Obama results of the board. What the outgoing American president promised and achieved

Barack Obama came to the White House with a desire to improve relations with Russia, which at the end of the reign of his predecessor George Jr. low level. The adviser, the future US ambassador to Russia, developed the idea of a “reset” to improve relations, which was supposed to help get rid of the baggage of the past.

New relations were also facilitated by the fact that he took the post of president in Russia, whose rhetoric in the first years of his reign was very friendly towards the United States.

The two leaders quickly hit it off, but despite some improvements, "reset" quickly turned into "overload," as was mistakenly written on the famous button the Secretary of State gave to his colleague.

Dmitry, Deputy Director of the Center for European and International Studies, believes that such changes in relations between the two countries are connected with the initially impossible task that Obama set himself, because he planned not only to end the unnecessary Bush war in Iraq, but also to strengthen the US world leadership in a multipolar world. which is objectively impossible.

“Obama thought that maybe America just needs to change the style of behavior, and this will help him strengthen his influence on the world stage. However, all his further steps were associated with impossible tasks, and that is why he constantly corrected his course, since other countries denied and did not accept sole leadership, and neither Russia nor China would agree with this, ”the expert comments.

The interlocutor of Gazeta.Ru claims that it is with these failures that the cycles of Russian-American relations are connected. So, in 2010 there was a peak of relations between the two countries since the 1990s.

But under Obama, there was also a major decline in relationships. The expert considers this diplomatic crisis deeper than in 1999 and 2008. And this is due to the deep disappointment of the Obama administration in the actions of Russia.

The sharp deterioration was due to the events in Ukraine, in which both Moscow and Washington intervened. Despite the fact that the United States itself practically wrested Kosovo from Serbia, they could not come to terms with Russia's actions in Crimea.

The president of the Institute for Strategic Assessments believes that such a situation is quite natural and American policy can be called reactive. “The United States did not agree with the annexation of Crimea and the war in eastern Ukraine, which is believed to have been unleashed not without our participation. No one expected such quick action from Russia. This is what led to the sanctions, which shows the lowest level of relations between the two countries,” the expert comments.

Conflicts in the Middle East

Speaking of foreign policy, the most important moment can be called Obama's desire to end the Iraq war. When Obama first ran for president in 2008, he called the Iraq war "the Bush administration's mistake" and promised to end it as soon as he took office. However, in the future, the process dragged on, and the troops were withdrawn from Iraq only after 18 months.

Alexander Konovalov believes that it was precisely this election promise that Obama managed to fulfill. “Of course, American troops still remain in Iraq, but they are already much smaller, most of them have been withdrawn, and the part that is still in Iraq is not involved in any major operations,” he explained in an interview with "Gazeta.Ru".

According to Dmitry Suslov, Barack Obama has always criticized the Bush administration for the war in Iraq and believed that the forcible establishment of a democratic regime in Iraq and Afghanistan would be impossible. However, the "Arab Spring" played against Obama's political line, disorienting him.

“It was she who, like the Bush administration, began to pursue an ideological foreign policy, but if Bush's policy was responsible, that is, after the overthrow of the dictatorial regime, Bush's task was to create a new state, then Obama's policy was not like that: he simply overthrew the former regime, and that's it.

And ISIS (, banned in Russia), taking advantage of this, occupied these territories. And this factor in Obama's policy, of course, can be called negative, since it provoked chaos after the change of the political regime, and Libya, Syria, and Iraq are now facing such a problem, ”the expert comments.

Obama himself, already at the end of his presidency, will call Libya "a grave mistake." In 2011, led by his European allies, the US president launched a military intervention in Libya. The overthrow of the odious dictator, who did not threaten the United States in any way, led to chaos and the almost collapse of this country. Ironically, Obama was already the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, which he received "upfront" at the dawn of his presidency.

As a leading expert at Gulf State Analytics notes, Obama's policy in the Middle East has done some damage to his allies among the Persian Gulf countries and, in particular, Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia supporting the Houthis in the conflict in Yemen.” In addition, the expert noted that the US Congress adopted legislative act, which allows US citizens to sue the government of Saudi Arabia for its citizens' involvement in the events of September 11, 2001.

In Egypt, the Obama administration has also abandoned support for its ally in favor of a radical one. According to Karasik, Obama saw it as "an alternative form of power that could change the Middle East," but the result was chaos.

The only positive aspect of Obama's Middle East policy can be considered the successful signing of a nuclear agreement with Iran. However, in addition to the United States, Russia, Germany, France, Great Britain and China participated in it.

As noted by Dmitry Suslov, despite the fact that this moment is positive in relations between the two countries, the Trump administration may reverse this agreement. It is known that the elected President of the United States has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with this document.

Restoring relations with Cuba

The restoration of diplomatic relations with Cuba can be called the main positive foreign policy outcome of the Obama presidency. Alexander Konovalov of the Institute for Strategic Assessments calls this moment historic.

True, despite the fact that both sides reopened embassies decades later, and Obama made his historic visit to the island, the US trade embargo has not yet been lifted. To do this, you need to get the consent of Congress, which will be difficult.

And while the actions of the Obama administration have led to a significant improvement in relations, this has led to polarization between Democrats and Republicans within the United States, which is a strong minus, says Americanist Suslov.

Social politics

Obama's health care reform, Obamacare, can be called the main achievement in Obama's domestic policy. It became a kind of milestone in the development of American society.

For the first time in the US, insurance and health care made available to all citizens. More than 20 million Americans have received mandatory health insurance policies.

The reform, which Obama's opponents on the Republican right called "socialist", has really helped many people in the country who do not have significant means.

Trump opposes this reform and has threatened to replace it with a new "insurance for all." According to Alexander Konovalov, this reform caused a strong resonance in the Senate, as the Republicans consider it too expensive. "More likely, new president will rebuild it, but it will be impossible to cancel it completely, ”the expert told Gazeta.Ru.

Suslov, in turn, also believes that Obamacare has led to more polarization between Republicans and Democrats, as well as between people with conservative and progressive views.

“The reform certainly set the bomb for Obama's next moves.

The Republicans began to torpedo further moves by Obama. This was a very important step and much needed by American society, but it led to negative consequences”, explains Suslov.

Another major aspect of domestic politics that has changed dramatically during Obama's presidency has been his handling of racial and gender discrimination. For example, the Obama administration decided to repeal the Clinton-era “Don’t Tell, Don’t Ask” law, according to which people with a non-traditional orientation could not serve in the US armed forces if they did not hide their orientation, and also forbade command and colleagues to ask about her.

However, notes Dmitry Suslov, such progress has resulted in the strengthening of conservative ideas, and to some extent even racist sentiments.

The very fact that a black president came to power for the first time in the United States became historic, since before that, for a long time, African Americans could not even travel to public transport along with the white population of America.

Recovery after the crisis

The main success of domestic policy can be considered the overcoming of the economic crisis by the Obama administration, Dmitry Suslov believes: “He came in 2009 at the apogee of the financial crisis, and in a very short time he managed to reduce unemployment and reduce the state budget deficit.”

During the Obama presidency, 14 million jobs were created in the United States, and the unemployment rate fell.

It is for this reason, according to an expert from the Russian International Affairs Council, that Obama is leaving public service with so high rating. “Overall, of the 12 presidents who have ruled America since World War II, Obama ranks eighth in terms of America's economic influence,” the expert comments.

In the dry matter

Summing up the results of Obama's presidency, Suslov notes that his rule was very controversial. “The main problem is high expectations.

In 2008, everyone was in euphoria during the election campaign and after the election. However, as it turned out later, Obama's promises to fundamentally change domestic political, economic and foreign policy are almost impossible to implement objectively.

Of course, Obama made important steps, but increased the division of the American political system. And he increased resistance from conservatives and, to some extent, racist sentiments, which was one of the factors in Trump's victory, ”the expert comments.

This opinion is also shared by RIAC expert Maxim Suchkov: “Trump’s election is the most striking evidence of ordinary Americans’ disappointment with Obama’s initiatives and the psychological effect they had on citizens’ perception of “their America”, which they think they are losing. In foreign policy, the miscalculations of the administration will shake international relations for a long time to come: the “Arab spring”, the collapse of statehood in Libya and Syria; strengthening of IG; Ukraine and the crisis in relations with Russia; breakdown of ties with traditional US allies such as Israel and Türkiye.”

White House.

The Cabinet included former rivals in the primaries: Hillary Rodham Clinton as Secretary of State and Bill Richardson as head of the US Department of Commerce.

The next day, late in the evening, on the advice of constitutional lawyers, Obama in the White House, as a precaution, re-took the oath of the head of state, due to the fact that the day before there was an error in reading the text of the oath established by the US Constitution: Chief Justice Roberts of the US Supreme Court erroneously put the word "honestly" (English faithfully) after the words "to act as President of the United States."

First 100 days

expectations

Actions

In the first week of his presidency, Obama suspended military commissions at Guantanamo Bay and ordered the detention facility closed for a year, but never closed before the end of the term, changed the rules for interrogating terrorist suspects, ordered the Department of Energy to raise fuel efficiency standards, and allowed states to establish higher than federal emissions standards, and lifted the ban on federal funding for international organizations involved in abortion.

On January 29, 2009, the President signed into law a law that increases the ability to challenge in court the facts of discrimination in the field of wages ( en:Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009). In February, a law on stimulating the economy was adopted ( en:American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009).

Re-election, cabinet changes

In 2012, Obama ran for a second presidential term under the slogan "Forward for America!". On November 6, 2012, Obama was re-elected to the presidency; the inauguration took place on January 20, 2013. In February 2013, Minister of Defense L. Panetta was replaced by C. Hagel, Secretary of the Treasury T. Geithner - J. Lew, and Secretary of State H. Clinton - J. Kerry. In April 2013, S. Jewell was appointed to the position of Minister of the Interior, C. Salazar, and in May, E. Moniz was appointed to the position of Minister of Energy, S. Chu.

Economy

In May 2009, the law on the expansion of user rights was signed credit cards (en:Credit CARD Act of 2009). In July 2010, a law was signed to tighten the regulation of the financial market and strengthen the protection of consumers of financial services ( en:Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act).

In December 2010, the Bush Jr. tax cuts were extended ( en:Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010).

In August 2011, Congress increased the national debt limit, cutting government spending by $917 billion over 10 years and requiring a plan to cut spending by another $1.2 trillion over 10 years ( en:Budget Control Act of 2011). In September 2011, Obama presented Congress with a package of legislative measures to stimulate employment, including tax credits for job creators and investments ( en:American Jobs Act), and then introduced a plan to reduce the deficit, including lower health care spending, operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the removal of tax breaks for oil and gas companies and the richest individuals.

Since the cut-back plan required by the legislation adopted in 2011 was not adopted, from March 2013 a uniform cut of most budget programs came into force ( en:Budget sequestration in 2013).

In October 2013, due to the conflict around the budget, the work of some federal institutions was suspended.

Human rights

In July 2009, the United States signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. , however, in December 2012, the Senate rejected a proposal supported by Obama to ratify it. In October of the same year, a law was passed extending the scope of protection against hate crimes to sexual minorities and persons with disabilities ( en:Matthew Shepard Act). In August 2010, the differences in punishments for cocaine in crystals, more common among the black population, and in powder, more common among the white population, were reduced ( en:Fair Sentencing Act). In December 2010, the US, the last of the UN member states, expressed support for the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; a law was also passed to abolish the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. In May 2012, Obama voiced personal support for same-sex marriage; in June 2012, the administration announced that it would not deport illegal immigrants with no criminal record who were brought into the US as children under 16 and were educated in America or served in the US military.

On January 8, 2011, Obama signed into law a law that prohibits the use of US Department of Defense funds to move Guantanamo Bay prisoners to America. In addition, the document also prohibits the transfer of prisoners from this prison to other countries, with the exception of a very limited number of cases. The new law calls into question the possibility of closing the prison in the near future.

Education

In March 2010, a law was passed increasing maximum size federal grants for needy students ( en:Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act).

Foreign policy, military action

In December 2009, a decision was announced to increase the contingent of US troops in Afghanistan by 30,000.

On April 8, 2010, an agreement was signed in Prague with Russia on the reduction of strategic offensive weapons (approved by the Senate in December).

In May 2010, a law was passed requiring the State Department to provide detailed information on press freedom in annual reports on human rights in countries around the world ( en:Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act).

On September 1, 2010, Obama announced the end of the military operation of US troops in Iraq; however, about 50,000 American troops remained in the country.

From March to October 2011, the United States participated in a military operation by a group of countries in Libya.

On May 2, 2011, Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan.

In October 2011, the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq by the end of the year was announced, and on December 11 of the same year, a ceremony was held to formally end the operation of US troops.

In December 2012, the Magnitsky Law was adopted with respect to Russia, and a normal regime of trade relations was introduced with respect to Russia and Moldova.

In 2013, the Snowden scandal sparked friction between Moscow and Washington.

Since March 2014, a series of sanctions against Russia has been introduced because of the situation in Ukraine. After the imposition of sanctions, the "reset" was announced to be terminated.

On July 14, 2015, an agreement on the Iranian nuclear program (INP) was signed in Vienna. On January 16, 2016, the INP plan came into effect.

November 15-18, 2016 was the last foreign trip of Barack Obama as President of the United States.

Health care, ecology

Contrary to what was said in 2008 , the Obama administration did not push for an extension of the Kyoto Protocol . Obama made it clear to delegates to the 2011 UN Climate Change Conference that he was ignoring them, according to Republican Senator Inhofe.

In June 2009, the Tobacco Control Act was passed ( en:Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act).

In March 2010, despite resistance from some Democrats in the House of Representatives and Republicans, a health care reform law was passed aimed at increasing health insurance coverage ( en:Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the corrections were made in the form en:Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010). After a series of lawsuits, some of the provisions of the reform were overturned by the Supreme Court in 2012 ( en:National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius).

In April 2010, the largest environmental disaster in US history occurred. An explosion occurred on a large oil platform, killing 11 people. The oil leak was stopped only three months later, when 4.9 million barrels of oil had already entered the water.

Signed in December 2010 new law regulating the nutrition of children in schools ( en:Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010). In January 2011, a law was signed that expands the powers of the state to test food safety ( en:Food Safety and Modernization Act).

In December 2011, Obama supported the Food and Drug Administration's controversial decision by Secretary of Health K. Sibelius to ban the sale of emergency contraceptive pills to girls under 17 in pharmacies. In 2013, however, the age limit was lowered to 15 with the support of the president.

In August 2012, the Obama administration introduced new, more stringent, requirements to reduce the fuel consumption of cars. In 2013, the President's Climate Action Plan was published.

Judicial system, crime control

In 2009, Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor as a Supreme Court justice candidate to replace the resigning D. Souter, who had been nominated by Bush Sr. before his appointment. The Senate approved Sotomayor's candidacy. In April 2010, Judge J. Stevens announced his forthcoming resignation, in May Obama nominated Elena Kagan to replace him, who was approved by the Senate in August.

On December 14, 2012, one of the most high-profile crimes in recent history USA. Adam Lanza, 20, opened fire at primary school located in Newtown, Connecticut. 20 children aged 5 to 10 and six adults were killed. Addressing the nation in connection with this crime, Obama could not hold back his tears. "Every American parent has felt a terrible weight in his heart," he said and promised to do everything possible to prevent such tragedies.

In January 2013, Obama put forward a program for the legislature and the executive to tighten gun control. However, in April the Senate rejected one of the main measures proposed by Obama - the elimination of the ability to purchase weapons without verifying the identity of the buyer.

On April 15, 2013, a terrorist attack took place at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring 264. This was the first terrorist attack on US soil since September 11, 2001.

On January 5, 2016, Barack Obama announced the tightening of the rules on the sale of weapons bypassing the US Congress.

Criticism

Former independent US presidential candidate Ralph Nader called Barack Obama a war criminal after criticizing his foreign policy. He made this statement in an interview with Politico. “The sovereignty of other countries means nothing to him. Its drones can kill anyone, as they do in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Yemen, for example. This is a war crime and he must be held accountable,” Neider said.

June 2013 former employee CIA and NSA Edward Snowden gave several major American newspapers information about the mass surveillance of US and British intelligence agencies over Internet users, as well as politicians and officials. As a result, Snowden asked for political asylum in Russia.

Notes

Mooney, Brian C.. Inaugural fund-raising exceeds $53m , The Boston Globe(January 30, 2009). Retrieved February 1, 2009.
Chernus, Ira. The First Hundred Days or the Last Hundred Days? (indefinite) . The L.A. Progressive(December 16, 2008). Retrieved January 18, 2009. Archived from the original on March 28, 2012.
Reid, Tim. Barack Obama lays plans to deaden expectation after election victory , The Times (November 1, 2008). Retrieved 18 January 2009.
Obama's first 100 days - Jan. 20, 2009
Counter terror with justice: a checklist for the next US president
Mixed Messages: Counter Terror and Human Rights - President Obama’s first 100 days
Obama Issues Directive to Shut Down Guantánamo, NY Times (January 21, 2009).
Closure Of Guantanamo Detention Facilities (indefinite) . Whitehouse.gov (January 22, 2009). Retrieved January 27, 2009. Archived from the original on March 28, 2012.
Obama signs order to close Guantanamo in a year (indefinite) . The Washington Times (January 22, 2009). Retrieved March 19, 2010. Archived from the original on March 28, 2012.
Obama Reverses Key Bush Security Policies , New York Times , January 22, 2009
From Peril to Progress (indefinite) . Whitehouse.gov. White House (January 26, 2009). Retrieved January 26, 2009. Archived from the original on March 28, 2012.
Obama ends funding ban for abortion groups abroad (indefinite) . Retrieved January 23, 2009. Archived from the original on March 28, 2012.
Obama reverses Bush abortion-funds policy January 23, 2009
Living Within Our Means and Investing in the Future. The President's Plan for Economic Growth and Deficit Reduction , 2011 (English)

The question of when Obama's term ends seems very simple at first glance. Every American and many citizens of other countries who have read the US Constitution or heard about it know that the main occupant of the White House should not stay for more than two terms. There were exceptions, but until the moment when the American Basic Law was amended. In 2009, Barack Obama became the 44th President of the United States. His term of office expires in the fall of 2016, namely in November. The question is really simple. But the answer may be more complicated.

Features of the US electoral law

Internal problems

The new US president inherited many unresolved problems from his predecessor, Bush Jr. The whole world condemned the practice of extrajudicial detention of prisoners on the island of Cuba in Guantanamo, where it was allegedly possible not to comply with American laws and legal norms. In fact, this "fig leaf" formally covered up a gross violation of not only legal, but also simple human concepts of justice. In the United States, discrimination against the population by sex, race and other grounds continued. The issue of allowing abortions was also not resolved, and standards for the use of energy resources were vague. The federal economy had far from encouraging indicators. Health care needs to be reformed.

Obama promised to solve these internal problems. The term of government did not begin easily, for the first hundred days it was necessary to report to the people and voters.

Foreign policy

Despite the militarily brilliant victory, Iraq has not ceased to be a problem, moreover, the further, the worse things were there. A considerable contingent of troops had to be supplied with everything necessary, this entailed serious costs, and the death of soldiers caused discontent. Things were no better in Afghanistan. At the same time, the new president was not going to abandon the formulation of the “irreplaceable power” that had developed in the nineties. The entire term of Obama's rule was accompanied by rants about the "exclusivity" and "special role" of the United States, the country's vital interests extended to the whole wide world - from the Arctic to Antarctica, along all meridians and parallels.

How did Obama become president?

There is nothing strange in the fact that a black citizen has finally become the President of the United States. America is a country inhabited by a variety of ethnic groups and races, all citizens are equal before the law, including Barack Hussein Obama, whose term of office began in 2009 and should end in 2016. The question is, what else, besides skin color, did he stand out from other candidates. After reading his biography, everyone can be convinced that he later graduated from the Law School at Harvard, his mother was white. He worked as a law review editor, then as a law professor in Chicago, then was elected to the Illinois Senate. In 2000, he made his first and unsuccessful attempt to become a member of the House of Representatives, then a US Senator (successfully). Participated in the writing of various laws. And that's it. He became the President of a country considered to be the world's economic and military leader. The first and then the second term of Obama's rule was not marked by any breakthroughs in foreign or domestic policy. The usual routine struggle for world hegemony. And in terms of personal charm, he is far from GEF Kay, with whom he unobtrusively tries to associate his image.

Obama Rival

There are two main parties in the USA. The Republican nominee was J. McCain, a veteran of the Vietnam War, a Phantom pilot who was shot down by a Soviet missile crew and spent about five years in captivity. This hero (in American terms), Russophobe and "hawk" was opposed by Barack Obama. McCain's term could have been marked by a much tougher foreign policy towards both the Middle Eastern countries and Russia. The militant supporter of American world global domination is annoyed by the independent course of any country that does not want to follow in the wake of the United States. The former pilot did not have enough to win just a little. The difference between supporters of Obama and McCain was only eight percent.

crisis president

Obama's terms of office were not very successful. The dates of taking office for the first and second terms are in the chronological framework of a large-scale global economic crisis. The legacy inherited from his predecessors could not please the new owner of the White House: the huge amount of external and domestic debt, the stagnating industry, the practically uncontrolled issue of Federal Reserve banks, the falling purchasing power of the dollar. The forecasts were also not comforting: the global crisis by itself and quickly is unlikely to end, it is predicted to last ten or even twenty years. During the years of the presidency, the situation has not improved. The proportion of Americans living in poverty and below the poverty line has reached a frightening figure of 15% of the total population of the country. It is surprising how Obama managed to maintain his popularity. The second term in office, which began in 2012, was the result of a victory over Republican Romney, an even weaker candidate, while the electoral vote margin was less than in the case of McCain (less than four percent).

Military successes

The first black president in history has repeatedly declared the world military leadership of the United States in a well-trained voice. Such performances were especially successful in military schools like Westpoint. The justification for the huge and unprecedented defense spending (which has exceeded $700 billion and continues to grow) must be sought by President Obama. The term of office was marked by a further increase in the budgetary burden on the maintenance of the Pentagon, which, in the conditions of the declared victory in the Cold War, requires clarification. However, the apparent setbacks in Afghanistan and Iraq have raised a number of cost-effectiveness questions. Only a few military victories can boast of Obama Barack. The terms of his reign coincided with the so-called "Arab Spring", during which several revolutions took place in the Middle East, rather resembling well-planned coup attempts. In Libya, Gaddafi was overthrown and physically eliminated. Just as hastily killed Bin Laden, who apparently knew a lot. It didn't work out with Syria...

Syria

The failed attempt to change the ruling regime in the Syrian Arab Republic has become a kind of indicator of the growing influence of Russia in the international arena. The activities of the diplomatic corps were of great importance, but no less influenced the intentions to apply military force timely delivery of defensive coastal complexes to this country. Another adventure could be too expensive, and the "liberation campaign" did not take place. Barack Obama is used to solving problems with small losses on foreign territory, and best of all with local forces. The terms of government and their results remain on the pages of history, in which it is better to enter than to get into trouble. Having made this tactical concession, the American administration, however, was not going to give up its strategic positions.

Another revolution, slate

At the beginning of the third millennium, humanity faced a full-blown energy crisis. It’s not that less hydrocarbons were being produced, but some “wrong” countries were doing it. After the victory in the Cold War, a significant part of American politicians was sure that the vanquished should be treated accordingly, that is, enslaving conditions should be dictated to them and freely dispose of their property. However, with Russia, this scenario failed at some stage. It was not possible to resolve the contradiction between desire and capabilities militarily, and economic methods were used. It makes no sense to go into the technical details of production, but the essence of the technique was to release a large amount of it on the market in order to reduce the price. However, the cost, including delivery, seemed too high to European consumers.

Support for Ukrainian democracy

So, the general alignment is as follows: the second term of Obama's presidency expires, and numerous problems have not been resolved. Health care reform has failed, the war in the Middle East continues, and Europe is heavily dependent on Russian gas. The last circumstance seemed to the American president to be remedied. Gas is a flammable substance, and in order to make it more difficult to transport the goods, a fire should be set along its route. And he, as if by accident, but very timely, flared up in Ukraine. Actually, they did not even hide their support for the rebels in the United States - every taxpayer has the right to know what his money is spent on. Some of them went to support democratic processes in Ukraine with the goal of... well, you know what. Obama's term has been marked by spending $5 billion to support the opposition in this country alone. And also in other states of the former USSR, money was spent ...

The notorious amendment

It has number 22 and was adopted in 1947 (ratification took place in 1951). Prior to this, the duration of the presidency in the United States was regulated only by moral and ethical standards and the desire to be like Washington in everything, which once decided that two terms were enough for him. Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected four times and served until his death, but then there was a war. And if a person with tyrannical-dictatorial inclinations comes to power? After the entry into force of the 22nd amendment to the Constitution, this provision became mandatory. According to her, the end of Obama's term falls on the fall of 2016. He becomes a "lame duck", and many of his undertakings have a vague prospect of implementation. However, what some people have approved, others, in principle, can cancel.

How to repeal the 22nd amendment?

Some have already thought about the abolition of this restrictive legislative norm. For example, Ronald Reagan took this high post, being its adherent, but later changed his mind, and even considered it to be fundamentally wrong. According to some reports, the idea of canceling it in 2013 visited Barak's head, at least he discussed the legal aspects of such a possibility with the Prosecutor General. Democratic Congressman José Serrano supported the idea and submitted a bill to govern the process. It promises to be not very problematic, because if three-quarters of the states ratify this "amendment amendment", it will pass even before the end of Obama's term. In 26 of the 50 subjects of the federal state, representatives of the Republican Party play a leading role, and the support of the Democrats can be counted on.

Will Obama run for a third term?

In 2009, despite the bellicose rhetoric characteristic of many of his speeches, Barack Obama received Nobel Prize peace. The prestige of this international recognition of merit in various fields of human activity is very doubtful, but the title of laureate still obliges a lot, albeit in advance. However, there is too little time left to make any fateful decisions. Obama's term is about to expire. Will he be attempted to stay in the White House for another four years? And will he be able to do something useful for America and all mankind during this time? We will have to find out in the near future.

Barack Obama could not hold back his tears, thanks for the help of his family

The outgoing US president managed to create an innovative atmosphere in the country, but did not fulfill his main promises

"Save Democracy!"

On January 11, US President Barack Obama delivered a "farewell" speech in which he summed up some of the results of his reign and gave his fellow citizens a kind of parting word for the future. In the United States, such speeches by outgoing presidents have long become a tradition, and the final speech of the outgoing head of state is expected no less than the annual address to Congress. Obama, famous for his oratorical skills, this time fully lived up to the expectations of the public. Many listeners could not even hold back the tears when he said really touching words of gratitude to his wife and daughters. And the rest of the speech was very inspiring, but at the same time - devoid of cheap pathos.

The President devoted the main part of his speech to the need to preserve and improve American democracy, which, in his opinion, is the basis of the US's exceptional place in the world, as well as the key to the progress and prosperity of the country. Many saw this as a veiled message to his successor, Donald Trump, who is not without reason suspected of authoritarian ways. The meaning was something like this: without the development of democratic institutions, which sometimes may not be liked by those in power, in some future it will become worse for everyone, including presidents and ministers. That's why Obama specifically stressed that he would do everything possible to ensure that the transfer of power to Trump went as smoothly and smoothly as possible, although his personal attitude towards the new president may not be the most enthusiastic.

The outgoing president devoted only about a minute of his speech to his personal achievements as head of state. He recalled, separated by commas, the country's recovery from the financial crisis of 2008, the restart of the auto industry that had begun to sink, a long period of employment growth, the unfreezing of relations with Cuba and Iran, the elimination of Osama bin Laden, the consolidation of LGBT rights, and the introduction of Obamacare, a healthcare system that provided access to the poorest people to medicine. According to the speaker, eight years ago no one could have dreamed of such a success, but it has become a reality.

And, in fact, the outgoing president did not palter. A lot of good things really happened with him.

Obama's Achievements

In 2009, he inherited a very bad legacy: the economy was decimated by a powerful crisis, the real estate market was in a coma, the auto industry mentioned above lay on its side, soldiers and officers died almost every day in Iraq and Afghanistan, these wars pumped out new trillions of dollars from the budget, Russia had just taken over parts of Georgia, Iran was in full swing building up its nuclear capabilities, China was building a modern navy, the Middle East was dominated by dictators, and inside the US, Republicans were challenging Obama's right to be president on the trumped-up grounds that he was not born in the US.

The new president poured tens of billions into automakers and the banking sector, thereby saving the country's economy from an impending collapse, immediately began to develop plans for leaving Iraq and Afghanistan, launched the process of "resetting" relations with Russia, achieved the introduction of new sanctions against Iran, which forced Tehran to negotiate and, ultimately, abandon the development of their own nuclear weapons, announced a "pivot to Asia" (concentration of foreign policy efforts in the Asia-Pacific region), sent Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis, but most importantly, launched the process of preparing for the adoption of Obamacare - a system universal health care.

Already in the course of Obama's presidency, American commandos found and killed Osama bin Laden, the generals withdrew troops from Iraq, and the US Air Force took part in the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, a long-term enemy of the United States in the Middle East. The achievement of a historic agreement with Cuba can also be credited to the outgoing president.

But his main achievement in the presidency is the creation in the United States of an incredibly lively and competitive environment for the development of high technologies. During the years of his presidency, the most important, wealthy and influential corporations in the world for the first time became not oil and industrial giants, but computer and high-tech companies - Facebook, Google, Apple, Amazon and the like. Together they made a real revolution in the global economy, completely rebuilding it for a digital format. In some parts of Africa, there are now more people who use smartphones than those who have access to clean drinking water.

At the suggestion of the United States, the entire planet began to gradually abandon fossil fuels, transferring energy to renewable sources. Solar panels have fallen in price dozens of times, wind generators have covered entire regions of the world, private companies like SpaceX are seriously thinking about the colonization of other planets, making up increasingly serious competition in space exploration for entire states.

Of course, Obama did not sit at the table with a soldering iron, assembling the first iPhones, but his efforts in the United States created an incredibly fruitful environment for the explosive growth of high technologies in various fields. Most likely, he will go down in history in this capacity. In many other areas, he clearly lacked foresight.

Obama failures

The outgoing US president's foreign policy has been particularly controversial. Guided by good intentions, he often achieved results in it that were opposite to those desired. The "reset" of relations with Russia, aimed at involving the Russian Federation in the civilized world, was perceived in Moscow as a simple signal: "Now it is possible to invade neighboring countries." The result is Crimea and Donbass.

The unprepared withdrawal from Iraq, combined with a number of other factors, led to the formation and rapid growth of the Islamic State, which is only now beginning to be truly dealt with. Moral (but not material) support for the democratic revolution in Egypt first led to the triumph of the Islamists, and then to a bloody coup and the restoration of an even tougher military dictatorship than under Hosni Mubarak.

After the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, the United States completely forgot about Libya, which led to the division of this country into a number of assorted warring feudal destinies. Assistance in the suppression of the Houthi uprising in Yemen turned into a terrible humanitarian disaster in that country.

The refusal to vigorously support the uprising in Syria led to the fact that the darkest Islamist forces stood at the head of this uprising. When help to the rebels nevertheless went, almost all of it ended up in the hands of these Islamists, which only prolonged the agony of this country.

The Arab-Israeli peace process under Obama was finally buried, and an unbearable stone was placed on his grave in the form of damaged US-Israeli relations. The reason for this is Washington's refusal to veto a resolution condemning the construction of Jewish settlements in the disputed territories.

The most important US ally in the region - Türkiye - in last years completely departed from the principles of democratic government, turning into an authoritarian semi-monarchy - a typical Middle Eastern entity. Relations between Ankara and the West are badly damaged, but its alliance with Moscow is growing stronger. There is even talk of Turkey leaving NATO.

China under the Obama administration embarked on a large-scale construction of militarized islands in the South China Sea, which calls into question the cornerstone of all American foreign policy- freedom of navigation in international waters. Washington's sluggish reaction to this construction only spurs China's ambitions to turn the South China Sea into its inland water area.

Another rather unpleasant foreign policy outcome of the outgoing president's rule is the complete uncertainty about the fate of the EU, the key US ally in the world. The chaos in the Middle East generated massive refugee flows, which, coupled with economic problems, quickly led to an unprecedented rise of right (and, at times, left) populists in Europe. Almost all of them now confidently take first place in the elections in their countries, ranting with might and main about the need for the disintegration of the EU. For the United States, this would be a terrible foreign policy defeat, the seeds of which were sown precisely under Obama.

…and Trump

However, the biggest failure of the outgoing US president is the president who succeeds him, that is, Donald Trump. Obama was elected promising his supporters fundamental change and hope for the best. However, instead, he went with the flow, not daring to make serious reforms. Yes, the economy grew, but the fruits of this growth were felt only by the richest residents of the country, who got the lion's share of all new income. The middle class did not grow, the poor (by American standards) became more and more. The savings of ordinary Americans were declining, debts were growing at an unprecedented pace.

Mass layoffs caused by the automation of production processes and the relocation of enterprises to countries with cheap labor led to the accumulation of frustration among the poor, but very numerous working class, who felt abandoned. People not only did not see the promised changes, they completely lost hope.

The withdrawal of the United States from Iraq did not lead to the establishment of peace there, moreover, the war broke out with new force. The Americans never left Afghanistan. The closure of the prison in Guantanamo, promised by Obama in 2008, did not happen. Liberal-minded Americans from all this felt simply deceived.

The result of growing economic inequality, an increasingly chaotic foreign policy, and the insurmountable frustration of entire sections of society and economic regions was a radical protest vote - for Donald Trump.

Obama - one of the most gifted orators of our time - never managed to show himself as a talented manager. He did not dare to take really tough steps in world politics, did not dare to spoil relations with big business for the sake of improving the position of the middle class, and violated his key promises - about change and hope. Under these conditions, Hillary Clinton, who advocated the continuation of the current course, did not have much chance of winning.

For the defeat by Donald Trump, she should “thank” precisely Barack Obama, who prepared the society and the mood in it for the acceptance of a seemingly unacceptable candidate. It is quite possible that this is what the outgoing president will remember for posterity.

But for Facebook, Tesla, iPhone and flights to Mars, thanks to Obama anyway!

US President Barack Obama is making his last tour of Europe in this capacity. January 20, 2017 will be the inauguration of the 45th President of America, Donald Trump. Summing up his presidency, Obama, and the invasion of Libya - his biggest mistake. In eight years, Obama managed to receive the Nobel Prize, legalize same-sex marriage, start and end several military campaigns, destroy "terrorist number one" Osama bin Laden and launch an operation against ISIS in Iraq and Syria (the organization is banned and recognized as a terrorist organization). The results of his activities in photographs are in the RBC selection.

Introduction of the obligatory medical insurance program Obamacare

One of the first reforms carried out by Barack Obama as president was the compulsory health insurance program for all US citizens, known as Obamacare. Its cost in 2016-2025 is estimated at $1.207 trillion. The health care reform has now resulted in 60% of the nation's citizens being able to purchase a minimum health insurance plan for less than $100, and the proportion of people without insurance has fallen to 8.6% (data from the first quarter of 2016). Before the reform, 15.7% of Americans did not have health insurance (first quarter 2010).

Opponents of the reform point to the fact that it caused a general increase in health care costs and negative changes in the insurance market, including the exit of some companies from it. According to official data, spending by Americans on medical care has indeed increased - in 2014 by 5.3%.

Changing the procedure for issuing loans for education

Obama changed the way government loans for education are issued and repaid. If earlier payments were fixed, now they have become 10% of the part of personal income remaining after paying taxes and meeting basic needs. In addition, the part of the loan that remains unpaid after 20 years from the beginning of its repayment is forgiven (previously this period was 25 years).

For the third quarter of 2016, the total amount of debt on educational loans in the United States is $1.26 trillion, 11.6% of loans are overdue payments (in 2012, the share of overdue payments was at least 14%).

Obama's wife Michelle (on the picture) supports educational programs for girls in developing countries.

Closing the Guantanamo Bay Prison

Since taking office, Barack Obama has called on Congress to close the Guantanamo Bay military base in Cuba. Prisoners held in this center are accused of particularly serious crimes - in particular, terrorism and waging war on the side of the enemy. In early 2016, the Pentagon submitted a plan to Congress to close the prison. Under the plan, 35 of the 91 inmates in prison are scheduled to be transferred out of prison in 2016, with the rest either extradited or transferred to other prisons across the United States.

The one-time costs of transferring prisoners and closing the prison are estimated at $290 million to $475 million. At the same time, the annual costs of the US authorities would be reduced by $65-85 million. However, Congress did not support the proposed plan.

The fight against unemployment

In January 2009, the unemployment rate in the United States was 7.8%, and at the end of September 2016, according to the US Department of Labor, it was 5%.

On the picture: Barack Obama and his dog Bo at the White House. March 2012

Fight against global warming

Since the start of President Obama's first term, targeted loans from the US Department of Energy have increased the nation's solar power generation 30-fold. In addition to direct investment, the government simultaneously introduced the Clean Power Plan, which aims to reduce carbon emissions from power plants. In addition, Obama tightened the requirements for car manufacturers, forcing them to make more energy efficient engines.

According to the US Department of Energy, total US carbon dioxide emissions in 2015 amounted to almost 5.3 billion metric tons - about 2% less than in 2009, and since 2005 emissions have fallen by 11.7%.

On the picture: Barack Obama and the Mackintosh family (Iowa farmers) in August 2012

Reducing the share of military spending

The share of military spending in GDP decreased by 1.32 percentage points and in 2015 amounted to 3.32%. Military spending fell by 10.9%.

On the picture: Barack Obama during a meeting with voters in Chicago. November 2012

Growing public debt

The total amount of US government debt obligations since the beginning of Obama's first term has grown by 83% and as of October 1, 2016, exceeded $19.57 trillion.

Rising healthcare costs

Growth in public spending on health per capita was 19% (data as of the beginning of 2015), and neonatal mortality fell by 14.3%. The US population increased by 4.8%.

On the picture: Barack Obama and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist. June 2015

GDP growth

US GDP growth from 2009 to 2015 was 24.5%

End of military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan

After taking office in 2009, Barack Obama began withdrawing US troops from Iraq. At that time, a contingent of about 150 thousand people remained there. By the beginning of 2010, about 50,000 US troops remained in Iraq - the so-called transitional forces. In 2011, Obama announced that the US had fully completed the withdrawal of troops.

There were 36,000 US troops in Afghanistan when Obama became president in 2008, and in 2009 he deployed another 17,000 to boost security. In 2011, the withdrawal of US and NATO troops from Afghanistan began. Currently, there are still 9.8 thousand US military in the country. In July 2016, Obama said that by the end of his presidential term in December 2016, their number would be reduced to 8.4 thousand.

Conclusion of the Iran deal

In July 2015, six international negotiators (Russia, the US, China, the UK, France and Germany) agreed with Iran that Tehran would not produce nuclear weapons. Iran has pledged to use nuclear facilities exclusively for the production of peaceful atom. In exchange for this, the UN Security Council, the United States and the European Union are going to lift economic and financial sanctions from Iran.

Negotiations on Iran's nuclear program lasted for more than 10 years, but the parties were able to achieve progress, and then an agreement, only with the participation of the Obama administration.

Onphoto: Obama leaves Saudi Arabia after meeting with the king to discuss the terms of the Iran nuclear deal, 2009

Renewal of relations with Cuba

In 2015, the US resumed diplomatic relations with Cuba, and in 2016, Obama became the first US president in 88 years to visit the island. The two countries have partially lifted restrictions imposed on each other, but the most serious sanctions - for example, the US trade embargo - remain in place.

Last speech at the UN General Assembly

In September 2016, Obama made his last speech at the UN General Assembly as President of the United States. He summed up the work of his administration and noted the foreign policy successes of recent years.

“Many times in the past, people believed that the world had finally reached the age of enlightenment, but then returned to the path of conflict and suffering. Perhaps this is the fate of our generation as well,” Obama said at the end of his speech. - We must not forget the choice of individuals, which led to world wars. But we must also remember the decisions of those who created the UN to put an end to such wars.”

Support for Clinton during the US election campaign

During the campaign, Obama supported Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. He called her the most suitable head of state than anyone else in history. After the defeat of Clinton, Obama received Trump in the White House and promised to give him every support in the transfer of power.