What is Barack cooking?

At a time where most of the world seems to be on a summer siesta, US Presidential Candidate Barack Obama has provided us with a major talking point – a visit to Europe. While rival candidate John McCain is back at home trying to gain popularity points from the nation’s voters, Obama was here in Europe discussing the pressing issues that the world is currently facing. However, was it a case of Obama doing the right thing or was he jumping the gun?

Let’s face it, after eight years of having a Republican President in George W. Bush, the Americans want change. This is why the democrats attained most of the Congress votes around two years ago, and this is why Obama is seen as a popular potential President over and above McCain.

While this is all positive for the 46-year-old senator from Illinois, his visit was treated like he already was the new President of the USA, as if victory come November 4, 2008, is all but assured. Needless to say, the probability is that he will be elected, but there again; one can never predict what the electorate will decide on the day of asking.

Assuming that Barack is elected President, such a visit can only serve to enhance his credentials amongst Europeans sceptic of America. First and foremost, the fact that he visited Germany was very significant. It is no secret that during President Bush’s reign, many saw American relations limited, most of the time, to the United Kingdom; indeed, Bush and ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair had a very good professional relationship.

While Gordon Brown is now slowly withdrawing his troops from the war in Iraq, Barack will obviously still look to keep Britain as an important pawn in America’s show. However, his visit to Germany might seem to indicate that he is looking to foster better relations with other European states who might have grown sceptic of America’s foreign policy over the years; this despite the fact that various ex-Presidents of the United States, such as John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton, have previously given important speeches in Berlin.

On the other hand, Obama could come in for some criticism for not fully focusing on the task that lies ahead of him. While trans-Atlantic dialogue is important because one of the most important factors of American governance is its relationship with Europe, the fact remains that no Europeans will be voting in Obama as the next President of the USA – only American nationals will. Therefore, shouldn’t Obama be looking to promote his political vision in his homeland before he works on creating an important link with Europe?

That doesn’t seem to be his strategy. On the contrary, it seems to be the reverse of what his rival candidate McCain is doing – Obama is looking to win the popularity vote through the enhancement of international relations, something which he probably believes will greatly, in turn, help his chances of getting elected. In short, Barack does not only want to be a President for his people, he wants to be an established and important world leader; something that the current incumbent seems to have lacked. While Senator Obama has focused on the international arena, President Bush and fellow Republican McCain have placed America as the centre focus. In 2008, when the world needs to be united more than ever, this is simply unacceptable.

Barack might indeed be jumping the gun, but he is definitely doing the right thing.

Matthew Borg is a member of Insite – The Student Media Organisation. www.insite.org.mt.