"Our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared..."

Like me, I'm sure many of you have been caught up in the recent American election. Tuesday night was truly historic and watching CSPAN pan the crowds in Grant Park was incredible. Of course, as Canadians we must always pay attention to American politics as they are our closest ally and largest trading partner. But as observers of the UN we must also consider the ramifications of an Obama presidency on American foreign policy.
While the current US Ambassador to the UN, Zalmay Khalilzad, has been much more reconciliatory in his style of diplomatic relations, his predecessor sent a clear message on President Bush's feelings towards the organization. John Bolton, who the President failed to get approved by the US Senate and was forced to push through on a recess appointment, has always been a vocal opponent of the UN. By appointing someone clearly hostile to the institution Bush hampered multilateral relations and essentially dismissed the UN of having any relevancy to his actions. However, Bolton proved to be the exception to the rule and like Khalilzad, other American appointees have been generally well respected.
So the current feeling at the UN is mixed. There is a hope that trust can be re-established between the US and the UN but there is also the question of whether the US has strayed too far towards isolationism and protectionist policies. The latest economic crisis will be a true test to of the international community as a whole. Perhaps only actions will tell whether Obama is willing to make a new commitment to the international system and there is a host of delayed decisions waiting for him when he takes office. For instance, the US has not joined the Human Rights Council or the International Criminal Court. It has also failed to sign the Kyoto Protocol and the 1996 Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty against nuclear weapons development.
It will be very interesting to watch how Obama handles the transition period and, more importantly for us, how he handles international relations. Currently the global community, swept up in the epic election campaign, are willing to support him but to remain popular he will have to take some decisive action at the UN and in other international forums. Let's face it, without US support, the UN's ability to hold countries accountable and make lasting change is severely compromised. With that in mind we can only hope that change really has in this new era of American leadership.
Further reading:
- "UN: Hope that America rejoins the world" - Barbara Cossette
- "New era for UN..." - Reuters
- "Obama Promises 'New Dawn' of American Leadership" - NPR
- Foreign Policy's predictions for new UN Ambassador (Foreign Policy is one of the top American international affairs magazines along with Foreign Affairs. Check out both magazines and their blogs if you have the chance!)