Election 2012-The View from Europe

It’s no secret that American voters are traditionally more concerned with bread and butter issues than with foreign policy. However, American dependence on foreign oil and consumable goods, as well as indebtedness to foreign creditors demands that Americans conduct their affairs with a view toward their role as a member of an international community. Many here in Europe are watching the coming election with considerable interest. Talking to my co-workers, friends, and total strangers at the coffee shop, I find that people here generally respect and admire President Obama. His trip to the United Kingdom was a resounding success, while the PR mistakes of Governor Romney’s trip abroad left many questioning his suitability for the Oval Office. When Americans elect unsuitable candidates to the nation’s highest office, other countries take this as evidence that the average American is either ignorant or openly inconsiderate of the international implications. Growing the American economy is tremendously important in this election, but no less important is the need for rebuilding international trust, respect, and confidence in the American government. With the Invasion of Iraq, the failure to discover weapons of mass destruction there, and a general mistrust and malaise in the wake of two wars, our international prestige plummeted. Only now are the member nations of the global community beginning to trust America again. Instilling a positive perception is crucially important to U.S. national security, as this will determine how it's allies, as well as enemies, conduct policy with regard to America. The world needs to know that Americans can look beyond sound bites and party politics as usual to elect a president capable of sound judgment and diplomatic savvy. The only man capable of doing so in this race is President Obama. In the minds of many in Europe and around the globe, his re-election will send a clear signal that Americans are a people interested in more than its own well-being, but in securing its role as a global partner in growth, progress, and peace.