Monday, November 10, 2008
Lowering Expectations
Keeping trans-Atlantic expectations modestseems a necessary corrective to some of the euphoria about the consequences of Barack Obama's election. Better to start slow and build up ... and for this to work, European leaders have to level with their American counterparts. There's no hiding behind the excuse of the Bush Administration anymore ...
On a separate note, I hope that consolidating the opening to India will be a high priority of the new administration, not something left on the side.
It may sound like heresy for me to suggest it, but trying to fix the Russia relationship shouldn't be--in terms of the calendar--a top priority. Let tensions subside, let the Europeans take the lead. A rushed Obama-Medvedev meeting that doesn't produce much of substance will be more damaging in the long run.
Just some Monday thoughts.
On a separate note, I hope that consolidating the opening to India will be a high priority of the new administration, not something left on the side.
It may sound like heresy for me to suggest it, but trying to fix the Russia relationship shouldn't be--in terms of the calendar--a top priority. Let tensions subside, let the Europeans take the lead. A rushed Obama-Medvedev meeting that doesn't produce much of substance will be more damaging in the long run.
Just some Monday thoughts.
