Regardless of your politics, it should be heartening to learn that the election of Barack Obama has brought some much-needed boost to America's image abroad. And that is particularly welcome during these times, when the rest of world has much reason to blame us for putting them in the current financial mess.
At least that is the sense among some of my non-US contacts. In their own (anonymyzed) words:
From a former MD of a Big-5 firm in Hong Kong/China:
In general, it is well received. Most people outside of the US do not like Bush, and so McCain. I think Obama has the intellect to at least understand some of the issues and hopefully to deal with them with less short term fixes. Clearly Bush did not. In many ways, it shows how great a nation the US is.
From a Hong Kong/China banker:
What ... great news about the new president of the USA!!!
From a London-based banking analyst/expert:
[The] result has been greeted with great relief and some excitement! There is a sense that Americans have made a great step forward in terms of accepting their own history (well most of them anyway!). Whether he can live up to such high expectations given the problems the US faces - well that in a different matter.
US foreign policy under Bush has been a disaster. Although the British government joined Bush in the Iraq invasion the majority of the population here opposed any UK involvement (and is not very keen on having troops in Afgahnistan either) and looked at the 'regime change' dogma with horror. The only reason why it was voted through in Parliament was because of the claims that Iraq possessed 'weapons of mass destruction' which it intended to use and that turns out to have been a lie.
Most Americans would no doubt be horrified to learn that many Europeans (and I would include British in that) consider the US to have acted as a 'rogue nation' sponsoring state terrorism. And that is where the relief comes in - McCain with his 'Bomb, bomb, Iran' this sort of language from a possible US President was not what the rest of the world wanted to hear.
There are a few concerns about any possible moves towards protectionism - I hope the lessons of the Great Depression have been learnt by now and that he gets good advice.
From a Taiwan-based media CEO:
The election is sure a wonderful new beginning for America.
From a Shanghai-based fund manager:
... this historical day!!! Is it true that "Change" is really coming over America? Like it or not, we now enters a new chapter in so many profound ways! I must confess that I was moved to tears listening to Obama's victory speech!
... Once again, a toast to a very momentous & memorable day! Yes, I am truly excited as my heart fills with hope and joy to be actually witnessing the revitalization of the core value which the great nation of U.S. was built upon: equality & opportunity for all...
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