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ISTANBUL: Obama's strong finish in 2014

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  • ISTANBUL: Obama's strong finish in 2014

    Today's Zaman, Turkey
    Dec 31 2014

    Obama's strong finish in 2014

    Ã-MER TAÅ?PINAR
    December 31, 2014, Wednesday


    It has been a strange year for Barack Obama. Despite a strong economy,
    the Democrats lost the midterm elections to the Republicans in a
    humiliating way. The Senate is now in the hands of the opposition and
    Obama is the walking definition of a lame duck president. With his
    legislative agenda hampered, everyone expected Obama to accept his
    fate and finish his last two years in search of a legacy and a voice.
    Yet, to the surprise of many, Obama now appears more determined than
    ever to fight Republican obstructionism with the prerogative of the
    executive office.

    In many ways, Obama is not only legally but also politically entitled
    to do so. After all, the economy has been stronger than ever in the
    last 10 years, with growth restored to healthy levels and unemployment
    below 2005 levels. The healthcare law passed and the number of
    uninsured Americans is down by 10 million. There is also good news on
    the budget front, with the national debt and fiscal deficit in a
    downward trend.

    Yes, Obama lost the mid-term elections despite such good economic
    data, mainly because of income stagnation. But with incomes beginning
    to rise as of last month, consumer confidence is coming back. This is
    why Obama believes he deserves more political credit than what the
    polls seem to indicate. After the mid-term defeat he decided to keep
    his chin up and use his last two years in power without much
    reservation.

    Only two months have passed since the elections, and Obama has shown
    his determination to do so in three major cases. First came his visit
    to China and the Asia-Pacific region, with historic agreements made
    after years of negotiations in climate, economic and military talks.
    The visit symbolized a pivot to Asia with substantial results.
    Needless to say, Obama badly needed some foreign policy points after a
    disastrous spring and summer, during which Russia annexed Crimea and
    the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) conquered large parts
    of Syria and Iraq.
    After his successful trip to Asia, Obama decided to focus on domestic
    politics. The issue he selected was one of the most polarizing items
    in American politics: immigration reform. In a prime-time speech to
    the nation, Obama declared that he will bypass the House of
    Representatives, which blocked Senate's immigration bill. It was time
    to honor his political commitment to the millions of mostly Hispanic
    voters asking amnesty for undocumented immigrants at risk of
    deportation. Not surprisingly, Obama's executive order to pardon 5
    million future Democratic voters infuriated the Republicans, who
    wanted to savor their mid-term victory by emasculating him.

    Finally, as 2014 was coming to a close, Obama finished the year in
    style with an astonishing declaration that the US was restoring
    diplomatic relations with Cuba. Needless to say, this final salvo
    exacerbated Republican frustrations even further.

    Why all this should be relevant for Ankara? 2015 will be a critical
    year for Turkish-American relations. It is no secret that the White
    House is very frustrated with the Turkish reluctance to play ball
    against ISIL.

    The common refrain that I hear in Washington is that this is not the
    way a NATO ally should behave in times when solidarity is of essence.
    The current situation is a litmus test for arguments about Turkey's
    much-taunted geo-strategic importance. After all, what good is
    Ä°ncirlik Air Base if it is not used in times like today, against a
    barbaric foe like ISIL?

    One should also remember that Turkey counts on its strategic
    importance each time Congress considers resolutions about the Armenian
    genocide. In case Ankara continues to drag its feet regarding ISIL, an
    unhinged Obama may decide to use his new-found executive voice with an
    unexpected recognition of the Armenian genocide on the centennial of
    the tragedy. If Ankara is complacent about the centennial on the
    grounds that the Republicans are dominating Congress, it is time to
    think twice. Obama may be running out of patience with Ankara.

    http://www.todayszaman.com/columnist/omer-taspinar/obamas-strong-finish-in-2014_368488.html

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