In the Realm of Poverty

By Ivelina Darvenyashka

Obama’s presidency has brought a lot of hope for a sustainable and bright future in African countries. It is unquestionable how many the expectations that African population have for Obama for the next couple of years are. A part of those expectations are results of Obama’s African origins and previous exposures to the culture, the lifestyle and the grounded problems in the nation. Poverty stays as one of the major political issues that Obama has to face in all the countries in Africa. Because of his experience with poverty when he was a kid in Indonesia, the expectations of the African population that Barack Obama will be able to fight successfully with the widespread poverty are even higher.
On his official website, Obama brings some of the major points on the agenda of the US towards foreign policy, including poverty directed policies in Africa. His primal goal is to cut poverty around the world in half by 2015. Even though this political decision may bring hope to the third world countries, can we trust Obama that this will really happen? The plans for “curing” poverty in Africa and other countries around the globe do not oscillate a lot from the plans of the Clinton administration. If the past US-Africa policy did not bring the desired results towards the global fight with poverty, can we believe that Obama’s support towards Africa will come not only because of his African American origin, but also because of his diplomatic skills and humanitarian nature?
Unfortunately, there are some striking facts concerning US involvement in global poverty acts. First, the US contributes only a slight amount of money of its Gross National Input to the Official Development Assistance. Second, the reality shows that among the international – oriented areas that are of major concern for the US administration, Africa holds a minor position.
However, Africans should stay optimistic about Obama as he is still the major figure in the Global Poverty Act. Moreover, Obama is with no doubt a charismatic person who brings hope to people all over the world. He believes in justice and equality regardless of the skin color and therefore, he might be the one who can find the “cure” for the poverty around African countries. The question that we are left with is whether Obama will be more driven by his origin or by the American interests with concern to the bright economically stable future of the African population.

Crossing the Political Fence

By Ioana Botea

Enthusiasm over Barack Obama’s inauguration has crossed the border to Mexico. The physical tangency between the two countries has rarely been translated into productive cooperation, but expectations seem more realistic than ever given Obama’s promise to reform immigration policy and restore U.S. – Mexican relations. His continued support from Hispanic communities both within and beyond American borders appears unaffected by his decision to visit Canada on his first trip abroad as the President of the United States. Perhaps with the failure of the 2001 “cowboy summit” in mind, Mexicans embrace this return to tradition in hope of more meaningful change.

The top priorities on Obama’s agenda include securing the border and improving the American immigration system. In order to enhance security on both sides of the border, he has reiterated the pressing need to crack down on drug-trafficking and to disrupt arms smuggling and money laundering. Recognizing the urgency of inhibiting both illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations, he admits that “we will be a nation of laws and immigrants” (The Dallas Morning News). Immigration is a fundamental aspect of American society, but the contemporary problem seems to be caused more by the “change in face” of immigration, rather than by the influx of people itself. Nevertheless, Obama embodies this transfiguration and represents, in the words of one Mexican, “the crystallization of a dream” (Cox News Service).

In an increasingly integrated global market, myopic policies are obsolete. Obama thus recognizes the pressure to amend the NAFTA agreement in order to stimulate economic development in Mexico. In an interview with The Dallas Morning News Obama declared, “To reduce illegal immigration, we also have to help Mexico develop its own economy, so that more Mexicans can lay their dreams south of the border.” In addition to increased foreign aid, Obama’s plan includes a bilateral strategy for improving living conditions in border communities. However, reaching over to the southern neighbor would be easier if not obstructed by a wall – for which Obama did vote in 2006. The future of the relations between the U.S. and Mexico depends on the recognition of the interdependence between the two neighbors. The self-serving policies of the U.S. have created problems that Mexico is unable to resolve on its own, and that, even if internal to Mexico, can spillover across the border: Mexico’s failure to create sufficient jobs triggered the wave of unwanted emigration to the U.S. is just an example. Luckily, Obama seems to be aware of the fact that problems provoked by a troubled neighbor do come in bundles.

Has Obama's Election Made Post-Racial Reality?

By Alyssa Landers

Ever since the day that Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama was elected, the nation has been buzzing with talk of a so-called “post-racial” utopia that the 47-year-old half-Kenyan, half-American harbinger of Change is supposed to have introduced to American society.  Yet how valid is such claim of racial neutrality in the current political and socioeconomic climate?

            Many who argue in favor of labeling our new American outlook as post-racial are quick to attribute Obama’s presidential success to his newness in what he brings to the table politically and the consequential effects that this promise of change has had upon the will of the nation.  And while Obama does indeed embody a true paradigm of both African and American citizenship—a strong factor in his appeal as a presidential candidate—the environment for change was unquestionably on the horizon. Both a decided increase in the minority population, especially within the Latino community, and the appearance of a new contingent of young voters both contributed to Obama’s road to presidential triumph.  Moreover, it has been said by Carolyn Lochhead of the San Francisco Chronicle that Obama’s unique appeal lies simply in the fact that “he is the first black candidate…who is not running as a black candidate.”  Indeed, the accusations made by both Republican rival John McCain and fellow Democrats Hilary and Bill Clinton that Obama played “the race card” in his campaign by candidly characterizing his nationality as not simply African-American, but as rooted in his experience as “the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas” only served to hurt both candidates in the end.   Even internationally, Obama’s presence as not solely a black political leader but as a strong leader of a nation as powerful as the United States has been felt, especially in countries like South Africa—a nation not unfamiliar with the vast array of symbolic implications that such a racialized political transition can have.    

            However, despite the political windfall that Obama’s election seems to have engendered, it has been observed that racial tensions have actually escalated, particularly in the southern United States.  In fact, in the time leading up to the 2008 election, incidents of racism involving everyone from grown adults to young children have been continuously reported, including incidents involving racial slurs, cross-burnings, and physical harassment—not to mention the now infamous Ashley Todd episode.  Whether or not these kinds of occurrences can be explained as the actions of “a few bad apples” or of a nation still unwilling to cope with a long history of racism remains to be judged.    

Keeping Guantanamo at Bay

By Imola Unger


A video of a child soldier’s interrogation in Afghanistan leaked out and became available to the public last year, causing tremendous international uproar. With the global scale scandal preceding the actual trial of the now 22-year-old young man, Obama’s every move concerning the case was followed closely worldwide. Expectations regarding the conviction rose high: continuing with the military tribunals of the Bush doctrine would have discredited the President’s vows to liquidate questionable penitentiary institutions.

The previous administration’s lenience towards torture and the institutionalized disregarding of human rights was not left without international reaction. It became clear that significant measures would have to be taken by the US to regain its credence as a leading power. The most pressing issue remains, of course, the closing down of Guantanamo. The functioning of the penitentiary facility located in a US-supervised territory of Cuba has been called a “poisonous legacy” and alliance with the island state. Out of the 250-something detainees held in inhumane circumstances and subjected to frequent torture only a supposed 19 are actual terrorists. Ties to the home countries suffer as news of suicides and mental derangements reaches the media. The penal question being so closely related to the war on terror, the sensitive nature of the situation cannot be ignored.

President Obama is expected to implement the closing down of the facility both observing human rights and ensuring that national and international safety remain unthreatened. Not only would this require revolutionizing the legal procedure so far practiced with rogue criminals, but the question of relocation would also need to be addressed. Transporting the terrorists on US soil creates uneasy feelings among Americans and repatriation is not always an option. Part of the reason is the highly possible torture the detainees would face at their home countries; however, in some cases cooperation from the state of origin is lacking altogether.

The child soldier, whose trial has been suspended, was born in Toronto and was refused to be repatriated by Canada. Yemen, the mother country of the largest group of Guantanamo detainees (92) has not shown willingness to engage in dialog. It has to be considered that even if it did, it might not have the resources necessary for such an undertaking, as is the case with several other countries involved. The seriousness of the situation shows the extent of US unpopularity and the pressing need to remedy the wrongs before they escalate into international conflict. Some European countries have expressed willingness to assist the United States in imprisoning the transported detainees or accept released ones. A liberal think tank recommended the creation of an international resettlement program. As Newsweek suggests, “[t]he goodwill Obama has already generated in Europe and elsewhere will help. But the process will take time.”

Obama Faces Pressure on Immigration Reform

By Michael Burgevin

While many Americans around the country sat glued to a screen watching the inauguration of the 44th president, hundreds of immigrant supporters across the country marched in the streets in an effort to remind newly elected President Obama of his commitment to immigration reform. President Obama, who received much support from Latino communities last November, advocated throughout his campaign for reformed immigration policy, stating that “the time to fix our broken immigration system is now.” Obama’s proposed policy would attempt to strengthen border security while simultaneously integrating illegal aliens into our society.

The appointment of Janet Napolitano as Secretary of Homeland Security may reflect the President’s approach to the hot-button issue of immigration. As a former governor of Arizona, Napolitano was lauded by both parties for her handling of immigration in her state. Napolitano supports the integration of illegal immigrants into the United States, and like the president she favors the expansion of work visa programs, allowing U.S. employers the right to temporarily employ foreign workers. Napolitano does however approve of penalizing employers who hire illegal immigrants, and in January 2008 she mobilized National Guard troops to combat the number of illegal border crossings in Arizona.

Meanwhile, the fence being built by the U.S. government along the Mexican border is nearly complete. The fence, authorized by congress in 2005 as part of a defense strategy against illegal immigration, has been protested by the Mexican government on environmental and civil grounds. Under pressure from immigrant rights groups to halt production on the project, President Obama, who voted for the construction of the fence in 2006, stated that he wishes to evaluate border security options before taking any action against the project. Many parties are looking towards his decision on this issue as an indicator of future immigration policy.

Immigration policy, however, may end up playing a lesser role during the President’s first term. Many news analysts suggest that immigration reform could be placed on the back burner while President Obama deals with such issues as the economic crisis, the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, climate change, closing Guantanamo, and health care reform. In a recent article in the Washington Post, Latino populations themselves rank the importance of immigration reform “behind not only the economy but education, health care, national security and the environment.” Therefore, America will have to wait in order to judge the scope and practice of President Obama's immigration reform.

Middle East Crisis, Obama's Test

By Jaya Spier

After months of waiting, breath held tight and hearts pounding with hope, the American people can finally say that the reign of Bush is over and a new era has begun. The United States has made history with its first African American president and the man who made the simple words of “yes we can” into a mantra for the new generation.

The next four years promise to be fairly interesting if the first week after President Obama was sworn in, is any indication. With Guantanamo on the way out and the Middle East as number two (the economy at one) on the agenda it looks like we’re not pausing on this one but instead pushing full steam ahead.

Since the recent outbreak of violence in Gaza, the Israeli-Palestine conflict has become a top priority on the 2009 US program. Obama has appointed George Mitchell as special envoy to the Middle East. Talks with Egypt have produced an almost invisible ceasefire.

This moment in time could be a real turning point for the relationship between the United States and the Middle Eastern region. Thus far Hamas has stated that Obama will continue the Bush legacy and Israel believes that under the new administration Hamas will continue to be seen as a terrorist organization. Along with soft threats concerning our stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict coming from other members of the “Muslim world” the situation seems to have pushed America into a corner. However, if Obama can gain some sort of higher ground here “we may hear language that has not been heard for a long time – strongly supportive of Israel's security concerns, but also empathetic to the Palestinians and their needs."(Telegraph) If America can find a way to satisfy its allies while showing sympathy for the enemy of a friend then we may once again gain favor within the global community.

Obama promises to ‘extend a hand to those willing to unclench their fists’ but he is contradicted by America’s past. Amnesty International seems to believe Obama’s next four years will finally put human rights to the forefront. If he can’t find some sort of beginning to a solution within the Middle East, he may lose some of the hope he has gained and destroy much of the support he has won.

Steep Climate Change Challenge for Obama

By Rachel Oppenheimer

Despite the global economic crisis, many domestic climate change advocates expect the Obama administration to recommence long-stalled international climate talks. After President Bush’s lack of enthusiasm or earnest concern for the worrisome direction of the global climate, the Obama administration's emphasis on a green overhaul is necessary and encouraging. Obama says that America is ready to head a “truly global coalition” to meet the challenge of acting on climate change, but stresses that countries like China and India must do their part. Yesterday, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reinforced such hopes of swift and serious climate change action by announcing her appointment of Todd Stern as a special envoy for the pressing international problem. A veteran of the Kyoto Protocol talks, Stern will lead the United States in international climate negotiations. In stark contrast to Bush’s overdue, unspecific and insufficient suggestions to halt the growth of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2025, Barack Obama has already asked the Environmental Protection Agency to consider California's request to impose its own restrictions on vehicle carbon dioxide emissions. Better detailed and enforced domestic policy is the first step to international influence on the climate change front.

Some international climate change experts, however, are unimpressed with Obama’s goals. "President-elect Obama's goal of reducing emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 falls short of the response needed by world leaders to meet the challenge of reducing emissions to levels that will actually spare us the worst effects of climate change," said Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In a recent study of the state of the world in 2009, IPCC claims that global Co2 emissions must be reduced to negative figures by 2050 to prevent an otherwise imminent climate catastrophe. Further, the lengthy U.S. legislative process will delay actual action and analysts fear that the limits of our system will not fit well within the time frame of the Copenhagen Climate Conference. Given bureaucratic restraints and the close watch of tough critics, Obama offers welcome hope and agressive action plans to lead the global community in preventing the threat of global warming.

Bard's 21st Century Platform

Nine years into the new milennium, the time has come for the editors of the Bard College student journal of international affairs, BardPolitik, to take to the web in a serious way.
In cooperation with students at the Bard Globalization and International Affairs program in New York, this blog aims to keep up an ongoing - okay, occasionally sporadic -- but always interesting conversation on international events. Starting modestly, we hope its evoluton toward an inclusive, incisive platform for trading ideas and analysis of world events will inform, provoke, and inspire.
Now, that's enough rhetoric. On to the discussion ...