Obama and the world: time to deliver

Focus on Pakistan as the long-term threat to regional stability because of Islamabad’s inability to control its own territory, Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal and the ever-present danger of war between Pakistan and India. Offer a 90-day pause in US drone bombing of suspected terrorists living on Pakistani territory, which is alienating Pakistani public opinion, in return for meaningful Pakistani military action against terrorist operations. Challenge the Europeans, Japanese and Chinese to counter the fundamentalists’ appeal by building schools, clinics and factories to afford Pakistanis a better life. And restrain New Delhi. Whatever the provocation, war will only make conditions in Pakistan worse. Pressure Islamabad to turn over suspected terrorists to Indian authorities and launch back-channel efforts to reduce tensions in Kashmir.

Northwest Asia

Re-start discussions with the North Koreans by sending an American team of non-governmental experts to Pyongyang to begin a dialogue on how to have more effective negotiations about the North Korean nuclear weapons program. Tell Tokyo that it is free to pursue its own diplomacy with Pyongyang about the abductees. But the nuclear talks with North Korea will eventually continue, with only five parties if Japan cannot participate for domestic political reasons. Challenge Beijing to ratchet up its pressure on Pyongyang as a sign of Chinese willingness to work constructively with the new US administration. And pass the US-Korea Free Trade Agreement as a signal of continued US engagement in the region.

There is a palpable, collective relief around the world that the Bush era is over. And the excitement that a young African-American has now become president of the United States is genuine. But Obama should not confuse the enthusiasm of the moment with support for American foreign policy in the long run. Rebuilding trust in the United States requires Washington to break with the past.

No one expects Obama to resolve longstanding problems overnight. But his first few months in office are a time to set the tone for his foreign policy by offering bold initiatives to address stalemated crises in hotspots around the world. He will never have this opportunity again.