Never in history has a president of the United States taken the oath of office facing the difficulties that confront Barack Obama. Franklin Roosevelt assumed office amid an economic calamity but with a world at peace; Abraham Lincoln, a nation about to be torn apart by war, but relative prosperity at home.

With the American economy – and the world’s – sagging and two wars being fought thousands of miles away, the new Ppesident will rightfully devote his attention to these monumental challenges. But I hope there will be both the time and energy for a campaign to win back America’s reputation around the world.

It is unfortunate that such an effort is necessary. It wasn’t all that long ago when things were different, and the world stood with the US after September 11th. We were “all Americans” then. But the Bush Administration chose to go it alone. Now, after years of a “you’re with us or you’re against us” approach to US foreign policy and a deeply unpopular war in Iraq, America is more isolated, with a badly tarnished image, and the world less secure. Add the fact that many around the world blame the US as our financial crisis snowballs into a worldwide economic meltdown.

Changing some of our policies – such as closing Guantanamo Bay and addressing climate change – will remove some of the highly-charged issues that have affected our reputation. But policy changes alone won’t do the job. As president, Mr Obama, should launch – sooner rather than later — a public diplomacy campaign that redefines America’s engagement with the world community and its citizens. He should take the campaign around the world, and especially to the hotbeds of anti-Americanism (inthenews.co.uk, January 20, 2009).

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