Will Barack redeem the U.S. to the world?

[Loren Booda]

Is Barack Obama the only candidate in the 2008 presidential election who can win back the respect that the United States seems to have lost of recent? Otherwise, will we continue fading into history like so many once-great powers? Besides, do you see stronger attempts by governments to compete multilaterally against the U.S. military in the near future?

 

[Poop-Loops]

It would be hard to make things WORSE, and probably not too hard to keep it the same, so I'm thinking anybody could improve relations between the US and the world.

Obama has shown to be a "nice guy", though, so that will no doubt be a good thing. Wanting to talk to people instead of shooting them is likely to get us a lot further.

McCain wants to stay in the war and now condones torture, so there's no use trying to rely on him. Clinton might do good, but she carries a lot of her husband's past, and world leaders who didn't like him might not want to talk to her, etc. even if she is great.

 

[fourier jr]

Is Barack Obama the only candidate in the 2008 presidential election who can win back the respect that the United States seems to have lost of recent?

Unless the US gets rid of the military-industrial-intelligence complex that Ike Eisenhower spoke of, Obama's followers are just as delusional as those people who are now losing their houses because they couldn't afford their lifestyles.

 

[russ_watters]

Is Barack Obama the only candidate in the 2008 presidential election who can win back the respect that the United States seems to have lost of recent? Otherwise, will we continue fading into history like so many once-great powers? Besides, do you see stronger attempts by governments to compete multilaterally against the U.S. military in the near future?

What's your opinion on McCain?

Anyway, I'm not terribly concerned about us being respected. The photos of Kosovars waving American flags at their celebrations last week was all the thanks we need.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Yep, Bill Clinton handled that one very well.

 

[EL]

Yep, Bill Clinton handled that one very well.

Exactly! US involvement in former Yugoslavia was great, but that's not what US are criticized for nowadays.

 

[EL]

Is Barack Obama the only candidate in the 2008 presidential election who can win back the respect that the United States seems to have lost of recent? Otherwise, will we continue fading into history like so many once-great powers? Besides, do you see stronger attempts by governments to compete multilaterally against the U.S. military in the near future?

I wouldn't say the only candidate, but probably the one who can do it best. At least I really hope he'll be elected. Second on the list I have Clinton, who probably also can do much for healing the relationships. Actually, I'm not sure McCain would be such a disaster either. For being republican, he seems quite nice. (Well, I don't really expect much from them.)

Thank god(!) it looks like there won't be another fundamentalist (i.e. Huckabee) in charge next time. It seems it can only get better.

 

[Loren Booda]

russ_watters,

Among Republican nominees, McCain would be my first choice. I have always been against our starting the war in Iraq (Afghanistan was a different matter), but believe we must be cautious in withdrawing now that we are so involved. He is quite old, but experienced, and I greatly respect his suffering in Vietnam. His policies, like amnesty for illegals (haven't we been there before?), seem mostly moderate compared to those of party conservatives. On the surface he appears more typically presidental than Hillary or Obama. Due to bollixing by the Bush administration, the Republicans have a steep climb to overcome, however.

Tell me, did I hear correctly that Kosovo achieved independence?

 

[chemisttree]

Yes, if 'achieved' = 'declared'.

 

[Gokul43201]

Is Barack Obama the only candidate in the 2008 presidential election who can win back the respect that the United States seems to have lost of recent? Otherwise, will we continue fading into history like so many once-great powers?

Does it take the respect of other countries to not lose greatness?

China, owing to its blatant disrespect for international trade norms and civil liberties/human rights, isn't rparticularly adored by most of the world. This has not prevented its meteoric rise over this last decade.

So will it matter if the US isn't respected by other countries; why should it not continue to dominate the cutting edge as it currently does in many fields (science, technology, higher education, sport, economic productivity, etc.) ? And in areas where the US is not the dominant country (primary/secondary education, public health, crime prevention, etc.) what causal relationship is there between the lack of greatness and the respect of other countries? Is there any correlation, for instance, between who the President has been, and how medal gold medals the US won in the last Olympics?

 

[russ_watters]

Yep, Bill Clinton handled that one very well.

Win some lose some, and yes, that's his big foreign policy win. He circumvented the UN and went in under NATO. Surprisingly bold for him, but the right thing to do.

 

[Loren Booda]

If we value worldwide democracy and the opinions of individuals, then we would be very concerned how they perceive (with or without respect) the democratically elected, most powerful figurehead - the President of the United States.

The people with the most respect for the U.S. and its elected officials seem to be first generation citizens, those who once showed that respect from afar.

How long can we remain a world leader without initiating global respect in our choice of Chief Executive?

 

[russ_watters]

If we value worldwide democracy and the opinions of individuals, then we would be very concerned how they perceive (with or without respect) the democratically elected, most powerful figurehead - the President of the United States.

Why? Doesn't the fact that an idiot can get elected -- and then leave 8 years later show just how stable and functional our system of government is? As bad as people think Bush is, he didn't destroy the country and now he's leaving.

The people with the most respect for the U.S. and its elected officials seem to be first generation citizens, those who once showed that respect from afar.

Yes. And they would know best the contrast between where they were and where they are now.

How long can we remain a world leader without initiating global respect in our choice of Chief Executive?

Indefinitely. As Gokul pointed out, the two don't really have anything to do with each other.

 

[EL]

As bad as people think Bush is, he didn't destroy the country and now he's leaving.

Depends on how you define "destroy", and which "country" you are talking about.