変革の意味?

The Questions Surrounding Obama's "Change"

(Washington-1/28/2009 12:10 A.M.)

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/world/news/20090127-OYT1T01169.htm

With his executive orders to shut down the Guantanamo Terrorist Prison among other things, The U.S. citizenry is looking forward to Mr. Obama's oft mentioned "change".

However, each policy poses many problems. How far he gets within his first 100 days in office is what will determine whether his administration will be in power for another 4 years.

The orders that has garnered the most attention is the closing of the Guantanamo Bay prison and the outlawing of torture of it's prisoners. Moreover, Obama has made clear that he will bring an end to what has become known as "Bush's War" while restoring America's damaged moral standing in the fight against terrorism.

That being said, a major problem is what to do with suspects held in Guantanamo whom are thought to be "Dangerous Terrorists" who would restart Anti-American activity. One the one hand, the banning of torture, while seen as important in gathering information could easily be ignored by the Army. Such is the worry of prominent left wing civil rights groups who have already voiced concern.

The other "bad inheritance" from the Bush years is the Iraq war. One of Obama's campaign promises he made on the 21st was the "withdrawal of American forces from Iraq within 16 months."

Meanwhile Defense Secretary Gates has said "16 months was just one of many options." Also, Ambassador Ryan Crocker warned; "A precipitous withdrawal could be dangerous. I fear Al Qaeda would go on the offense again." To add, the Status of Forces agreement which leaves the final withdrawal deadline for 2011 leaves room for flexibility.

On the other hand, Mr. Obama has maintained a distinctly liberal stance on domestic and environmental issues, abortion in particular. His stance of lifting federal funding bans for international family planning organizations is an 180 degree turn from the Bush Administration.

With regards to environmental policy, Mr. Obama appointed new staff to tackle the Climate Change and Energy issues. In contrast to Bush, who rejected the Kyoto Protocol, Mr. Obama has revealed that he will join the 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen as part of a "Post-Kyoto Protocol" conference.

Yomiuri Shinbun