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American population constitutes around 5% of world's total population. However it's GDP contributes more than 20% to the world's total. It's military reach? Just consider this. In 2007, USA's military spending constituted 45% of the total world spending! No wonder why an American election turns into a world event!!

On January 20, 2009, Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States, the first black and the first person with an Islamic lineage (his father was born muslim) to assume this office. The disastrous eight years of George Bush Jr., Obama's short stint in the US Senate and his speeches through the long election campaign - had raised huge expectations across the world. We are within the so-called Honeymoon period, the first 100 days of the new administration. Noises aren't bad.

President Obama's first major interview - after swearing in - was to Al-Arabiya, a major Arab channel. In that interview, he promised to reach out to the muslim world, dealing with them as equal partners. He had said he would talk with Iran and has appointed a special envoy to handle the Palestinian issue.

How do we take this? The cynics would say It is naive to expect an American President to radically alter American foreign policy. When it comes to major issues like Middle East, Military might etc, the tune may change, the song is the same. In the globalised economy, where the blue-collar jobs are moving to China and the white-collar jobs are moving to India, only way America can retain its supremacy is through its Military might, gun-boat diplomacy and control of world's natural resources. It's Military-Industrial Complex needs wars and conflicts to sustain itself and prop the economy. People like Thomas Freidman have argued American Innovation should and could take it to the forefront again. Given the recent history, where Asia has proven its mettle, that could just be wishful thinking. May be, may be not.

They may also say - can he behave anymore differently? Look at the mess the American economy is in. He needs peace as well as rest of the world. With American economy in such a bad shape, it cannot afford any more military adventures. Given that the geo-political situation may not wait till the American economy gets better, there are incentives for America to address the pressing issues (such as Palestine, Iraq, Iran etc) right now. After all, the money that is being spent on current wars and that would be needed for future wars can be saved for domestic needs. Wishful thinking? May be.