January 20, 2009
 

Barack Obama - President

Barack Hussein Obama, the person and not the Japanese city, transitioned from being the president-elect to being the president of the USA an hour or so ago. I found it very surprising that news channels in India were telecasting the swearing-in ceremony live.

It is undoubtedly a key moment in politics in that country. Is it an equally momentous occasion in world politics? Perhaps not, because I don't think a country's foreign policy is decided on the basis of the leader's race, religion, etc. Would people of the USA celebrate if someone from a "backward caste" became India's Prime Minister? Would they celebrate if Sri Lanka had a Tamil as president or PM? How about if France had an Arab-origin president or PM? How about if the UK had a Catholic PM? Indeed, would the world be different in such situations? So why're we "celebrating" Barack Obama becoming the president of the USA?

As for the ceremony, I didn't understand why there was a religious invocation at the event in the first place, let alone why the pastor, Rick Warren, invoked Christianity. I've never understood why "God bless America" is a constant chant used by just about anyone in a position of power. Barack Obama used a Bible (the same one that Abraham Lincoln used) while taking oath. Why this heavy reliance on a specific religion in a nation that prides itself on liberty & equality regardless of race or religion?

Thankfully Obama mentioned Christians, Moslems, Jews, Hindoos and non-believers in the list of people he wanted to take along. He is a fantastic orator. But the time for speeches is past.

There's a huge job ahead to set right his country's economy & foreign policy first. He has already displayed naivete and tactlessness when he spoke of his belief that resolving Kashmir would help switch Pakistan's focus towards Afghanistan, something that David Miliband echoed. There's talk of investing money in using Keynesian models for creating infrastructure, generating wealth for workers, etc.

PS: Dick Cheney is actually a real living organism and not some mythical creation that no-one has seen!

Labels: obama, president, usa