Word: obamas
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...Obama's upcoming visit to Indonesia is being heralded as a homecoming. Millions of Indonesians consider Barry Soetoro--he was once known by his Indonesian stepfather's surname--to be an honorary citizen. But even as Obama prepares to take a trip down memory lane, the fate of his boyhood likeness underscores his--and America's--growing image problem across Asia. Soon after the statue of young Barry was moved, U.S. diplomats were busy in Beijing repairing relations with the world's next superpower. Meanwhile, Japan, for decades the key U.S. ally in Asia, is calling for a more equal...
...Obama has spoken about Asia's significance. "I want every American to know that we have a stake in the future of this region," he said in Tokyo last November, "because what happens here has a direct effect on our lives at home." But since then the Obama Administration has failed to do much to advance the free-trade agreements that Asia seeks. "We do hope that [Obama's Asia visit] will not be like Santa Claus coming and just giving a few gifts and flying away," says Thailand's Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot, "because what we need from...
Indonesia itself deserves no less. The 17,000-island archipelago boasts the world's biggest Muslim population and is also its third largest democracy, demonstrating that Islam and political freedom are not incompatible. Back when Obama lived in Jakarta, Indonesia was ruled by a dictator and mired in poverty. Today it is a member of the G-20 club of the wealthiest economies. "Foreigners used to think of Indonesia as a place of natural disasters," says Gita Wirjawan, the head of the nation's investment board. "But now they realize that this is a $550 billion economy that...
...Obama's trip will offer a challenge to the new top dog in Asia. China is now a larger trading partner of both Japan and ASEAN than the U.S. is, and the pace of U.S. investment in Southeast Asia has slowed in recent years. "If we are closer to China now, it is only because the U.S. has neglected us," says Kavi Chongkittavorn, a columnist for the Nation, a Thai newspaper. The rivals for the region's affections are not getting along. In recent weeks, China has attacked Obama for approving arms sales to Taiwan and meeting with the Dalai...
Back in Jakarta, such geopolitical worries are far from the minds of children at the Menteng elementary school where Obama studied. Annisa Luthpia, 10, practicing a xylophone tune she hopes to perform for the U.S. President, giggles when asked what religion Obama is. She doesn't know--and doesn't care. Says the Muslim girl Annisa of the Christian American President: "He seems like a very nice man." Obama's challenge is to persuade Asians that he's more than just that...