Is the election helping America's image abroad?

The Associated Press

A beacon abroad?

Featured Topic | Posted 42 weeks 6 hours ago

Is the election helping America's image abroad?

After 9/11, a French newspaper famously declared that "we're all Americans now." But that warm feeling quickly dissipated. Now it's on the rise again, as citizens in countries around the world follow the 2008 election campaign as closely as they would races in their own country.

Can America restore its standing in the world? And what does the campaign have to do with it?

Ben likes: The American friend and enemy

Jose Vilas Nogueira/Libertad (via Worldmeets.us)

International progressives get scandalized if the United States intervenes in defense of liberty (their own, but also ours)outside their borders, but become sick with fear if the United States turns to isolation. They don't want the "enemy" to abandon them and yet they cling to him with desperation as a "friend."

Joel likes: How the 2008 campaign made the world love America again

James Forsyth/Foreign Policy

The 2008 campaign has reminded the public overseas, and especially in allied countries, of the diversity and vibrancy of American democracy. It is hard for even the most hardened anti-American not to be impressed by the fact that the Democrats will nominate either an African-American or a women as their candidate, while watching this twisting and turning campaign play out gives the lie to the view that United States is some kind of corporate oligarchy.

Another piece of good news is that all three candidates with a realistic chance of being the next president play well abroad in a way that George W. Bush does not. Indeed, with a more pro-American leadership in Europe and the sting being drawn from Iraq by the success of the surge, the next president will have a real window of opportunity to chalk up some quick wins in 2009. The rest of the democratic world will be keen to show America that cooperating is worth its while.