Leading article: President Obama's sound nuclear statesmanship (UK Independent)

[Jackeens]

Sometimes the British political discourse reveals itself to be hopelessly parochial. The furore about Barack Obama's "snub" to Gordon Brown betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the way the Obama White House does business. This administration – unlike the previous one – is less interested in bunkering down with ideological allies like Britain than reaching across divides of mistrust to get things accomplished. In a hectic week such as this, Mr Obama, understandably, has little time to spend preaching to the choir.

The President's approach to nuclear proliferation demonstrates this new way of working. Mr Obama personally chaired a meeting of the United Nations Security Council yesterday which produced a resolution pledging fresh efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and to promote disarmament. Mr Obama also wants America to ratify the comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty, ending years of foot-dragging by the US.

All this activity represents a major boost to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NNPT), the great collective effort of 1968 to edge the world away from the precipice of nuclear destruction.........Mr Obama's efforts are a demonstration of good faith which his administration can take into meetings with the Iranian regime next month. They will also make it easier for the US to build a coalition of support for sanctions against Tehran should those talks break down.

What Mr Obama recognises is that the cynical principles of realpolitik have no utility when it comes to a challenge such as nuclear proliferation. For disarmament to become a reality, nations need to come to the negotiating table with not just their narrow self-interest, but a sense of the common global good in mind.

Full editorial: http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/leading-articles/leading-article-president-obamas-sound-nuclear-statesmanship-1792794.html

[pinto]

1. I heartily second this editorial.

"For disarmament to become a reality, nations need to come to the negotiating table with not just their narrow self-interest, but a sense of the common global good in mind."

There is *still* the common global good in play. It's worth a seat at the table of international relations.

[Captain Hilts]

2. The Guardian, the only progressive paper in the United States. Ironic, eh? nt