US News
World leaders greet Obama inauguration with hope, caution
By Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa Jan 20, 2009, 16:27 GMT
US President Barack Obama delivers his Inaugural address after being sworn in as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, DC, USA 20 January 2009. Obama defeated Republican candidate John McCain on Election Day 04 November 2008 to become the next U.S. President. EPA/SHAWN THEW
World leaders lined up on Tuesday to pay tributes to Barack Obama on the occasion of his inauguration as the 44th president of the United States, with the new president drawing comment from America's allies across the globe - as well as from current enemies.
In the Middle East, where American stock has fallen furthest in recent years, guarded welcome for the president-to-be was evident.
Iran expressed a hope that Barack Obama will 'choose the right path' toward Iran, ISNA news agency reported Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that the US had no correct approach towards Iran and always been the 'troublemaker.'
'But if Obama chose the right path, compensated the past, lifted hostility and [US] hegemony, and revised the previous political mistakes, we would have no hostility,' Mottaki said.
Iran and the US have been engaged in a protracted face-off over the former's supposed nuclear weapons programme, an issue unresolved by the end of George W Bush's presidency.
'We hope that angles of optimism would be created [with Obama] but the facts tell us we should not be optimistic,' Mottaki added.
The United States' firmest ally in the region, Israel, was suitably enthusiastic about the new resident of the White House.
Israeli President Shimon Peres said that the inauguration of Obama is a 'great day' for the United States because his 'most unusual hope and election, only ten years ago, would have been unimaginable,' Israeli President Shimon Peres said Tuesday.
'What made history ugly, unmistakably, was basically slavery and there were two sorts of slavery: men upon women and white upon black,' Peres said.
In Europe, Obama was welcomed as the beginning of a new, perhaps more multilateral era.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a television interview that she is hoping for improved US-German relations under the Obama presidency.
'I hope that our cooperation is shaped by listening to one another, and making decisions on the basis that one country alone cannot solve the world's problems,' Merkel said Tuesday on German state broadcaster ARD.
'This is the spirit in which I will encounter him,' the chancellor added.
Merkel said Obama was taking office at a time marred by problems, 'for one thing, the economic situation in the world and also in the United States of America, but also many international conflicts'
French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Tuesday that he was impatient for Obama to take office so that the two of them could 'change the world.'
'We are eager to see him go to work so that we can change the world with him,' Sarkozy said during a stop in the city of Provins.
However, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner warned that Obama could not work political miracles.
'He is an exceptional man,' Kouchner said, 'but he does not have a magic wand.'
The European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said he looked forward to working with Obama 'to promote a politics of global engagement that will support international institutions reformed to address effectively our global responsibilities, from climate change to development aid, trade, democracy and human rights, and sound financial systems.'
In Britain, Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Gordon Brown sent messages of support to Obama as parties were held across Britain to mark the handover of power.
The European response was also marked with a touch of the bizarre. Former French presidential candidate Segolene Royal said Obama was inspired by her campaign and copied it, according to the online edition of the daily Le Monde.
'Yes, I inspired Obama and his teams copied us,' Royal said in Washington, where she was to be the only French politician of note to take part in Obama's inauguration later on Tuesday.
In Asia, Thailand's 81-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej congratulated Obama on his inauguration and sent his wishes for greater 'progress and prosperity' for the American people.
'I am pleased to extend to Your Excellency my sincere congratulations and best wishes for your success and happiness as well as for the greater progress and prosperity of the United States of America and her people,' said the king in a congratulatory message to Obama.
Long-standing US ally Japan said that it hopes to build stronger ties with the United States under the new administration, while Obama's inauguration would provoke changes also in Japan, officials said Tuesday.
'What is most important is that we continue to make the Japan-US alliance a firm one even when there is a change in administration,' said Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone, quoted by Kyodo News Agency.
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Older Talkback
page: 1
The village called - their idiot is missing - by the name of lance.
'The village called - their idiot is missing - by the name of lance.'
Like Liberace said: 'I laugh all the way to the bank'.
In the meantime, your country is going broke.
Who is the idiot?
get back to your village, lancelot!
..we're the Americans Lance.
We don't scare easy.
You're not.
'..we're the Americans Lance. We don't scare easy. You're not.'
And the divisiveness and divisions begin. This is only the beginning.
At 30 or 40 trillion dollars of debt, or about 2 trillion dollars of interest payments per year, people are going to feel the pain. Right now, it is just a warning; but in the future you will be scared, not by me, but by what you have done.
You only have one hope:
Breed like rabbits in the ultimate pyramid game and let future generations take the fall. Then you might be able to do 80 trillion dollars in debt before future generations feel the pain.
The addict will do anything to get more fix of their favorite drug: free money.
Barack Obama as next President of The United States of America
The die is cast and for reasons that only a privileged few know, you Sir, will be the next President of the United States of America. Your next 4 years will be a turning point in US history and planet earth. CHANGE, your advisors and high stake investors offer the nation will undoubtedly be the same rhetoric and empty promises that make up a political campaign, that campaigns for appointment for any public office in America.
The White House will be the Black House to some, the Aryan Brothers of America will not be so happy, but yet will blame you and your staff if you fail, which will reinforce their belief that the Aryan Nation is the true leader for America. The religious zealots will be busy bees making nests to survive the onslaught of lies, corruption and deceit. Business enterprises and other competing nations will capitalize off of your inexperience in the art of corruption and murder. The organized crime organizations from different nations including our own will benefit from the lack of control over national crime.
Military governments including our own will test your tolerance to pain and deception and trick you into needless and profitable domestic and international conflict. You will no doubt attempt to colorize your staff to soften the race conflict once in office.
As President you will be President. Nations will respect you only for your title of office. Americans will soon see after your appointment as President that your intentions were manipulated by those that make the rules. You will fill the spot in history as planned, and nothing more.
You will never while in office be able to pull the troops from conflict in any land we are engaged in. As a matter of fact we as a nation will be engaged in a new conflict of war, which will galvanize Americans to seek a different form of government and a different and honest Congress.
You will attempt to shore up Americas problems with false promise and lies, because you cannot directly affect the CHANGE you promised.
Your frustration will be your downfall while in office, and your co-dependence on those that you trust will also add to your demise.
Our Armed Forces in rank will respect you as good soldiers they are, but those under them will not, and for good reasons, that only a good soldier knows.
America will not be America until its government respects the People, and tells the truth. America is a Republic, not a Democracy or Fascist Government or is it?
Until you can walk thru the streets and neighborhoods of America unaided by Secret Service or any other law enforcement agency you will not be respected by the many, only by the fearful and selfish few. Americans can protect their leaders if they are honest and respectful of the people they were elected to serve. Our Government has forsaken us for many hundreds of years, and now we will wait until your 4 years are finished for us to come to fruition.
CHANGE FOR AMERICA FOR AMERICANS!
The American Republic
A Sovereign Republic
We Chinese thank George W Bush very much because his economic and trade policies were disastrous for the United States, but tremendously beneficial for CHINA.
Also his foreign policies were detrimental for America's standing in the world, but they certainly helped my country of CHINA in the eyes of most of the world.
THANX GEORGE!!!! you're the best......
page: 1
lanceJan 20th, 2009 - 17:07:03
Yet another president promising free money to all the U.S. citizen cronies and welfare dregs.
Who says you can't buy friends and votes.
When the money runs out, the false optimism will stop. It may take decades and 20 to 50 trillion dollars of debt before the cronies and dregs are forced to their knees with unbearable debt and finally feel the pain of their stupidity.
Tick, tock.
Every day of the year your children's future is being destroyed with FIVE BILLION dollars of new debt EVERY DAY as your president buys cronies, friends and power at the expense of your children's future.
The previous president did it, and this new president plans to do it. The typical U.S. citizen is bought and paid for with their children's future. Spend money! Hell yes!! Who cares where the money comes from, says the typical U.S. citizen.
Just like the 'subprime mortgage crisis', the president and U.S. citizens are going to say: 'No one knew it was coming, no one could have predicted it.'
Well, the subprime mortgage crisis was predicted and the president and congress liked destroying the U.S. economy and they do exactly what they like.
Now, the next crisis is going to be exhausting and debilitating federal debt. When the crisis comes the typical dumb head U.S. citizen, Obama, and the president at the time are going to say the same thing: 'No one knew it was coming, no one could have predicted it.'
The cycle repeats itself. The typical U.S. citizen and their presidents mass kills pagans and jeopardizes their own children's future with myopic and blind-sighted greed and lust for power.
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