Obama’s transatlantic gap

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1. Saba
   

   U.S President Barack Obama’s maiden trip to Europe is narrowing the transatlantic gap, but the Atlantic still lies in between.
   
   President Obama seems to be moving American foreign policy closer to America’s Western European allies and assuming a posture towards easing tensions with Russia. While the shift in U.S foreign policy will help bridge the transatlantic rift between Western Europe and the U.S, it is bound to disappoint some of the “new Europe” states.
   
   Europe’s reaction to Obama’s pivot in Afghanistan is revealing some interesting things about post-Bush relations. The new U.S President’s greater focus on rebuilding Afghanistan’s ability to stand on its own, while fighting terrorist al Qaeda and Taliban threats on its soil, is yielding good will from NATO allies.
   
   Europe is pledging some more combat troops, but mostly in civilian roles. It’s also promising more money to help rebuild the country. But Obama needs more to fight a growing terrorist threat in Afghanistan, he needs European combat troops in hotspots where the insurgency is at its peak.
   
   But for now, fighting a resurgent Taliban and al Qaeda remains primarily America’s fight, even though President Obama himself pointed out al Qaeda poses a bigger threat to Europe, than to the U.S.
   
   With weak European combat support, Obama needs all the help he can get because he faces an emboldened insurgency in Afghanistan. This is where “resetting” relations with Russia comes in.
   
   Russia is offering a crucial supply line for U.S troops through its territory into Afghanistan, as U.S military supply routes through Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan are coming under increasing militant attacks.
   
   But narrowing the gap with Moscow comes at a price which is sure to disappoint former Soviet states who still fear Russia’s intentions. It looks like support for two U.S initiatives in former Soviet block areas will be left on the back burner, to please Moscow.
   
   The Czechs and Poles who still have Cold-War era fears of Russia, might see Obama slow, if not shelve, plans for a U.S missile defense shield on their territory. And it looks like U.S support for the NATO membership of Ukraine and Georgia is going to be left on Obama’s back burner as well.
   
   President Obama’s foreign policy is helping restore America’s image around the world, but the U.S will still have to rely more on self-help than its allies, when it comes to battling the biggest threat to its security abroad.
   
   America’s allies stand to gain from his efforts and are willing to help some, but mostly get out of the way. It’s up to Obama to keep pushing them to match their words of sharing the burden with action.

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