Hi Yogi,
I to am watching news coverage from Obama's trip. Seems to be going well. Of course the media is desperately trying to point out any "slip-ups."
This morning on MSN it's how Michelle supposedly touched the Queen, which is a no-no????? (I don't know anything about these things.
On the other hand, it was reported that Gordon Brown was (as they reported) grinning ear to ear, because he's not the most popular PM in the UK and was happy to be associated with such a popular American President.
Anyway, I hope the best and pray that there are some accomplishments, agreements and compromises during this trip to not only help my country, but all the countries, and also to restore respect from other countries as well.
TIS
I thought the trip was a great success, if at the least because the President didn't make any obvious public embarrasing gaffes, and more than that, actually looked like he belonged on the world stage. Very young, inexperienced, and yet those NATO and G20 summits, the whole atmosphere revolved around him...not Sarkozy, not Merkel, not fucking Brown, but USA mother fucker.
I mean its always nice to see thousands of American flags in a European capital or two waving, and not being burned.
No, he didn't get the Afghani troop commitments or stimulus $$$ that he wanted, but his Administration is banking on the idea that this whole trip endeavor is an investment, to which he will eventually down the road get what he wants. He won't simply get pissy, take the ball and go home like Dubya.
As for Turkey, we must understand that Administration has the goal of reproaching/remending ties with that NATO ally. Later the same with Syria, and hopefully if stabilized again, Afghanistan.
The ultimate point is to isolate Iran within the region, and draw increasing pressure for them to drop their nuclear ambitions. Also, Turkey would help secure North Iraq. Notice that the President openly pushed for the European Union to induct Turkey. There is...a plan.
