Looking back on Obama's tour of Europe
So what of the Europe and Turkey visit?
Traditionally American presidents turn their attentions to the outside world when everything at home goes to hell. For Mr Obama you could argue that things at home were already pretty dire so the normal rules were easy to break.
But he has taken to world diplomacy as if he were made for it. Which in a way, he was.
He is tall with long arms: this allows LBJ-style use of stature to impose power and will.
And he has a fine mind: diplomats value this. In a meeting in Prague, a diplomat told a colleague that the entire room was wowed by him - he had such a grasp of subjects. But just as importantly, he has an easy and self-effacing style that caused the Euro crowd to swoon.
But has he achieved anything? The David Axelrod line - that it is all about tomorrow or the day after - could be interpreted as a terrible cop-out.
But this project is huge. So the fact that North Korea is still the subject of international disagreement or that Turkey has not acceded to the EU or that Afghanistan has not been pacified by Belgian gendarmes with feathers in their caps should not surprise us.
The long-term does matter. In a year, if the Euro crowd want out of Afghanistan then this trip failed. In 10 years, if North Korea has built a spaceship and colonised the moon then this trip failed. In a century, if Turkey is an Islamic Republic with a national day to celebrate Osama Bin Laden's birthday, then this visit will have failed.
But if, in a year, or 10 or 100, we see a more united effort in Afghanistan, a more concerted effort against the North Koreans, and a Turkey even more modern and diplomatically mature, then he can claim to have done well.
If he is still around...
Hello, I'm 
Comments