Ordie
11-16-2008, 09:33 AM
Leaders of the troubled world Obama will inherit from Bush
Sunday, November 16, 2008
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Brazil
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
Hungry to be a world power
Brazil has by far the largest economy in Latin America and is now a growing power on the world economic stage. It forswore nuclear weapons, campaigned for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council and sits on 11 billion barrels of proven oil reserves. Brazil is driven to be a global player. The United States should help.
Egypt
President Hosni Mubarak
Bellwether for the Arab world
Mubarak talks from two sides of his mouth, but one side utters words of assurance to Washington. That's more than many Arab states offer. Egypt's 82 million people breathe anti-Americanism, but it's not as virulent as in some neighboring states. If Washington loses Egypt, its tenuous position in the Arab world would collapse.
India
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
Counterweight to China
India posits itself as the other major developing nation, and that's how the Bush administration has treated it - as a bulkhead against Chinese financial and political hegemony. Like China, India has a robust, advanced economy that is weighed down by pervasive poverty. When Washington pays attention to India, China watches closely - a good thing.
Pakistan
President Asif Ali Zardari
World's most dangerous state
Pakistan may be President-elect Barack Obama's greatest foreign dilemma. It has nuclear weapons, an unstable government - and the planet's worst history of nuclear proliferation. Without full-throated support from Islamabad, the violence in Afghanistan will never be contained. Pakistan also hosts the world's most dangerous terrorists. Could al Qaeda ever get its hands on Pakistani nuclear weapons?
Mexico
President Felipe Calderon
Too important to ignore
Washington pays more attention to Japan, or Poland, than to Mexico. Obama can pay lip service at his peril. No other country has the ability to influence domestic politics so directly. Illegal Mexican immigrants provide benefits and costs - but also anger and calls for reform that can change the course of this nation.
Kazakhstan
President Nursultan Nazarbayev
Eager to be our friend
Kazakhstan's importance is straightforward: 9 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, 1.765 trillion cubic meters of natural gas - and a strategic position in Central Asia. Nazarbayev plays a careful balancing act between East and West, but he is obviously pleased when American officials come to visit. Obama should flatter him.
Iran
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Busy making trouble
Iran's propensity to cause trouble is manifest. Its nuclear program is only the most obvious concern. Iran is the chief financial sponsor of Hezbollah and Hamas. It supplies weapons and training to insurgents killing American troops in Iraq. No other state has dirty hands in so many places. But isolating Iran isn't working. Obama should try something else.
Venezuela
President Hugo Chavez
Leader of the angry Latin left
As Venezuela goes, so go Ecuador, Bolivia and Nicaragua. In hindsight, the United States made a serious mistake when it offered tacit support for a failed coup in 2002. Much of Chavez's anger is directed at Bush. When Bush leaves office, Obama has the chance to improve relations with Venezuela - and then the other three states as well.
Russia
President Dmitry Medvedev
The new cold war
Medvedev greeted Obama's election with an incendiary speech blaming the United States for all the world's ills. Yes, Bush needlessly antagonized Russia. Obama should approach Moscow with respect - but also confidence and strength. Before that, ask the question: Does Bush's missile-defense system that Russia so deplores really work? If not, get rid of it.
Syria
President Bashar Assad
Willing to talk
Until recently, Syria was, if not an ally, at least a nation that Washington could talk to. In the last few years, however, Syria was caught making serious mischief in Lebanon and Iraq - while apparently working on nuclear weapons. Even with that, isolating Syria makes no sense. Assad is not predisposed to hate America. He can be influenced. Talk to him.
Source:[url]http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/16/IND4142C42.DTL&type=printable (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2008/11/16/IND4142C42.DTL&o=0&type=printable)
Sunday, November 16, 2008
[/URL]
Brazil
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
Hungry to be a world power
Brazil has by far the largest economy in Latin America and is now a growing power on the world economic stage. It forswore nuclear weapons, campaigned for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council and sits on 11 billion barrels of proven oil reserves. Brazil is driven to be a global player. The United States should help.
Egypt
President Hosni Mubarak
Bellwether for the Arab world
Mubarak talks from two sides of his mouth, but one side utters words of assurance to Washington. That's more than many Arab states offer. Egypt's 82 million people breathe anti-Americanism, but it's not as virulent as in some neighboring states. If Washington loses Egypt, its tenuous position in the Arab world would collapse.
India
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
Counterweight to China
India posits itself as the other major developing nation, and that's how the Bush administration has treated it - as a bulkhead against Chinese financial and political hegemony. Like China, India has a robust, advanced economy that is weighed down by pervasive poverty. When Washington pays attention to India, China watches closely - a good thing.
Pakistan
President Asif Ali Zardari
World's most dangerous state
Pakistan may be President-elect Barack Obama's greatest foreign dilemma. It has nuclear weapons, an unstable government - and the planet's worst history of nuclear proliferation. Without full-throated support from Islamabad, the violence in Afghanistan will never be contained. Pakistan also hosts the world's most dangerous terrorists. Could al Qaeda ever get its hands on Pakistani nuclear weapons?
Mexico
President Felipe Calderon
Too important to ignore
Washington pays more attention to Japan, or Poland, than to Mexico. Obama can pay lip service at his peril. No other country has the ability to influence domestic politics so directly. Illegal Mexican immigrants provide benefits and costs - but also anger and calls for reform that can change the course of this nation.
Kazakhstan
President Nursultan Nazarbayev
Eager to be our friend
Kazakhstan's importance is straightforward: 9 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, 1.765 trillion cubic meters of natural gas - and a strategic position in Central Asia. Nazarbayev plays a careful balancing act between East and West, but he is obviously pleased when American officials come to visit. Obama should flatter him.
Iran
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Busy making trouble
Iran's propensity to cause trouble is manifest. Its nuclear program is only the most obvious concern. Iran is the chief financial sponsor of Hezbollah and Hamas. It supplies weapons and training to insurgents killing American troops in Iraq. No other state has dirty hands in so many places. But isolating Iran isn't working. Obama should try something else.
Venezuela
President Hugo Chavez
Leader of the angry Latin left
As Venezuela goes, so go Ecuador, Bolivia and Nicaragua. In hindsight, the United States made a serious mistake when it offered tacit support for a failed coup in 2002. Much of Chavez's anger is directed at Bush. When Bush leaves office, Obama has the chance to improve relations with Venezuela - and then the other three states as well.
Russia
President Dmitry Medvedev
The new cold war
Medvedev greeted Obama's election with an incendiary speech blaming the United States for all the world's ills. Yes, Bush needlessly antagonized Russia. Obama should approach Moscow with respect - but also confidence and strength. Before that, ask the question: Does Bush's missile-defense system that Russia so deplores really work? If not, get rid of it.
Syria
President Bashar Assad
Willing to talk
Until recently, Syria was, if not an ally, at least a nation that Washington could talk to. In the last few years, however, Syria was caught making serious mischief in Lebanon and Iraq - while apparently working on nuclear weapons. Even with that, isolating Syria makes no sense. Assad is not predisposed to hate America. He can be influenced. Talk to him.
Source:[url]http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/16/IND4142C42.DTL&type=printable (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2008/11/16/IND4142C42.DTL&o=0&type=printable)