Obama Reaches Out To 9 Key Global Allies

President-Elect Calls Back Presidents, Prime Ministers Who Congratulated Him

(AP)  President-elect Obama accepted congratulations from nine presidents and prime ministers Thursday, returning calls from world leaders who reached out after his presidential victory.

The global financial crisis was among the topics Obama discussed with key U.S. allies he'll deal with during his administration.

Obama spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said the president-elect spoke to Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, Mexican President Felipe Calderon, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Sarkozy's office says they spoke for 30 minutes and characterized the discussion as "extremely warm" as the president congratulated Obama on a "brilliant" election victory. The statement said they discussed international issues, particularly the financial crisis, and agreed to meet in the "quite near future."

Harper's office said in a statement that they spoke about an international financial summit in Washington on Nov. 15 and its importance for addressing the global financial crisis. Obama had no plans to attend the meeting.

The prime minister's office says the two leaders emphasized that there could be no closer friends and allies than the United States and Canada and vowed to maintain and further build upon the relationship. Harper's office called it a warm exchange and said they agreed to talk again soon.

Calderon's office said Obama pledged continued U.S. support for Mexico's fight against organized crime and drug trafficking. A statement from the Mexican president's office says Obama told Calderon he was "conscious of the difficulty of the battle" and offered "decisive" U.S. support.

Congress approved $400 million in anti-drug aid for Mexico last June, but has yet to release the money.

Olmert's office said the two "agreed on the need to continue advancing peacemaking, while safeguarding Israel's security." Israel and the Palestinians relaunched talks nearly a year ago at a U.S.-sponsored peace conference, and they set a year-end target for a final accord. But no breakthroughs have been reported, and in Israel on Thursday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice all but conceded that goal was unachievable.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday congratulated Obama on his election win in a letter, - the first time an Iranian leader has offered such wishes to a U.S. president-elect since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The Iranian leader also said he hopes Obama will "use the opportunity to serve the (American) people and leave a good name for history" during his term in office.

In his conversation with Lee, Obama said the U.S.-South Korea alliance is a "cornerstone" of Asia's peace and stability, and promised improved relations between the countries, Seoul's presidential office said.

The United States helped defend South Korea during the Korean war and is its No. 1 ally. About 28,500 American troops are still stationed there to deter threats from communist North Korea.

Brown's Downing Street office says he and Obama spoke about several issues, including reform of the global financial system. Britain's Press Association newswire said the two had a "very friendly and positive" 10-minute conversation, covering topics including the world economy, the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Middle East peace process.

Australia's prime minister Kevin Rudd told reporters in Sydney that he spoke by telephone with Obama Friday to congratulate him on his historic win and discuss the various challenges the lie ahead for the world, chief among them the global financial crisis. The two also talked about the issues of national security and climate change during the 10- to 15-minute conversation, Rudd said.

"It was a good conversation, it was a friendly conversation," Rudd said. "The challenges we face are great....But I believe we have a strong partner in the U.S."

[hbevis]

Let us hope that all will be well as we go into a new year with a new President....

He is very young but seems to be a good man. Time will tell us if things are going to be alright.

[jb01201a]

and congrads from the nuts President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran and the Venezula Chavez. Wow, with these two - who needs enemies, but then again, you libs like despots and dictators and ole the old Soviet Union - of which you just created again !

[wontread]

and congrads from the nuts President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran and the Venezula Chavez. Wow, with these two - who needs enemies, but then again, you libs like despots and dictators and ole the old Soviet Union - of which you just created again !

Posted by jb01201a at 02:17 AM : Nov 07, 2008

Why would you accuse people with whom you politically disagree of liking "despots and dictators"? What is wrong with you?

What do you base this opinion on? Why do you think liberals are so opposed to American ideals that we like "despots and dictators"?

Why do you need to vilify your political opponents? Can''t we disagree on policy issues yet still love our country and our ideals?

[dburfears]

Why do you need to vilify your political opponents? Can''''t we disagree on policy issues yet still love our country and our ideals?

Posted by wontread at 03:16 AM : Nov 07, 2008
----

This is the way some Americans think, unfortunately. For these few dead-enders it ia about their own internal anger. You cannot reason with many who are locked into their hate. There is no reason to their hate. We''d all like to think you can talk to and disagree with people with opposing views. When the "view" is just an excuse for anger, then that is just a futile effort.

[summarex]

jb01201a:
*** is your problem with Chavez you Jewish hillbilly?
Do you think that people have some sort of responsibility to support you and your Israel?

[timothyone-2009]

Let us hope that all will be well as we go into a new year with a new President....

He is very young but seems to be a good man. Time will tell us if things are going to be alright.

Posted by hbevis at 02:07 AM : Nov 07, 2008

Things WILL ONLY go right if we all remain united behind our new leader, and that will mean standing up and protesting when the GOP and their media attack him and accuse him in order to weaken and distract him. Obama has a shltstorm of misinformation and well-orchestrated attcks coming his way, and we must all let it be known that we won''t be allowing their BS this time around. Americas'' wealthiest will do everything possible to prevent a progressive movement to succeed. This same group has been fighting to do away with great programs like Social Security since it was only an idea. If we allow them to get away with their distracting attempts to weaken Obama they may well stop us from creating a new health care system or prevent us from making progress toward independence from oil. We need to get mad and stay mad to keep the GOP dogs in their cages.

[closethippy1]

and congrads from the nuts President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran and the Venezula Chavez. Wow, with these two - who needs enemies, but then again, you libs like despots and dictators and ole the old Soviet Union - of which you just created again !
Posted by jb01201a at 02:17 AM : Nov 07, 2008

Excuse me but it was the Republicans who sided with dictators. It was Eisenhower who put the Shah of Iran in power and deposed a democratically elected doctor because he was too "socialist" for his taste.
The Shah went on to create his secret police, the Savak, responsible for torturing and killing over 100,000 Iranians, and he also stayed in poser for life until the Iranians had enough of him in 1979.
Nixon made friends with China. Reagan sided with the military dictators of South and Central America where any peasant who demanded to get paid more than a dollar a day was deemed a "socialist" or "communist" and killed on the spot.
I truly don''t understand how Republicans can be so brazen in their criticism of others. It shows we are dealing with an entire section of the country who is displaying a serious psychological dysfunction and I''m sick and tired of having to put up with it.
You guys either grow up or you''ll be voted out of power all together.

[perk235]

Obama has steadfastly shown to the public and reportedly with his election aides a cool, collected head. We know that he is able to not only articulate, but also relate practical issues with complex ideals.

[longtree-2009]

don''t understand why so many are down on iran and its government. yes, they are an issue in the middle east. but what about china? china is dictator led and we seem to accept and trade, borrow money from them. we are in bed with a communist dictator led nation, called china. where is the rage against china and every thing chinee? why only iran?

[joezap5]

timothyone, Nothing truer said...

[jb01201a]

wontread - not in your libs blood.

[jb01201a]

closethippy1 - it is your party thats support Castro, it is your party which brought the current issues in Iran etc. It is your party which is anti-american and anti-isarel. It is your party which burries its heads in sands when something critical happens - so don''t lecture me you lib schmuck !

[joezap5]

jb01201, Sorry about you gettn smacked down... must hurt.

[joezap5]

jb01201, Did you get all or just part of your education from AM Radio?

[joezap5]

Like I said before, I used to have some respect for Republicans. But now they''re just a bunch of draft dodging spoiled rich kid, closet Homosexuals. LOL LOL LOl! Lock your bathroomstall door Larry Craig is coming back!!!??? HA HA HA!!

[joezap5]

Thedorkman9, Your like a spoiled nerd who is trying to take home his football because he can''t be QuarterBack...sad

[joezap5]

You talk tough online. But you''d be the first to have you face in the mud like all you closet G.O.P homosexuals. LOl LOL

[joezap5]

overcompensating for something tough guy..HaHa!

[joezap5]

G.O.P. Gay Ol Party!!! HaHaHa. I Think Larry Craig is waiting in your favorite bathroomstall LOL!!

[joezap5]

Another Am Radio Alum... Sorry nobody likes your BS anymore. Must hurt...sad. Another closet repub ****!!!

[joezap5]

Sorry you lost the civil war!!! HA HA HA! As an Italian American I''m a bit bigger than avg. But you must be real small to be afraid of the blackman swipe little guy HaHa!!!!

[joezap5]

Hide behind your speak n spell tough guy...HE HE HE!

[michaelm07]

I didn''t vote for Obama but now that he''s the guy I hope he does well because to not succeed, hurts the country. I doubt many libs were able to sound like this after ''01 and ''04.

But now that the world loves Obama and supposedly we American''s will supposedly be "liked" again - I will be curious about when Obama asks these other nations to add troops to the efforts in Afghanistan, will their replies be any different than what they told Bush? They might like Obama and are happier with him but I really doubt he will change their level of commitments - but I hope to be proven wrong.

I live in Europe, and if you think their is still racism in the U.S. you obviosuly haven''t traveled. Minorities are treated better and more fairly in the U.S. than anywhere else in the world. Other world leaders might like Obama but they won''t respect him as an equal in most parts of the world. I don''t agree with that perspective but just look at what Berlusconi said about him yesterday. They all think like that behind closed doors. He better prepare himself because it is not going to be as easy as he thinks and he''s already trying to lower voter''s expectations.

[michaelm07]

Hey Trishab56,
You are a sad soul, you won and you still can''t put away the nastiness, which says a lot about you as a person. I am not a fan of Michelle O. but I could never say such things about her as you are so freely able to say about all of the people you described - you Trisha dear, have some issues. Cindy does more humanitarian work than Angelina if you ever looked it up. Try to lighten up a bit sweetheart, Obama''s gonna need all the luck he can get because regardless who won the election they are gonna have a very tough time after the economy has been raped by BOTH Reps and Dems in the government.

[michaelm07]

Trishab56,
I am one of those Republicans and just because there are some whackos on the right, I have also read comments from whackos on the left. That doesn''t make it any better to sink to that level and trust me, I can street fight with the best of them, physcally or mentally. I am far from naive and I am a conservative, I am not happy Obama won but my animosity and and apprehensions stopped in their tracks the day after the elections. Things are such a mess that throwing insults form either side after the fact is pointless and people better start hoping the people in power - last I check consist of both Dems and Reps - get their act together. We can argue again in four years because you''ll be a Dem and I will still be a Republican, but for now, the election is over. And people like TheBlackMan9 slinging childish insults around and with other children on here, with too much time on their hands, need to grow up.
As I said, I hope to God that Obama does do well for the sake of the sorry state of the country damaged by BOTH parties. They have their congressional pensions -I assure you those making decisions for us, won''t suffer. So people who are used to fighting each other need to refocus, now.

[armydog2]

Michaelm07
I am a Democrat and yes I voted for Obama and I couldn''t agree with you more. Excellent Post. To all the dems out there making all their nasty remarks and to all the republicans out there hoping Obama will fail, this division is what brought this Country to the state it is in now, if we do not get it together for the sake of our Country we will all fail.

[FHMullane]

I am sure foreign leaders are happy to have someone in the White House with a brain!

[rangerdahl]

I took out a loan for my house. It was a fixed rate I could afford. I am not in financial ruin. For me, the country is not a mess.

The US is not in a big giant mess...quit all the hysteria. Panic over the stockmarket is causing people to wet their pants and freak out.

For those that took out variable rate mortages and then lived above their means--you f#cked up. Now the rest of us are having to bail you and your greedy banks out of the mess.

Owning a house is the American dream, not the American entitlement. By the way, I am middle class and I work hard for what I want in life. If I screw it up, I don''t want or expect my neighbors to bail me out. When did two cars, a house, a vacation, and weekends and nights off become a right?

[irmcvet97]

No American President Elect in MY lifetime has had so much POSITIVE Impact on the world as this one. He is the FACT that America doesn''t just talk the talk but we WALK the WALK!

[irmcvet97]

Welcome to the United Socialist States of America. Libs cut their own mother''''s throat while she slept on 11/4/08. Funeral services will be Jan. 20,''''09. Make sure to wear your brown shirt and black arm band with the red crescent. Obama said the swastika was long over due for change in the New World Order. Seig Heil, Lord Messiah Obama.

Posted by ThatGuy56 at 06:47 AM : Nov 07, 2008

The ENTIRE World is standing applauding us and our courage! Yet a few like you want to drag us back into the gutter we''ve been in for decades. Why? Haven''t you had enough of "Us against ourselves"? Personally, I''ve had all the "Moral Guidence" from the Right I can handle... EVER!

[hydraastra]

I''m Canadian, and very pleased for all Americans. While I''m proud of my country and our distinction (socially, legally and idealistically) from the USA, I also appreciate our inseparable relationship and many common goals. I was frightened when I perceived that the rights of Americans were eroded by reunion of Church and State. I felt, as a scientist, this diminished the country''s ability to do great things. I''m pleased that the people sent a message that it is time for things to change. Congratulations, America! I wish you a peaceful and productive 4+ years!

[bjcone8559]

The ENTIRE World is standing applauding us and our courage! Yet a few like you want to drag us back into the gutter we''''ve been in for decades. Why? Haven''''t you had enough of "Us against ourselves"? Personally, I''''ve had all the "Moral Guidence" from the Right I can handle... EVER!


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Posted by Irmcvet97


Democracy is an incredible thing! Over the past eight years George W. Bush has gradually destroyed America''s respect around the world and alienated those who have been our allies. Then... in one swift movement, the people rose up and declared NO MORE!! The world watched as we, the people, took back our country in a bloodless revolution. And the world, together, applauded. God Bless America!

[ebonyangel1]

Barack Obama''s appearance on the world stage is timely.The world is in need of this as much as America is. It''s grossly erroneous to think otherwise. Secondly, an advice for McCain''s acrimonious and divisive supporters- this is time to prove "country first". fall in behind Obama and support him for our common good.

Obama has no record of doing anything to help anyone.
Does anyone even know Obama ???
We know a few of Obama,s friends---

Rev. Wright
Al Sharpton
Louis Farrakhan
William Ayers
Tony Rezko


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Posted by mr22587 at 07:59 AM : Nov 07, 2008

SOS Different Day

[votehonestly]

Although the election has been inspiring and historic, Obama''s early appointments don''t sound like they''re forecasting a culture of ''change''.

Reports are that Rahm Emanuel is very hackish, so don''t look for a quick end to our visit to Iraq.

[bjcone8559]

Obama has no record of doing anything to help anyone.
Does anyone even know Obama ???
We know a few of Obama,s friends---

Rev. Wright
Al Sharpton
Louis Farrakhan
William Ayers
Tony Rezko


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Posted by mr22587

It is you, and those like you, who would destroy our great nation. President Elect Obama will be your president for at least the next four years, and if you have any love for your country you will support him in his efforts as he continues to strive to create a ''more perfect'' nation. Your negative and venomous rants do not show you to be a good American.

[indivthinker]

Democracy is an incredible thing! Over the past eight years George W. Bush has gradually destroyed America''''s respect around the world and alienated those who have been our allies. Then... in one swift movement, the people rose up and declared NO MORE!! The world watched as we, the people, took back our country in a bloodless revolution. And the world, together, applauded. God Bless America!

Posted by nowaymcgoo at 07:53 AM : Nov 07, 2008

The world... does that include all of the nations that HATE our democracy too? It does, because Iran (democratic theocracy that hates our liberal democracy), Venezuela (controlled by a supersocialist man trying to make himself dictator for life), Russia (controlled by a man who just cannot seem to give up his power either), China (communist), Cuba (communist), North Korea (communist - are you seeing a pattern) and Hamas (terrorists). Boy, I am sure glad that these countries are applauding us.

This could mean one of two things: either these enemies of ours love obama because he supports their causes, or they love Obama because he is weaker than McCain or more willing to give in to their demands.

And the reason why Europe and Canada love Obama more is because they are all SOCIALIST democracies. Why can''t any liberals put one and one together? The socialists, terrorists, communists, and dictators love Obama because his views more closely match their views.

took out a loan for my house. It was a fixed rate I could afford. I am not in financial ruin. For me, the country is not a mess.

The US is not in a big giant mess...quit all the hysteria. ?
Posted by rangerdahl at 07:23 AM : Nov 07, 2008


Good for you, now take off your rose colored glasses and look around.

I live in a small town, a few years ago folks had homes, with what were considered manageable mortgages. We had a large American industry that employeed 350(town of 3300) with the best wages and benefits in our town. Then, they closed and sent those jobs to China. Result even very good folks who had paid their bills lost homes. Even now we have a about 15% of homes in town with no buyers.

Some folks and banks made poor decisions, but not all by a large margin.

A simplistic statement like yours is an insult to many good hard working Americans

[bjcone8559]

Democracy is an incredible thing! Over the past eight years George W. Bush has gradually destroyed America''''''''s respect around the world and alienated those who have been our allies. Then... in one swift movement, the people rose up and declared NO MORE!! The world watched as we, the people, took back our country in a bloodless revolution. And the world, together, applauded. God Bless America!

Obama bought the White House. 650 MILLION DOLLARS...
This makes the world happy ???


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Posted by mr22587 at 08:03 AM : Nov 07, 2008

Works out to about 10 dollars a vote, Republicans spent about 8 dollars.

Get over it Republicans lost for a variety of reasosn, money was only part of it.

[thewarning2]

Mr22587, did you feel the need to watch Bush and his administration? Probably not. Say what''s really on your mind and stop beating around the bush.

[violist47]

As former German Cabinet Minister Egon Bahr put it, when asked about the Bush legacy: "Bush will most of all be remembered for the great sense of relief the rest of the world felt as his term came to an end."

[indivthinker]

"3. He then fear-mongered Americans into a false, $10 billion/month, war-for-profit against, Iraq by exploiting the still moldering corpses of 911 ------ A country even Bush eventually admitted had no connections to either the terrorist attacks or al Qaeda."

You obviously have no knowledge of history. Though Iraq had no ties to Al Qaeda or September 11, he still had MAJOR ties to terrorism. He paid the families of suicide bombers $25000 http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,48822,00.html . Saddam was also a terrorist himself. He launched attacks at Iran, Kuwait, and Israel.

"4. Along the way, this merry band of PNAC corporatists ------- Bush, Cheney, Wolfowitz ------ and their many accomplices, Rice, Rumsfeld, Powell -------- committed genocide, war crimes, torture, violated the Geneva convention and performed illegal domestic surveillance on American citizens."

Considering that the Democrat FDR rounded up German-American and Japanese-American CITIZENS during World War II and stuck them in camps... considering that phones were wire-tapped... considering people were shot or hung for treason just for saying anything negative about the US... you liberal democrats have NO right to talk to Bush when it comes to police state. FDR invented the American police state.

[kazoodan]

I look forward to the conservative''''s elobrate convoluted logic tricks when Obama manages to steer us out of the caos created by republicans, but in their warped reasoning it will all be W''''s doings that saved us. That''''s the one thing that can always be counted on: republicans are NEVER responsible for anything bad, but ALWAYS take credit for the good...and truth takes a back seat to right-wing dogma.

Posted by Hakori at 08:25 AM : Nov 07, 2008

Yep, just like everything that went wrong for the last eight years was Clinton''s fault.

[qutlaw104]

Obama had better try to get this country back together before he starts working on the world.

[bjcone8559]

Obama had better try to get this country back together before he starts working on the world.


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Posted by qutlaw104


Fact is, as America goes, so goes the world. This mess that has been created by the Bush/Cheney crime cartel is not isolated to the USA. These azzholes have thrown the whole planet into an economic tailspin as well as a ''World-AT-War''. Never in history has a leader been handed such a monumental task as has been presented to President Elect Obama. God''s speed Mr. President.

[citizenusa-2009]

All I know is, my political instincts have always been uncannily accurate. After researching "W", before the FIRST ELECTION, I vigorously campaigned AGAINST him knowing that election of this man would mean DISASTER for our country.

CONVERSELY, my EXHAUSTIVE research of Obama proved just the opposite. With this man''s INTELLIGENCE, HUMANITY AND STEADY HAND, our country will AGAIN, be a SHINING EXAMPLE of PEACE AND PROSPERITY for WORLD.

I thank GOD, that the MAJORITY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DID THEIR HOMEWORK THIS TIME AROUND and came to the SAME OBVIOUS CONCLUSION.

[bjcone8559]

Posted by psy_war



EXCELLENT POST!

It will be interesting to see what folks like Colin Powell have to say once these criminals have been completely defanged.

[citizenusa-2009]

History will PROVE that George W. Bush and D.I.C.K. Cheney were Osama Bin Laden''s BEST WEAPONS. With their help, the U.S.A. WAS nearly destroyed from the INSIDE OUT.

Bin Laden''s comment (if he''s even still alive) when Barack was elected. "Oh, c.r.a.p.!"

[citizenusa-2009]

mr22587 - Do your homework like the rest of us did before we cast our vote. You my friend need to educate yourself before you become the lone voice of ignorance and paranoia...kinda like the wing nut who has only 70 more days in office....