I think it's fair to say that after the last eight years we in the United States are not quite accustomed to what it is like to have a president that is genuinely popular oversees. This will clearly change under the Obama administration, and with Obama's popularity comes tremendous opportunity to re-affirm America's traditional role as a global leader. This will not happen automatically, or simply by virtue of his personal popularity. Rather, restoring American global leadership requires that the new administration take a number of discrete actions, the sum of which signals to the rest of the world that the United States is back--and ready to lead by example.
Today, a group of 145 foreign policy experts, including former senior government officials, at least one ex-president (Jimmy Carter), academics, activists and advocates signed a letter spelling out exactly what policies would do the most to restore American global leadership and global standing. The letter is distributed under the aegis of the Connect US Fund and provides very specific markers for judging whether or not the incoming administration is willing to adopt the kind of policies that constitute a brave new era of American global engagement.
Repair U.S. credibility and influence on international human rights and humanitarian law: * Issue an executive order that reaffirms an absolute prohibition on torture and ensures that all detainees within the custody of the United States are treated consistent with standards articulated in the U.S. Army Field Manual and international legal instruments; that halts the practice of secret detention; that ends rendition to torture and that directs a review of all legal opinions and policy guidance relating to treatment of detainees. * Announce your intention to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center promptly and to treat all detainees in U.S. custody in a manner consistent with international obligations and domestic law. * Re-engage in a positive way with international human rights institutions, such as by supporting the work of the ICC to investigate and prosecute individuals for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Establish U.S. leadership on international efforts to address climate change: * Commit to binding caps on carbon emissions that would reduce greenhouse gases by at least 80% by 2050, and thereby effectively contribute to worldwide efforts to limit the average world temperature increase to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels; to funding and mechanisms to assist developing countries mitigate and adapt to climate change, access clean energy technology and avoid deforestation and degradation; and to legislation that promotes domestic green jobs and renewable energy.