On February 12th, American citizens and global citizens alike waited in anticipation to hear President Obama deliver the annual State of the Union address. Organizations, such as Voice of America, addressed the global desire to hear the President’s address by providing a comprehensive coverage in 43 different languages. As a result, countries such as Iran, Cuba, Syria, and Egypt were able to tune in to listen to President Obama comment on the state of our union as well as his goals for international relations and foreign policy.
President Obama began his speech with a quote from John F. Kennedy stating “The Constitution makes us not rivals of power, but partners for progress.” The quote opened the gateway for President Obama to implore Congress to put aside their partisanship for the good of the country in issues such as the economy, the budget crisis, the sequester, healthcare, and climate reform.
Throughout his speech, President Obama led with a firm fist while discussing his future initiatives and his relations with Congress. While President Obama urged that Congress take a progressive position on certain initiatives, he warned them as well. “If Congress won’t act soon to protect future generations, I will.” President Obama explained that the United States government knows what needs to be done so, “Let’s get it done.” This applied to both domestic policy and immigration reform. “Our economy is stronger when we harness the talents and ingenuity of striving, hopeful immigrants.” Obama explained the time has come to pass a comprehensive immigration reform that secures the border, establishes a responsible pathway to earn citizenship, and fixes the legal immigration system. His belief is that “Now is the time to get it done.”
As President Obama shifted his talks to foreign policy, his firm fist began to soften, and his comments became more broad. The President softened his rhetoric regarding Syria from his State of the Union address just one year prior. In 2012, President Obama stated that he anticipated a quick change in the Syrian government. This year, he softened his stance, saying “We will keep pressure on Syrian regime and support opposition leaders that respect the rights of every Syrian.”
President Obama also continues with the plan U.S. involvement in Afghanistan will be over in 2014, intending for our forces to move into a support role while Afghan security takes lead. Meanwhile, the president remained firm that we will continue to meet the threat of Al Qaeda groups and affiliates through his drone initiative as well as helping countries like Yemen and Libya to provide their own security.
Regarding Iran, the president spent a brief amount of time vaguely outlying his stance. Giving Iran a few brief sentences, President Obama stated that the Iranian government must “recognize that now is the time for a diplomatic solution, because a coalition stands united in demanding that they meet their obligations.” In a firm finish, he stated that United States will do what is necessary in order to “prevent them from getting a nuclear weapon.”
The President’s rhetoric became even more vague and soft while addressing the rest of the Middle East such as Egypt. His overall view was focused on the United States standing firm on supporting the defense of freedom. “We’ll remain the anchor of strong alliances. In the Middle East, we will stand with citizens as they demand their universal rights and support stable transitions to democracy.” Although he believes the United States should stand with such citizens, he made it clear that the the United States cannot dictate change, but instead insist on the fundamental rights of all people.
As the 2013 State of the Union address came to a close, many that tuned in were left a little empty at President Obama’s brief mention of his intentions regarding foreign policy and relations. Many questions were left unanswered, and many solutions were glossed over. Hopefully, the soft rhetoric President Obama produced will leave room for further action as we proceed into the next year.
Department of Defense photo by Lance Cpl. Daniel Benedict.
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State of the Union Leaves Foreign Policy Watchers Wanting
February 14, 2013
On February 12th, American citizens and global citizens alike waited in anticipation to hear President Obama deliver the annual State of the Union address. Organizations, such as Voice of America, addressed the global desire to hear the President’s address by providing a comprehensive coverage in 43 different languages. As a result, countries such as Iran, Cuba, Syria, and Egypt were able to tune in to listen to President Obama comment on the state of our union as well as his goals for international relations and foreign policy.
President Obama began his speech with a quote from John F. Kennedy stating “The Constitution makes us not rivals of power, but partners for progress.” The quote opened the gateway for President Obama to implore Congress to put aside their partisanship for the good of the country in issues such as the economy, the budget crisis, the sequester, healthcare, and climate reform.
Throughout his speech, President Obama led with a firm fist while discussing his future initiatives and his relations with Congress. While President Obama urged that Congress take a progressive position on certain initiatives, he warned them as well. “If Congress won’t act soon to protect future generations, I will.” President Obama explained that the United States government knows what needs to be done so, “Let’s get it done.” This applied to both domestic policy and immigration reform. “Our economy is stronger when we harness the talents and ingenuity of striving, hopeful immigrants.” Obama explained the time has come to pass a comprehensive immigration reform that secures the border, establishes a responsible pathway to earn citizenship, and fixes the legal immigration system. His belief is that “Now is the time to get it done.”
As President Obama shifted his talks to foreign policy, his firm fist began to soften, and his comments became more broad. The President softened his rhetoric regarding Syria from his State of the Union address just one year prior. In 2012, President Obama stated that he anticipated a quick change in the Syrian government. This year, he softened his stance, saying “We will keep pressure on Syrian regime and support opposition leaders that respect the rights of every Syrian.”
President Obama also continues with the plan U.S. involvement in Afghanistan will be over in 2014, intending for our forces to move into a support role while Afghan security takes lead. Meanwhile, the president remained firm that we will continue to meet the threat of Al Qaeda groups and affiliates through his drone initiative as well as helping countries like Yemen and Libya to provide their own security.
Regarding Iran, the president spent a brief amount of time vaguely outlying his stance. Giving Iran a few brief sentences, President Obama stated that the Iranian government must “recognize that now is the time for a diplomatic solution, because a coalition stands united in demanding that they meet their obligations.” In a firm finish, he stated that United States will do what is necessary in order to “prevent them from getting a nuclear weapon.”
The President’s rhetoric became even more vague and soft while addressing the rest of the Middle East such as Egypt. His overall view was focused on the United States standing firm on supporting the defense of freedom. “We’ll remain the anchor of strong alliances. In the Middle East, we will stand with citizens as they demand their universal rights and support stable transitions to democracy.” Although he believes the United States should stand with such citizens, he made it clear that the the United States cannot dictate change, but instead insist on the fundamental rights of all people.
As the 2013 State of the Union address came to a close, many that tuned in were left a little empty at President Obama’s brief mention of his intentions regarding foreign policy and relations. Many questions were left unanswered, and many solutions were glossed over. Hopefully, the soft rhetoric President Obama produced will leave room for further action as we proceed into the next year.
Department of Defense photo by Lance Cpl. Daniel Benedict.
