery is only possible if that problem is addressed. Obama, having acknowledged the serious nature of the crisis, will be able to unite the nation around his person, thus making himself an important factor in its resolution. In this respect the Russian leadership is in a much weaker position. For while initially they talked of Russia being ‘an island of stability' and kept quiet about the problems, now they are taking measures without having held widespread preliminary discussion. They express their wish to reform the global financial institutions, but they have not made it clear over the last month how exactly this can be achieved. The process of deciding the make-up the future Obama administration which has now begun is bound to disappoint people who are expecting faces never before seen in the corridors of power or big business. It will also guarantee hours of interesting discussion as people try to guess future policy from the names of the incumbents to important positions. For other countries, the period until 21 January is a time for maintaining civil relations with the ‘lame ducks', while strengthening contacts with the winning group. We have long maintained the importance of Russia establishing these contacts when the parties nominated their candidates, and we can only hope this was done. It would be desirable not to allow relations to deteriorate before Obama assumes the post, and as soon as possible to correct the impression left by inappropriate threats made of an asymmetrical response to the deployment of Anti-Ballistic Missiles in Europe.   For the start of a dialogue, the infamous notion of a ‘multipolar' world does not look much more promising. The thesis seems to us to be too ill-thought out to be able to take a view of it. It would be more understandable and productive to be considering how we can combine diverse cultures and the universality of rules, a common value space for Europe, Russia and the USA, a system of rapid reaction to local crises, etc. It is also important to keep talking about a collective security system for North America, Europe and Russia. But to ensure that this discussion is better heard, the idea should be developed in a more concrete form. The next task will be to establish a forum for ongoing dialogue about such a system with the USA, Canada, and the European Union and European countries which are not yet part of the EU. This dialogue, which is valuable in itself, will be no easy matter. But it probably presents no harder task than that which culminated in 1975 with the signing of the Helsinki Final Act. The Russian optimism towards Barack Obama has largely been justified in the wake of Obama’s assertions and actions in the first 100 days of his administration. Ever since Obama took over, there has been a palpable sense of relief in all quarters and Russia is no different. Most of the Russian media that we surveyed previously has welcomed Obama’s election. And Obama’s gestures of friendship towards Russia and other countries have only strengthened the positive feelings towards him. It is apparent that there are going to be better relations between Russia and the US with the ascendancy of Barack Obama as the president. This was evident from the statements of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other members of the Obama administration towards better relations with Russia. In conclusion, as we surveyed the reactions of the Russian media and other publications towards Obama’s presidency, it is clear that there are lots of positive vibes between Obama and the Russian establishment. It is hoped that this continues and better relations are maintained between both the sides. Sources “Barack Obama: The View from Russia”. Guardian.com. 05 Nov 2008. 28 Apr 2009 www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/05/barackobama-uselections08 “Why Russia must trust America’s Perestroika”. Foreign Policy Blogs. 06 Nov 2008. 28 Apr 2009. russia.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/11/06/why-russia-must-trust-americas-perestroika/ Read More