1. OBAMA’S FOREIGN POLICY

2.  Barack Hussein Obama
II
 Born on August 4, 1961
in Honolulu, Hawaii
 Studied at Occidental
College then transferred
to Columbia University
 1988-Harvard Law
School
 1990- Was first African-
American editor of the
‘Harvard Law Review’

3.  After graduation worked as a civil rights lawyer
 1992-2004- Teacher at the University of Chicago
Law School
 1996-Illinois State senator
 2004-U.S. Senator
 2009-44th President of the U.S.

4.  Obama’s unusual family history embodied the
American Dream
 His mother, Ann Dunham was
white, his father, Obama Sr. was
from Kenya
• Had a multiethnic upbringing
• Represented a new hope; the end
of America’s racial issues

5.  In his campaign he emphasized hope and change

6. Foreign policy
 5 foreign policy goals:
- ending the war in Iraq
- finishing the fight against Al-Queda and Taliban
- securing nuclear weapons from rogue states
- achieving energy security
- rebuilding the alliances

7. Obama Doctrine
 2 ideas:- America’s role in the world has been
aggressive and arrogant in promoting
democracy
- Multilateral institutions restrain U.S.A
power
• Emphasis on negotiation and collaboration
• Re-building broken relationships and building new
alliances
• Repairing the U.S. image

8.  Obama told that his election as the first black
president could change geopolitical dynamics.
 He tries to do that by marketing his background.
 Cooperative realism: realist assessment of the threat
posed by non traditional sources and the limits of US
power to tackle those threats single-handedly

9. Middle East
 Retreated the American troops from Iraq
 Continued the war in Afghanistan
 USA does not want to establish long term military
presence in either country.
 Prevent violent extremism
 Engaged in discussion with Iran on the nuclear
weapons

10.  The Israel-Palestine conflict:
-Obama promotes a two-state solution: the two are
radically different and cannot be reconciled
-opposes the Israeli expansion
• This makes look the US has an ‘even-handed policy’
• In 2011 Obama intervened in the conflict in Libya

11. Russia
 ‘Reset button’-improving relations with Russia
 The policy has 3 goals:
-the heightened urgency of resolving the Iranian
nuclear question
-the need for additional transport routes into
Afghanistan to support a larger US military presence
-a return to a more multilateral approach to
ensuring nuclear security and strengthening the non-
proliferation regime

12.  Working with Russia to reduce nuclear weapons
 2011-New START Treaty
 Arms control treaty- nuclear missile launchers will
be reduced by half

13. North Korea
 After Obama’s inauguration in 2009 North Korea
threatened to test nuclear weapons
 Obama administration showed restraint and didn’t
act
 US does not allow investment, trade or aid flow to
North Korea

14. Climate change
 Reducing the emissions and developing low carbon
technologies
 Countries that contribute to atmospheric emissions
must undertake actions in order to cut greenhouse
gas emissions
 Copenhagen Accord-between US and BASIC
Countries ( China, South Africa, India, Brasil)