President Obama & the First Lady leave for a 10-day trip to India, Indonesia, S. Korea & Japan -pics [View All]

[Kadie]

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama depart the White House in Washington, Friday, Nov. 5, 2010, for a short helicopter flight to Andrews Air Force Base, then on to India for a ten-day trip abroad.


US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama walk to Marine One prior to departing from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, November 5, 2010. The Obamas are embarking on a four-country, 10-day trip through Asia that will take them to India, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan.


President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama walk across the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Friday, Nov. 5, 2010, as they depart the White House for a short helicopter flight to Andrews Air Force Base, then on to India for a ten-day trip abroad.


U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama board Marine One in Washington as they embark upon their 10-day trip to Asia November 5, 2010.


U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama board Marine One in Washington as they embark upon their 10-day trip to Asia November 5, 2010.


US President Barack Obama waves alongside First Lady Michelle Obama as they walk to Marine One prior to departing from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, November 5, 2010. The Obamas are embarking on a four-country, 10-day trip through Asia that will take them to India, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan.


U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama walk to Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, November 5, 2010. President Obama is travelling to India, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan.


President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. , Friday, Nov. 5, 2010, for a 10-day trip through India, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan, the longest foreign outing of Obama's presidency.


President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wave as they board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. , Friday, Nov. 5, 2010, for a 10-day trip through India, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan, the longest foreign outing of Obama's presidency.


U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama step aboard Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, November 5, 2010. President Obama is travelling to India, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan.


Obama heading for India to open Asia trip
By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press – 1 hr 30 mins ago

snip...
Obama's trip aims to seek out economic benefit for the U.S., but advisers are also emphasizing his decision to visit four vibrant and growing democracies. It's an itinerary meant to reinforce support for democratic values at a time when the U.S. commitment to human rights worldwide has sometimes come into question.

snip...
The trip to India is Obama's first to the burgeoning nation of 1.2 billion, a huge and growing trading partner where U.S. officials see infinite potential. The president is spending three days there, dividing his time between Mumbai, the financial center on the coast of the Arabian Sea, and the capital of New Delhi. It's the longest single stretch he's spent in any foreign country, a point U.S. officials are careful to emphasize.

"The primary purpose is to take a bunch of U.S. companies and open up markets so that we can sell in Asia, in some of the fastest-growing markets in the world, and we can create jobs here in the United States," Obama told reporters Thursday. "And my hope is, is that we've got some specific announcements that show the connection between what we're doing overseas and what happens here at home when it comes to job growth and economic growth."

more...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101105/ap_on_bi_ge/us_obama_asia_15