Obama and American engagement

An intelligent, educated, pragmatic and engaged American President who gets it? Very hard to imagine, but it is indeed real, and is indeed the most hopeful thing about the past 100 days...

Behold:

1. US, Karzai seek to mend fraying relationship at summit
2. Obama Begins Middle East Focus With Israeli President Meeting ...
3. The Mellow Doctrine

That last thing - "The Mellow Doctrine" by Roger Cohen - really nails it. Excerpt:

Call it the mellow doctrine. Neither idealistic nor classic realpolitik, it involves finding strength through unconventional means: acknowledgment of the limits of American power; frankness about U.S. failings; careful listening; fear reduction; adroit deployment of the wide appeal of brand Barack Hussein Obama; and jujitsu engagement.

Already the mellow doctrine has brought some remarkable shifts, even if more time is needed to see its results.

The Castro brothers in Cuba are squabbling over the meaning of Obama’s overtures. Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez has gone gooey-eyed over the Yanqui president. Turkey relented on a major NATO dispute, persuaded of the importance of Obama’s conciliatory message to Muslims.

From Damascus to Tehran, new debate rages over possible rapprochement with Washington. In Israel, I understand Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is about to drag his Likud party kicking and screaming to acceptance of the idea of a two-state solution because he knows the cost of an early confrontation with Obama.

Not bad for 105 days.

Indeed