More of the same...

Published in The Demon 17th Nov 2008

So Obama has done it, the world can rejoice and look forward to jelly and ice cream and everything will be hunky dory again. Or will it? Is Barack Obama really messianic, or more quixotic? I honestly hope I am proven wrong, but I don’t think we will witness any sea change any time soon. Obama is certainly a step in the right direction and at home he will ring the progressive changes, but what about the rest of the world? After months of campaigning and hearing about ‘the change we need’, what about the things the media ignore and conveniently overlook, that will affect those outside the States?

Economically, things don’t look different in the long term. Obama’s main adviser is Austan Goolsbee, economics professor at the University of Chicago, academic home of Milton Friedman, the intellectual architect of the ‘Chicago School’ of reckless, unfettered capitalism that has wreaked havoc around the world and it’s understood Goolsbee is a Friedman admirer. Another adviser, Jason Furman, once said raising Wal-Mart workers’ wages would be to the workers’ detriment because Wal-Mart would be forced to raise prices. And linked to the Treasury post is Larry Summers, who once encouraged dumping toxic waste in developing countries simply because the ‘economic logic is impeccable’.

Obama’s new Chief-of-Staff, the second most powerful man in Washington, is Rahm Emanuel, an ex-Clinton staffer and member of the New Democratic Coalition, which seeks to move Democrats to more pro-business positions. Nicknamed ‘Rahmbo’ for his aggressiveness Emanuel has close relations to Wall St where he made over $15 million in investment banking. Along with huge donations to Obama from the likes of JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs and the infamous Lehman Brothers, the type of institutions responsible for the current economic crisis, it is hard to foresee much needed fiscal reform.

Foreign policy is no more encouraging, especially after surrounding himself with advisers like Madeline Albright, Clinton’s Secretary of State who said 500,000 Iraqi lives were worth the sanctions in the ‘90s. Although Obama is a critic of nuclear arms and the proposed US missile defence system, which is to be applauded, he wants to increase spending on the already gargantuan Pentagon budget and is keen to enlarge Nato, which is certain to rile Russia and hamper attempts to improve Russian-American relations.

Obama is famous for his anti-Iraq War stance after a 2002 speech stated any invasion would be a ‘dumb war’. Since then however, Obama has refused to be drawn into building legislation opposing the war. Rahm Emanuel was one of only nine Democrat house members not to vote against war in 2003. He also said he wouldn’t have voted differently even if there was proof WMDs didn’t exist. Although a withdrawal has been pledged and any improvement is welcome, details are not forthcoming. Some ideas emanating from advisers include maintaining the Green Zone with occupying troops numbering anywhere between 20,000 and 80,000.

In Afghanistan, Obama has stated his intention to increase the military presence there and he expects Europe to play [even a non-military] role in this. He also holds no qualms about bombing Pakistani targets if Islamabad doesn’t help combat Al-Qaeda.

Regarding Guantanamo Bay, Obama is committed to closing it down. The problem is the logistics are complicated and it can’t simply be shut overnight. This certainly isn’t Obama’s fault and there’s little he can do to hurry it up, so those expecting a quick change shouldn’t hold their breath. Elsewhere in Cuba he wants to improve diplomatic relations, allowing Cuban-Americans family visits, but has refused to lift the embargo strangling the island nation.

Obama has never set foot in Latin America, it barely featured in his campaign and it’s unlikely we’ll hear much anytime soon, although he does support the expensive and controversial war on drugs, which many people regard as a front for advancing business interests.

Back in the Middle East, like Bush and McCain, Obama supports the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), one of Washington’s most powerful lobby groups, and has pledged $30 billion aid to Israel over the next ten years to maintain its military advantage. Emanuel was involved in the Oslo Accords in 1993, but holds Israeli bias, having volunteered for the Israeli army in the first Gulf War. Obama also supported Israeli aggression against Lebanon in 2006 and refuses to enter negotiations with the democratically elected Hamas-controlled Palestinian Authority, despite 64% of Israelis favouring such action.

And as for Iran, Obama told AIPAC “I will always keep the threat of military action on the table” and has currently not answered President Ahmadinejad’s election congratulations to avoid a “knee jerk reaction”, despite being ‘open’ to dialogue with Iran.

So, America fell into a vat of Bush-shit and came out smelling of Obama-roses. Things may look better for Americans, but elsewhere there may be little change. Obama has said he will talk not only with friends but enemies and favours diplomacy, ideas which should be warmly embraced. And let’s not insult his intelligence, because Obama understands the situation America faces, that a different America is needed, which he believes in, but surrounded by such advisers and holding the beliefs he does, will he really be able to implement ‘change we need’, or is it all just rhetoric?

He is definitely an improvement and certainly preferable to McCain. The days of a bombastic America charging around like a bull in a china shop are certainly over but let’s not declare him the messiah, let’s not get our hopes up only for them to be dashed. Beneath the surface there is still a lot to be wary of and ultimately, actions speak louder than words.

(There's a lot more I could add to this, and I may well do so soon, but I had to keep it succinct for The Demon)