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Thursday, June 2, 2011

A CHICAGO YANKEE IN QUEEN ELIZABETH’S COURT: European tour of Obama



American President is not a common guest in Europe. Last time Obama visited the Old Continent two years ago. His current visit, thought, hardly resembles the visit of 2009. Despite the fact that the last time he had a trail of a man, responsible for the financial crisis, this time European disappointment in America was way more substantial.

American President is not a common guest in Europe. Last time Obama visited the Old Continent two years ago. His current visit, thought, hardly resembles the visit of 2009. Despite the fact that the last time he had a trail of a man, responsible for the financial crisis, this time European disappointment in America was way more substantial.

One of the reasons for this cool-down is the decisions of the London G20 summit that have never been brought to life. The past two years have crystallized out two different approaches for overcoming the recession astride the Atlantic. Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain that fetched themselves at the edge of financial abyss, are trying to cut the budget spending, while the USA have chosen the opposite way of dealing with the economic problems. Mind-boggling amounts of American stimulus packages have drawn the budget deficit to the equally fantastic level. Obama’s administration has only admitted the need to reduce the public debt, when in April Standard & Poor’s agency demoted the American rating to negative, having noted that the USA is the only developed country that doesn’t even have as a much as a plan how to fight the budget deficit. Today, however, Washington has two — the one presented by the President himself and the one brought up by the Republican majority in the House of Representatives. They, however, failed to reach a consensus and across-the-board cut has never happened. Meanwhile, last week deficit of American budget has reached the legally permitted maximum of $14.3 trillion.
Europeans are surely to feel the consequences of American financial policy. If financial markets burst into panic, having sensed the prospect of bankruptcy for the ten-million-strong Greece or four-million-strong Ireland, then troubles of three-hundred-million-strong America, being the largest world economy at the moment, may lead to a new financial tsunami as well. The USA and Europe have different attitude to the issue of inflation, too. Although, in the euro-zone it makes up merely 2.8%, comparing to American 3.2%, European Central Bank increased the refinancing rate last month (for the first time during last two years) and that is hardly the last increase this year. American Federal Reserve though, believes that inflation growth is a transient phenomenon, caused by external reasons like oil price growth. That’s why the USA schedules no means to fight inflation whatsoever — all the more, according to the U.S. Treasury, it will hinder the fight against unemployment.
Comprehending the anxiety of his American allies, U.S. President did his to best to show them his utter respect, amiability and remind about the community of interests once again. In Ireland Obama found his Irish origins, drank a pint of Guinness in a pub and charmed everyone with his manners of a “common guy from Chicago”. In Dublin, having run into a woman speaking on her cell phone among the crowd of people greeting him, he took her phone and spoke with an unknown subscriber for few minutes. Rejoice of the crowd could have hardly been bigger. In England, however, unrefined manners of Obama have rather been viewed in an ironically-critical light. Buckingham Palace still appraises the old-fashioned good manners. Everything started from a way too lengthy speech that the U.S. President prepared, which is unwelcomed at the solemn royal dinners. That was seemingly the reason why Obama started his speech even before the guests had the time to take their seats and then continued it even after orchestra played the anthem of the United Kingdom, which means the beginning of Her Majesty’s speech, according to the court etiquette. Society columnists have also complained about the dress of American First Lady. Her dress, shown at the photo above, was considered way too skimpy and the absence of hat has presented Michelle Obama in an improper light with the very first gust of a real English wind. One of English high-society columnists has even suggested that she was struck by electricity when the picture was made.

Gust of an English wing and an absence of hat presented American First Lady in weird view
Yet, English press media has unanimously admitted Obama’s “absent-mindedness” to be the most scandalous trick of his. He either missed the toast, or seceded to keep fit, but he never drank for the health of the Her Majesty. Englishmen, who adore their Queen, never forgave him, even despite the common meeting the English soldiers, who fought in Afghanistan, where Obama along with British Prime Minister David Cameron have been roasting hamburgers with their own hands and handing them out to the military, while charmingly smiling and shaking hands of veterans.
The next point of Obama’s tour was Deauville and the G8 summit, dedicated to the “Arab Spring” and the next IMF Managing Director-to-be candidacy was discussed. Here Obama could have a sigh of relief and take off the mask of a “plain fellow”.

G8 leaders at the Deauville summit
Besides, spouse of a French President was the main star of summit, whose well-rounded figure drew more media attention than the agenda, discussed by the leader of eight greatest countries in the world.

Carla Bruni demonstrates her new treasure in Deauville
As for the really important Deauville events, we have to single out the position of world leaders to support the Arab revolutions and possibility of vesting Russia the authority to be a mediator in negotiations with Libya. Negotiations of Dmitry Medvedev with Barack Obama were every bit as important for us. Although leader of two countries have failed to make new arrangements regarding the new scheme of BMD deployment in Europe, his statements regarding this issue give as a chance to believe that the solution for this painful issue still can be worked out. During the bilateral talks Obama told Russian President to appoint a new U.S. Ambassador to Russia. Well-known specialist on Russian issues and close associate of Obama Michael McFaul is to be the man. The appointment counters the common American practice. For the first time a man with no diplomatic experience — yet with numerous other merits — is being appointed to the post. McFaul is a Professor of the Stanford University, co-author of the most famous American political researcher Francis Fukuyama and — we have to lay a special stress here — “friend of a prominent Russia human right advocate Lev Ponomarev”. Obama is yet to thoroughly analyze and adequately respond to the latter hint though.

Future U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul
Final accord of the European tour of American President sounded in Poland. Poles, the most devoted American allies in Europe have long awaited this visit. It actually became the recognition of the role that Poland plays in European policy of America. It was serious business and Obama’s office functioned like a clock. Out of 23 hours that Obama spent in Warsaw not a single minute was wasted. Everything that Obama said and did in Poland was adjusted to millimeters and calibrated for the right angle of perception by both Americans and Poles. Heartily welcome of the Armia Krajowa[1] veterans, promise to pay a family visit to Poland in 2013 in order attend the opening of Museum of Polish Jews History, mentioning that he’s from Chicago himself (and thus feel himself almost a Pole[2]), laying the flowers to memorial board of Smolensk catastrophe victims, meeting with the veteran-leaders of democratic opposition. We have to admit that Obama’s aides know for sure, which button they should push, in order to get a needed response. Being perfectly aware of Polish ambitions to play a greater role in the international affairs, U.S. President told about invaluable contribution that Poland can make to the creation of democratic societies in Arab countries, using their own post-totalitarian experience. Knowing about Polish discontent with the unilateral visa regime with the USA, Obama said that soon enough every Pole will be able to make purchases at the Fifth Avenue.
Two minor circumstances have “stained” an almost irreproachable Barack Obama’s visit to Warsaw. The first one may be considered insignificant: guard of honor from Wojsko Polskie[3], which greeted American President, has brought horses to the parade ground, which was full of smelly traces when they left. The second circumstance is a much slighting one. Nobel Peace Prize winner Lech Wałęsa refused to meet another Nobel Peace Prize winner Barack Obama and discuss an opportunity to share his democratization experience with the revolutionary Arabs. As the former Polish President explained, his tight schedule forbade him from making the time to meet the President of the United States. As Polish media found out, Wałęsa was busy advertising the network of “Biedronka” supermarkets at the moment. It is well-known that Poles have “their own pride”. Although, German Der Spiegel that Wałęsa presented Obama a basket[4] as an excusal gift, but what can we do if Lech didn’t feel much sympathy for Obama. He was unwilling to meet him as laureate with laureate.


[1] Home Army
[2] Major part of Polish community in America lives in the USA.
[3] Armed Forces of Polish Republic
[4] In Ukraine and Belarus presenting a water-melon to the matchmakers symbolizes the denial of the suitor. In Germany a basket plays the similar role. 

2 comments:

  1. Is it possible Lech could not meet with Barry because Barry has not been peaceful since receiving the so-called Nobel Prize for Peace?

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  2. I would rather believe that Obama somehow hurt the national Polish pride, which is an easy thing to do these days.

    ReplyDelete