The (Ex) Washington Realist

Pirates are always more interesting than the details of trans-Atlantic diplomacy--and luckily for the president, most initial coverage focused on his favorable reception. The follow-up stories--assessing what was actually achieved--got displaced by the drama occurring off the coast of Africa.

The White House maintained that president Obama's visit was to "plant the seeds" of a better relationship.

My take?

It's not a problem of laying the seeds it is a problem of whether the soil is fertile. The soil becomes fertile when other countries feel that their interests are aligning with those of the United States. The soil becomes more receptive when there is a sense that what the U.S. is proposing is beneficial.