The battle between Barack Hussein Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton for clinching the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination was like an exciting IPL match. The way in which Senator Obama, an Afro-American, rose to political imminence from being a tyro in the world of US politics within a short span of three years would perhaps has made him a favorite to win the presidential race in November this year.
Policymakers in India will be keener to see and hear what a candidate says after an election rather than during the pre-poll campaign. Obama may not be seen by some as a friend of India in the mould of Hillary Clinton but the fact is that the Democrats despite an overall favorable view of India have always opposed India on matters like nuclear policy. Both Obama and Hillary Clinton share that view of their party.
US presidential polls invite keen global attention because the country remains unchallenged as the sole superpower and what its leader says or does impacts the rest of the world. Much of the world is keen to see what the next occupant of White House does about Iraq. Obama, who is said to be very popular among the American youth, has upset conservatives by talking about his willingness to talk to America's old enemies, especially, Iran. On these two issues alone-Iraq and Iran-a great deal of caution needs to be exercised in trusting Obama’s ability to carry-through his promise, should, of course, he becomes the President of the United States of America.
To, many in India Obama must have sounded on these matters like a typical Indian politician who promises the moon during the poll campaign and then forgets them as soon as the polls are over because it is not easy to implement them. Not many countries and fewer people on earth, support the present US policy on Iraq. In the last five years the situation in Iraq has taken a new turn with Al Qaida brand of terrorism making its unwelcome debut in Baghdad. Iraq is now divided on sectarian lines. Its armed forces are ill trained and many believe are liable to be partisan. The distance that Iraq, a major oil producer, has to cover for restoring conditions for a rapid economic recovery, continues to grow.
Any responsible American leader who talks in terms of opening a line of dialogue with a country like Iran deserves to be praised. But Obama’s optimism looks misplaced. The US snubbed Iran repeatedly and for too long as a result of which Iran has now adopted a very stubborn position on its nuclear programme. And it is not ready to negotiate with anyone under any circumstances. Tehran will probably never admit it, but there is little to doubt that it indeed has a programme to make the bomb. Obama’s position on talking to Iran looks clouded when he at the same time opposes Iran’s nuclear programme.
There is no sign that Barack Obama or whoever is elected as the next US president will be able to achieve an easy break-through in their country’s relations with countries like Iran. There also seems little chance of seeing an appreciable improvement in the situation in Iraq in the short to medium term.