What We’re Reading 7/13/09

Jul 13th, 2009 3:10 PM UTC
By Chris Scott

Wall Street Journal: Obama’s Foreign Strategy Mixes Encouragement, Demands
The Wall Street Journal reports that in his major addresses in four foreign capitals – Prague, Cairo, Moscow and Accra – President Obama has tried to define a new era of American diplomacy: “a rhetorical balance of ‘tough’ and ‘love.’” It says his addresses are aimed at standing in contrast to George W. Bush’s focus on criticism and to Bill Clinton’s use of adulation abroad to bolster support at home. Instead, White House aides say, the President tried to show his willingness to engage in diplomacy on the basis of mutual self-interests and his top concerns, which are nuclear proliferation, terrorism, energy security, and effective governance and development in the Third World.

New York Times Front Page: Obama Delivers Call for Change for Change to a Rapt Africa
The New York Times featured President Obama’s speech Saturday, saying that in Ghana he delivered the message that “American aid must be matched by Africa’s responsibility for its own problems.” The President said Africa needs to shed corruption and take on poverty and disease.

AP: World Leaders Take Fresh Approach on Global Hunger
The AP writes of the new $20 billion agricultural initiative that the UN and anti-poverty groups welcomed the deal, but they stressed that it was important to see how much would actually be delivered from newly allocated funds and not moved from other development projects. It said that the G8 leaders’ statement seemed less than definitive and that beyond the numbers pledged by the US, France and the EU it was not immediately clear if there were solid commitments for the remaining amount. The story mentions ONE and quotes Bono.

New York Times Editorial: Tangled Trade Talks
In an editorial the New York Times writes “we have been increasingly worried by the protectionist rhetoric and policies being espoused by politicians across the globe and in this country” on trade. The piece commends the recent agreement to restart the Doha round of trade talks. It says that leaders from the US, Europe, India, China and Brazil will have to show “real sense and political courage” to avoid protectionism when talks begin.

-Grace Lamb-Atkinson

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