CNN - RW Neocon Media Spin - Unilateralism Is A Sign Of Strength, Diplomacy A Sign Of Weakness

[Median Democrat]

Yesterday, John Bolton was attacking the U.S.'s participating in international bodies, as a surrender of sovereignty. Now, CNN and Fareed Zakaria engage in a bit of spin to suggest that Obama should be more aggressive about dictating terms to the rest of the world. Once again, the military industrial complex will use its clout to push the Obama administration to behave in a more hawkish, unilateral manner.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/04/03/zakaria.g20/index.html

/snip

CNN: What do you think of President Obama's trip to the G-20?

Fareed Zakaria: Although he brought a lot of star power -- the talk of the week -- at least in certain circles in Washington, New York and London -- has been that President Obama is failing in his role as leader of the free world. British columnist Jonathan Freedland wrote in The Guardian newspaper that President Obama looks neither like JFK nor FDR but rather JEC -- that's James Earl Carter -- better known here as Jimmy Carter.

/snip

In sharp contrast, the actual reports of what took place demonstrate Obama's effectiveness as a diplomat, and mediator:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/03/world/europe/03assess.html?ref=world

/snip

All in all, not a bad day’s work,” Mr. Prasad added.

Mr. Obama’s own assessment? “Well, I think I did O.K.,” he said, when asked by a reporter during a news conference to rate his performance.

In a premiere diplomatic tour that has already been scrutinized for every blemish, Mr. Obama has, thus far, gotten some not-so-good reviews — several European news outlets complained that he seemed aloof — and some raves. (President Nicolas Sarkozy of France called him “very helpful.”)

Mr. Sarkozy was referring to Mr. Obama the mediator. For a tense hour on Thursday, Mr. Sarkozy and President Hu Jintao of China were going back and forth about tax havens. In a large conference room at the Excel Center, surrounded by 18 other world leaders, the two men sniped at each other, according to officials in the room.

Mr. Sarkozy wanted the big communiqué produced by the Group of 20 to endorse naming and shaming global tax havens, maybe even including Hong Kong and Macao, which are under China’s sovereignty. Unsurprisingly, Mr. Hu was having none of it. He appeared angry that Mr. Sarkozy was effectively accusing China of lax regulation, and that the French leader was asking China to endorse sanctions issued by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a club of wealthy nations that Beijing has yet to join.

According to accounts provided by White House officials and corroborated by European and other officials also in the room, Mr. Obama escorted both men, one at a time, to a corner of the room, to judge the dispute. How about replacing the word “recognize,” Mr. Obama suggested, with the word “note?”

The result: “The era of banking secrecy is over,” the final communiqué said. “We note that the O.E.C.D. has today published a list of countries assessed by the Global Forum against the international standard for exchange of tax information.” Hong Kong and Macao did not appear on the list.

/snip