The Obama Effect

      It is less than two weeks and already, there are noticeable changes, at home and abroad. The President's economic package has passed the House, even though not a single Republican supported it. They will rue the day. The President extended his hand to them, courted them and even visited them on the Hill and yet , they could not get over their petty jealousies and their partisan ways. They stuck to their traditional/ ideological line. They fiddled, while all around them, the signs are that the recession is here and has to be dealt with directly and immediately. Pres. Obama also sent a message that he is committed to his green policy, by issuing orders/ guidelines for the auto industry and taking other measures to show his seriousness. He also introduced "pay equity",( fair pay law), correcting the dioscriminatory policy of paying women and minorities less. On average women are paid 23% less than men and minority women receive even less. This law signed by Obama, amended the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and put the old Equal Employment Opportunity Commission  standard, into law (the Supreme Court had struck it down in 2007, by a 5-4 decision, by declaring that claims must be filed 180 days of first offence and thus made it harder to sue. The EEOC HAD ARGUED THAT THE 180 DAYS BEGAN WITH EACH NEW PAY-CHEQUE).

      Overseas, the Obama impact was seen in the Israeli rushing to withdraw from Gaza, before Obama was sworn in. He has appointed Sen. Mitchell as his special envoy to the region, Mitchell had successfully negotiated the end of the Northern Ireland violence. He has his work cut out for him, but Pres. Obama swift action has indicated his committment to this so far, intractable problem, unlike Bush who frittered the gains that was made during the Clinton years. His appointment of Richard Holbrooke to be his "super envoy" to Afghanistan and Pakistan, again demonstrate that he is engaged , no more buisness as usual. Holbrooke had successfull negotiated the Dayton Accord ending the genocide in former Yugoslavia. Both Hillary Clinton, Sect. of State and Holbrooke are on record as not willing to support the corrupt and ineffective Karzai administration. Clinton has referred to Afghanistan as a "narcostate"and Holbrooke has very critical in his speeches about Karzai's government, saying among other things that Afghanistan's " central government has shown that it is simply not up to the job". Any chance of success in Afghanistan must begin without Karzai. Pakistan is also being put on notice. The recent strikes by "drones", has shown that Obama is not hesitant to use force.

      Russia is also signalling that it is willing to change its recent bellicose position on U.S. missile shields in Poland and the Czech Republic. Plans to base Iskander missiles in the western region of Klainingrad and direct them toward Europe, have been suspended. This avoids another Arms Race and another Cold War, because unlike the Bush Administration, Obama is, at least, for the time being not pushing ahead with the plan to deploy an anti-missile system in Poland and the Czech Republic, to "defend  against threats from Iran". Common sense is prevailing, not jingoism.

      There is more optimism, both at home and abroad. Pres. Obama 's appearance on al- Arabiya, and his direct address to the Muslim world during his Inaugural Speech, were clear signals that he wants to open dialogue without pre-conditions. This bodes well for the future.