His Halo is Gone
If you happen to have read any of Obama’s policy statements on central Asia during the election campaign, the post-inauguration US missile strikes on Pakistan’s tribal areas ought to come as no surprise.
It was equally inevitable that such actions would be accompanied by a metaphorical loss of innocence, especially considering the immense hopes that progressives have held for Obama in Europe.
To that end, today, in Comment is Free, Richard Seymour does as good a job as anyone could in expressing exactly how disappointed progressives will be with the new US president’s foreign policy.
It’ll be interesting to see whether Obama can develop a consistent approach to greater west Asia. Perhaps Pakistan and Afghanistan will become of equal concern to the peace community as Palestine.
Photo: Clapham garage, January 20th.