Obama : Ireland vs. the Rest of the World (Carla's Baby Excluded)

If everything were as easy for an American President as visiting Ireland, the White House would be a very serene place, indeed.

The Irish love Americans, not so common these days outside US borders, and they show it with great enthusiasm every time an American President lands in Dublin.

Of course, there is not another country in the world which has more of its ancestors in America than live today in their own country, including Henry Ford, the Irish-American who mechanized the 20^th century.

But, sadly, there’s more to an American President’s agenda than Ireland.

There is, for example, the Middle East with its seemingly unsolvable Jewish - Palestinian problem. For President Obama to do anything that will help, he needs to be more even-handed with the two sides.

There is also North Africa, where the hope of quickly saving Libyans from Qadhaffi has turned into the prolonged “almost” civil war that the American military warned us about. American air power and electronics would surely cut short the suffering in Misrah, if Mr. Obama would agree to help there.

There is Iraq - Iran - Afghanistan, where no one has made much progress in establishing real peace, only a sort of armed truce among rival factions and religions. Here, the President needs a concise and comprehensive set of goals that the region and the world can understand and support. Not easy, but possible. 

And, of course, there is America itself, where exploding budget deficits, national debt ceilings, unemployment and a looming 2012 re-election campaign takes much a lot of energy. The energy could be better spent than in bashing every idea that comes from the GOP. What is required urgently is that the President get into the fray and put out a few ideas himself.

So, Mr. Obama, enjoy Ireland. And, enjoy England, which will treat you more formally but with the same enthusiasm you felt in Dublin.

When you set foot in Paris, the world financial crisis will await you, along with filling the post of the head of the International Monetary Fund so that work on stabilizing Greece and the other dangerously under-funded European countries may recommence in earnest.

Just about the only happy event you’ll find in Euroland these days is the anticipated birth of a baby boy for Carla and Nicolas Sarkozy. Don’t forget to congratulate them and have a little gift on hand.