The Obama Presidency - Promise or the same mistakes

Arrogance & Corruption - two very good words that describe American Foreign Policy.  I'm not talking about the last 8 years under Bush/Chaney, although they  were very adept at a re-emphasis of the Ugly American probably not surpassed by any predecessor.  I am talking about a 20Th century that caused the coining of that epitaph. It is not a government, big or small, epitaph.  It refers to a culture that transcends government and its supportive corporate partners, because the American government has had a very purposeful partnership with American corporations.  The last 8 years was but a culmination of a 100 years of this partnership brutally destroying millions of lives and countless governments to the advantage of the various interests at the time.

President Obama has presented a far reaching social agenda for Americans. It targets classic liberal grails of social justice here in America.  It supports lower and middle class families, health care for everyone, and a quality public education system available and attainable to all.  But where will foreign policy fall? Iraq will wind down but not as quickly as originally promised or called for by many still elected and serving.  On a seesaw pivot, Afghanistan will wind upward.  Taliban and Al Qeada terrorists have gained popularity, land, and power once again in this rocky mountainous Muslim country.  It wasn't that long ago when US funding in the 100thousands then millions supported these same 'freedom fighters' against the Russian Bear.   I don't support or agree with or even like what the Taliban Al Qeada stand for.  But have they changed in any way from their beliefs between now and 25 years ago?  They were a brutal military & strict religious wing of the Muslim religious culture 25 years ago.  They still are today.  The only difference is we were giving them millions of dollars then, now we're spending billions fighting them.  But I digress.  I was talking about our Ugly American foreign policy.  Our involvement in Afghanistan is but one small example (25 - 30 years ago, our support of 'freedom fighters' against the then current Afghanistan government forced that government to ask for the Soviet Union to help them fight them off) of how our support of 'freedom fighters' has turned against us as they 'suddenly' become terrorists.  How many wars have we initiated because of our own (closely tied to corporate) self interest?  lets start a list: Korea, Vietnam, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, Grenada, Afghanistan, Iraq.  And how many assassination (or attempted assignations) go with that: at least 12 high profile, well documented since 1961.  That counts Saddam Hussein only once (and Fidel & Raul Castro once each) even though there were multiple attempts.  some of the men targeted, leaders of their respective countries, were not what I would call 'good' men.  some were brutal dictators (Papa 'Doc" Duvalier - Haiti).  That doesn't change the fact that our government continued its well played Ugly American part in this tragic historical play.

The question is where will President Obama take the next act? How much change will this President of Change really be?