International Community Challenges Barack Obama Presidency Within First 24 Hours
Posted by N T Lihou at 11/5/2008 3:56 PM 
Categories: American Politics,Hamas,Israel,Europe,Russia,Palestine,Iran
Categories: American Politics,Hamas,Israel,Europe,Russia,Palestine,Iran
As Vice-President Joe Biden warned in a speech earlier, the Barack Obama presidency would be challenged. Russia and Iran did not even wait 24 hours before the countries issued challenges. The terrorist group Hamas fired into Israel after the sovereign country tried to stop an underground incursion route into Israel. While we must not forget that President Bush still calls the shots, the international community is interested in seeing how the newly-elected President will handle these issues.
Russia Deploys Missiles Which Can Be Equipped With Nuclear Warheads
Iranian Brigadier-General Massoud Jazayeri, warned against any violations of Iranian airspace, whether intentional or unintentional. If such an incident were to occur, Iran “would confront them," Jazayeri warned, adding: “We therefore advise the Americans to be observant and to push their flight paths farther than the borderline so that such a mistake does not happen.”
Hamas Hits Israel With Rocket Attack
The terrorist group Hamas showered the country of Israel with 35 rockets. This attack took place after Israeli forces entered Gaza to destroy a tunnel being made that would allow the militants to enter Israeli territory. These covert tunnels could be used to kidnap Israeli soldiers. Hamas kidnapped an Israeli soldier two years ago when the terrorists conducted a cross-border raid.
Conclusion:
The confrontational stance by Russia should come as no surprise, considering the recent invasion of Georgia. Russia did not get the support for its operations and has tried to push around the EU with economic threats. Russia now wants to gauge the new president to see if they have any maneuvering room. This includes whether the U.S. will back away from allies that Russia considers too close to its borders.
Iran is worried that the actions that it takes in Iraq may come under fire. It is well-known that Iran launches attacks into Iraq from Iran. Iran only need to look at what happened recently with Syria to know that the U.S. will go after targets if they feel threatened. This announcement is being made to determine how Obama feels about conducting cross border operations.
An even stickier issue that the American President has had to deal with is the issue of Israel and Palestine. Hamas now leads the fractured Palestinian people and still uses violence as a way of negotiation. It will be interesting to see whether President-elect Obama believes that Israel was right in preventing a terrorist act or Hamas was justified in launching the rocket attacks. However, the newly elected President decides, it will set the tone for how his administration will deal with the Middle East for years to come.
All in all, it was quite an international day for President Obama. We hope to hear from him to get an idea of his foreign policies.
Russia Deploys Missiles Which Can Be Equipped With Nuclear Warheads
The Russian President, Mr Medvedev, announced that short-range Iskander surface-to-surface missiles would be stationed in Kaliningrad, which borders EU states Poland and Lithuania. Mr Medvedev said he was ordering the deployment in retaliation for a missile defense shield that the United States wants to build in central Europe by 2011. The Russian President also commented that the missiles could be used to destroy the U.S. missile defense shield, which is to be erected in Poland and the Czech Republic.
Iran Warns U.S. AircraftIranian Brigadier-General Massoud Jazayeri, warned against any violations of Iranian airspace, whether intentional or unintentional. If such an incident were to occur, Iran “would confront them," Jazayeri warned, adding: “We therefore advise the Americans to be observant and to push their flight paths farther than the borderline so that such a mistake does not happen.”
Hamas Hits Israel With Rocket Attack
The terrorist group Hamas showered the country of Israel with 35 rockets. This attack took place after Israeli forces entered Gaza to destroy a tunnel being made that would allow the militants to enter Israeli territory. These covert tunnels could be used to kidnap Israeli soldiers. Hamas kidnapped an Israeli soldier two years ago when the terrorists conducted a cross-border raid.
Conclusion:
The confrontational stance by Russia should come as no surprise, considering the recent invasion of Georgia. Russia did not get the support for its operations and has tried to push around the EU with economic threats. Russia now wants to gauge the new president to see if they have any maneuvering room. This includes whether the U.S. will back away from allies that Russia considers too close to its borders.
Iran is worried that the actions that it takes in Iraq may come under fire. It is well-known that Iran launches attacks into Iraq from Iran. Iran only need to look at what happened recently with Syria to know that the U.S. will go after targets if they feel threatened. This announcement is being made to determine how Obama feels about conducting cross border operations.
An even stickier issue that the American President has had to deal with is the issue of Israel and Palestine. Hamas now leads the fractured Palestinian people and still uses violence as a way of negotiation. It will be interesting to see whether President-elect Obama believes that Israel was right in preventing a terrorist act or Hamas was justified in launching the rocket attacks. However, the newly elected President decides, it will set the tone for how his administration will deal with the Middle East for years to come.
All in all, it was quite an international day for President Obama. We hope to hear from him to get an idea of his foreign policies.
Comments