EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL So what are friends for?
- Published: 16/02/2009 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: News
The Barack Obama presidency starts what it promises will be a new foreign policy era this week. Top officials and envoys are off to Europe and South Asia. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton begins her term with a trip to Asia that brings mixed reactions. On one hand, Mrs Clinton is clearly showing how important this region has become. On the other, the decision to visit Indonesia but ignore close US friends and allies is confusing.
The recognition that Asia is the continent of the 21st century is welcome. The former administration led by George W Bush was frequently distracted from this reality. Mr Obama has promised not to be so disordered by the war on terrorism that he ignores the positive sides of US foreign policy. As the wife of President Bill Clinton - the couple visited Thailand in 1996 - and then as a hard-working senator, Mrs Clinton is familiar with Asia.
Her travel itinerary for the next eight days puts her in Tokyo today, Jakarta on Wednesday, Seoul on Thursday and Beijing on Friday. Her pre-trip speech last week made it clear she thinks the US-Asian partnership is vital. In Northeast Asia, the economy and North Korea are likely to dominate Mrs Clinton's conversations. Despite severe misgivings by Japan and South Korea, she is likely to insist on the continuation of the gentler Bush policies of trying to disarm North Korea through the six-party talks. In Beijing, Mrs Clinton will find that severe economic problems are hobbling Chinese efforts to lead that effort.
On Wednesday and Thursday, Mrs Clinton's VIP aircraft will travel 10,000 kilometres from Tokyo to Seoul via Jakarta. In each direction she will pass close to Thai air space. The US has no urgent issues with Indonesia, which has one of the world's best records against terrorism. Presumably she will press Mr Obama's message to Muslims, in his first interview as president with the Al-Arabiya news channel, that "Americans are not your enemy". This is a thoughtful message to usher in what most of the world hopes is less confrontation and more cooperation by Washington.
But here in Thailand, it is nearly a month into the Obama presidency without a word from the new government in Washington. Since the US election last November, Thai exports to the US have slumped because of the recession. The business community grows increasingly worried that the new administration is determined to press protectionist measures. The ill-timed "Buy American" campaign is part and parcel of renewed calls for the US to pressure its friends and trading partners on labour issues, intellectual property piracy and the environment. Mrs Clinton will be specifically pushing this week for more action on global warming.
Mr Obama, who confused Thailand with Taiwan during a campaign speech last year in his only mention of our country, will visit Indonesia later this year. That seems natural - literally a homecoming for the US president. Plus, Indonesia as the world's most populous Muslim nation, is a key to his attempt to foster better relations with Islamic countries. Still, his return to the country where he attended primary school is mostly political campaigning, with little policy substance.
Many in Thailand, which has 175 years of rock-solid support and harmony with the US, feel the new leadership in Washington is turning its back on an old friend. Singaporeans and Filipinos have said much the same. The new administration maintains it truly wants to focus on our region. It is important to include wary countries like Indonesia in the dialogue. But it is vital not to ignore old and trusted friends.
