SMS: The challenges faced by the new president Barack Obama

Thu, 01/22/2009 4:35 PM  |  Reader's Forum

Your comments on the challenges faced by the new president Barack Obama and the pressing issues he should immediately address

It is time that President Barack Obama looks into the well-being of the African-American citizens of America; their education, job opportunities, housing, entrepreneurship, safety, etc. He can do so much for the African-American and the minorities if he wishes to do so.

It is also time he mends the severely damaged fences left by Bush. He has to rule using his intelligence, not by bowing to lobbyists. He has to bring back American dignity, credibility and honesty. America has to face the reality that it will not be the world's sole superpower forever.

ABBY ASEENY
Jakarta

I guess Obama is tolerant, non-fundamentalist, non-corrupt and liberal, despite the fact that he spent parts of his youth in Indonesia. MIKE
Depok, West Java

Can anyone there investigate whether Obama has dual citizenship? Has all the evidence been covered up regarding his stepfather adopting/sponsoring him at age 10? According to Indonesian law once an Indonesian always an Indonesian unless one formally renounces Indonesian citizenship. DISA
Jakarta

One thing that must be remembered is that just like in Indonesia, in the United States, all politics are local. Domestic issues always come first. Right now, the US economy is in shambles. Our banking system is teetering. Unemployment is rising. Millions of people are losing their homes and millions more are in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure. These are the top issues for President Obama. Ending the Iraq war and closing Guantanamo are probably in the top three. I do not think that most Indonesians are aware of how much Americans are suffering right now. When Obama is in his meetings with his advisers, they are most likely discussing how to ward off an economic depression. I understand the concern of Muslims on the Gaza issue and the frustration that he did not say more. However, if Indonesia were going through this kind of economic turmoil, the attention of its leaders would rightly be focused on the domestic issues before the international. You must be patient with our president. He has so much to do to fix the mess that eight years of Bush made, both domestically and internationally. We must be patient. I pray that God gives him the strength, the insight, and the ability to negotiate a solution to the Israeli-Palestine conflict. We must be patient. JULIE HWANG
Los Angeles

Barack Obama is the new US President who will act on behalf of US interests. That is how he should be seen and what is to be expected from him. Any admiration for his accomplish-ments so far, or the impressive development that the US has undergone as to have elected its first African-American President, is highly appropriate. But anything beyond this is not of any interest to us. Additionally, in the likely event of the US taking action that the population of Indonesia strongly disapproves of, today's excessive affection becomes an embarrassment. There is no reason for us to take pride in his Indonesian background - the accomplishment is not ours. Moreover, if any sort of emotional ties to Indonesia will make him more sympathetic towards us than is necessary as US President, he should not have been elected. KARINA SOEMARWOTO
Leiden

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