President Obama began his six-day tour of Europe in Ireland. The president will travel on to London, Deauville (France), and Warsaw. Boston University international relations professor Erik Goldstein, an expert in diplomacy, is a long-time British government watcher and author of “Winning the Peace: British Diplomatic Strategy, Peace Planning, and the Paris Peace Conference, 1916-1910.” He offers the following comment on President Obama’s trip”
“President Obama’s whirlwind tour of Europe is a mix of his own domestic political needs with re-election looming, by visiting his Irish roots, the high ceremonial of a state visit to London which will include an address to the British parliament (a privilege not often given to visiting leaders), and then a working visit on the continent to meet with key leaders of the G9 summit.
“All this against the ongoing conflict in Libya which involves several of America’s key allies and which the president must want brought to a conclusion. With his international standing heightened by the killing of Osama bin Laden, now is his opportunity to crystallize the rebuilding of America’s alliance network after the damage caused to these relations during the Bush years.”
Contact Erik Goldstein, 617-353-9280, goldstee@bu.edu
