VZCZCXRO1396
PP RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHNEH
DE RUEHNE #0128/01 0211248
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 211248Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5119
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHHJJPI/PACOM IDHS HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 1492
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 4193
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 3432
RUEHNEH/AMCONSUL HYDERABAD 0165
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 1883
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 5728
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 2333
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 9271
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 3255
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 5856
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 7520
RHOVVKG/COMSEVENTHFLT
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 NEW DELHI 000128 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NP, AC, PM 
 
STATE FOR INR/MR 
 
STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO 
 
STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU 
 
STATE FOR AID/APRE-A 
 
USDOC FOR 4530/IEP/ANESA/OSA FOR BILL MURPHY 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENTIAL 
INAUGURATION/NEW ADMINISTRATION'S FOREIGN POLICY 
(Continued) 
 
This cable reports on relevant media reaction from 
India's English and large non-English press. 
 
SUMMARY: President Obama's inauguration event received 
unprecedented media coverage in India, and it is 
continuing. All newspapers published the President's 
speech, complete or in parts. Reports also highlighted 
that Vice President Joe Biden is a close friend of India. 
The commentary is highly positive, with great 
expectations for change. The general refrain is that the 
new President will have to act fast with so many problems 
that he has inherited. The Urdu press, reflecting Muslim 
opinion in India, welcomed the change of guard, and 
hailed it as a good development for world peace. 
Commentary from India's leading English and language 
newspapers follows. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶01. "MORNING, MR PRESIDENT," editorial in the January 21 
centrist English daily THE TIMES OF INDIA.  "Undoubtedly, 
the gloomy economy will consume much of the new 
president's energies and he has so far shown signs of 
clear thinking on how to get America up on its feet 
again. Equally tough are the assortment of challenges 
that will present themselves on Obama's foreign policy 
plate. One war needs to be wound down responsibly while 
America's attention has to shift to the real battleground 
in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Obama cannot afford to 
engage Pakistan only to tackle al-Qaeda and the Taliban ... 
It is evident that Obama will have to hit the ground 
running. There are soaring expectations which cannot be 
all fulfilled. But he has a good base of credibility to 
start from. Opinion polls show he enjoys close to 80 per 
cent approval ratings as he picks up the keys to the 
White House and that the American people, across 
political divides, are willing to give him a chance and 
their time. His commitment to consultative governance 
while being firmly in charge, and the A-list team he has 
picked, would hopefully serve America and the world 
well." 
 
¶02. "YES IT'S CHANGE, BUT NO SURPRISES," editorial in the 
January 21 centrist English daily THE HINDUSTAN TIMES. 
"Much of what Obama does in the next few years will build 
on the second Bush foreign policy - minus the image 
deficit George W. Bush suffered. There will be 
differences in emphasis: Obama is more at ease with 
China, less at ease with Iran and more enthusiastic about 
a West Asia peace process.  Where "change" will be more 
evident in the new administration will be in economic 
policy ... Disincentives against outsourcing, a huge 
diversion of the world's capital to the US economy and 
protectionism cloaked as climate change are likely 
components of the US's new external economic policy. 
Emerging economies should be wary on all counts. There is 
no reason to detract from the hope and excitement Obama 
has been able to bring to the global stage. But no one 
should have any illusions. Obama will be a hard-nosed 
advocate of US interests in a time of scarcity Change at 
home can lose much of its positive sheen when it crosses 
a border." 
 
NEW DELHI 00000128  002 OF 009 
 
 
 
¶03. "CHANGE, WITH REALISM," editorial in the January 21 
pro-BJP right-of-center English daily THE PIONEER.  "Like 
Reagan, Mr. Obama's charter is beyond just policy reform 
- it is to design an agenda for American renewal. It is 
about making appropriate choices, both at home and 
abroad, that may disturb status quoists but will, in the 
new President's judgment, serve America well in the 
coming decades ...  Islamism remains a threat to American 
assets anywhere on the planet. To completely efface the 
Islamist threat may be beyond Mr. Obama, even if he 
serves two terms. However, he cannot duck the challenge. 
Whatever the rhetoric of the election campaign, 
notwithstanding the claims of the new Secretary of State 
that "smart diplomacy" - at the best of times, a vague 
term - will replace a military doctrine, the fact is 
America cannot abandon the war on terror. To be fair, the 
new President seems to recognize this." 
 
¶04. "FROM ESTRANGED TO ENGAGED DEMOCRACIES," analysis in 
the January 21 centrist English daily THE TIMES OF INDIA 
by political editor Rajeev Deshpande: "For most post- 
Independence Indians till almost the early 1990s, America 
remained both a land of gold - the steady brain drain and 
mushrooming of motels owned by Patels were testimony to 
the power of the dollar - but also a quasi foe with 
Russia as India's white knight ... On their part, Americans 
often saw Indians as unbearably preachy and steeped in a 
socialist rhetoric that put New Delhi firmly in the 
Soviet orbit.  Yet, US policy towards India has not been 
uniformly hostile ...  Ironically, it was Clinton, who 
referred to Kashmir as a major trouble spot in his 1993 
UN speech, who began realigning America's infamous tilt 
in south Asia.  Though criticized by a section of opinion 
as jingoistic, Pokhran II set off a much-needed US-India 
dialogue that finally culminated in the Manmohan-Bush 
nuclear deal. The rise of Islamic terrorism and 
Pakistan's failed adventure in Kargil quickened this. It 
clearly marked stepped up US intervention as Clinton 
gently underlined when he told India's parliamentarians 
on the role of American diplomacy in "urging Pakistanis 
to go back beyond the Line of Control" during the Kargil 
war." 
 
¶05. "PRESIDENT OBAMA: LESSONS IN GRACE," editorial in the 
January 21 centrist English daily THE ASIAN AGE.  "For 
Americans, history is not a burden to be dragged along 
but a path traveled, a lesson learnt and an unfolding 
story whose climax is to be full of hope ... The world may 
not agree with America and Americans at all times and on 
all issues, but in almost no other major country does one 
see the victor accept his laurels with such magnanimity 
and the vanquished the lesson of defeat with such grace. 
We in India pride ourselves on being the biggest 
democracy in the world: but here the victor revels and 
the vanquished sulks; and the celebrations often 
degenerate into taunts, muscle-flexing and bitterness. 
Why can't we ever see such grace in this country?" 
 
¶06. "SO, CAN HE?" editorial in the January 21 pro- 
 
NEW DELHI 00000128  003 OF 009 
 
 
economic reform English daily THE FINANCIAL EXPRESS.  "On 
the economy, Obama's task is two-fold. First, he has to 
continue with the Bush administration-initiated Tarp to 
rescue banks and other financial institutions. That 
should not be hard-Obama supported the plan and he has 
the personnel to implement it. He will, commendably, add 
a large fiscal stimulus to his economic package. As 
importantly, he must resist vested interests in the 
Democratic Party, which will try and push him towards 
protectionism-that path of erecting barriers can only 
lead to another Great Depression. Fortunately so far, at 
least in his Cabinet picks, he has shown independence 
from the left-wing of the Democratic Party. May that 
moderation continue in his policies towards trade and 
delicate matters like outsourcing ... His likely shift in 
focus to Pakistan and Afghanistan in the war on terror 
can only be a good thing-those are, after all, the real 
epicentres of global terror. India will hope that he 
would take a tough line on Pakistan-sponsored terror. 
However, we must hope that he (or anyone on his team) 
doesn't tread the David Miliband path by linking a 
resolution on Kashmir to terror emanating from Pakistan. 
Terror mustn't be given any cover to hide behind. 
Obviously, India will have to work hard to push this 
perspective." 
 
¶07. "THE ECONOMY WILL MAKE OR BREAK OBAMA" editorial in 
the January 21, 2009 centrist English daily DNA. "...  of 
all the compelling crises that compete for Obama's 
attention, there is one that, depending on his response 
to it and the degree of success he has in addressing it 
will eternally come to define his presidency, and will 
either make or break his term in office.  That crisis is 
the one that confronts the US economy....  Just one piece 
of statistic is illustrative of this mess: US personal 
consumption expenditure was 72 per cent of GDP in 2006, 
the highest in economic history. To 'fix' the US economy 
now, Obama needs to do two unpopular things: first, he 
must persuade Americans, long used to the Good Life of 
consumption excess, to look up the word 'thrift' in the 
dictionary -- and live by it -- and get down to doing 
some work in the real world, not just in the parallel 
universe of paperless money....  But Obama's bigger 
challenge is to address the other half of the global 
imbalance -- by persuading Asian governments to introduce 
social safety nets and let their currencies appreciate, 
and encourage their people to stop exporting or saving, 
and instead start spending.... Obama has thus far proven 
himself to be a man of prodigious talent who thinks 
issues through. Yet, for all the intellectual capital he 
and his All-Star economic team possess, the Big Ideas he 
has formulated and the tremendous political goodwill he 
starts his term with, this is one challenge that may 
overwhelm him...." 
 
¶08. "US VISTAS AND INDIAN REALITIES," analysis in the 
January 21 English Daily THE MINT.  "There is speculation 
that Obama will select Holbrooke as a special envoy to 
South Asia. No doubt, "alarmed" American eyes find his 
background in conflict resolution appealing, as he 
 
NEW DELHI 00000128  004 OF 009 
 
 
brokered the Dayton Accords on Bosnia. Yet Jammu and 
Kashmir is not the former Yugoslavia, and such a template 
would be deeply resented in India ...  There has been much 
buzz lately about social entrepreneurship, but the 
private sector is indeed an essential ally to deliver 
public goods nimbly and efficiently. Government schools 
in rural India, for example, have notoriously terrible 
attainment rates. A glacial public sector cannot deliver 
alone where a voucher system can ... Public-private 
partnerships are imperative also for global problems such 
as climate change, which can be aided by technical 
expertise and research. No public sector can compete with 
the green-energy ventures coming out of Silicon Valley. 
The Asia Society report rightly urges Obama "to leverage 
the creativity and resourcefulness that exist outside 
both governments". This is certainly a step in the right 
direction." 
 
¶09. "PRESIDENT OBAMA REACHES OUT TO MUSLIMS & HINDUS," 
front-page dispatch in January 21 centrist THE TELEGRAPH 
by Washington-based Diplomatic Editor K.P. Nayar. 
"...Obama stunned his nation by using his Muslim middle 
name, Hussein, for the oath of office... Obama's decision 
to use his Islamic middle name immediately struck a chord 
in Arab countries... Obama became the first President in 
U.S. history to acknowledge a Hindu America, a growing, 
increasingly influential and affluent segment of the 
immigrant population in the U.S.... Missing from the new 
President's agenda were unrealistic goals such as a U.S.- 
administered democratic panacea for the rest of the world 
that characterized the speeches of...George W. Bush. 
Instead, the 44th President promised a return to American 
values, which Bush was widely seen to have trampled 
upon...." 
 
¶10. "HOPE IN DIFFERENCE," edit-page article in January 21 
centrist THE TELEGRAPH by Diplomatic Editor K.P. Nayar. 
"...The final days of the Bush Administration will be 
remembered...as the end of a dark era that lasted eight 
years - the transfer of power from an occupant of the 
White House whom history will probably judge as the worst 
president of America... There will be...revelations in 
Washington in the coming weeks and months about how the 
Bush Administration, which sought a permanent Republican 
majority in the Congress and in the White House, 
subverted the law and the 
constitution and risked America's reputation as the 
world's oldest democracy. But Obama is unlikely to make 
the 
mistake...and engage in any witch-hunt against the previous 
administration. At least not for now... If the hundreds of 
thousands of Americans who have been singing, dancing and 
partying non-stop in Washington...saw yesterday's change of 
guard at the White House as the end of a long nightmare, 
in reality, it was cold comfort for Obama. He inherits a 
nightmare of a different kind that is already touching 
the lives of all Americans irrespective of their color, 
beliefs or material well-being: the economic meltdown...." 
 
¶11. "VIEW FROM THE TOP," op-ed in January 21 centrist THE 
 
NEW DELHI 00000128  005 OF 009 
 
 
STATESMAN by N.D. Batra, Professor of Communications at 
Norwich University.  "...The inauguration of the first 
black man to grace the White House, have characterized 
the emerging American dream. It is a dream of 
transcendence and self-renewal and it makes us wonder 
what President Barack Obama...will do now that his dream 
has come true. What America is going to be, what it does 
or does not do, under President Obama will have serious 
repercussions for the world. No metaphor can capture its 
immensity but one might say that the USA is not only a 
moral force for freedom and equality but it is also the 
hub and the driving engine of global the economy. And to 
a great extent the USA is the single most important 
determinant of peace in many parts of the world. 
America's misfortunes do not necessarily mean blessings 
for other nations. Its decline and fall will not leverage 
others to rise. The whole world is watching whether 
Obama, having raised himself by his bootstraps and having 
transcended all the prejudices of race, religion and 
color, can prevent the U.S. and the world economy from 
sliding into the abyss of depression. This is the dream 
he might not have dreamt while aspiring for the White 
House...." 
 
¶12. "OBAMA AND THE AMERICAN DREAM," op-ed article in 
January 20 DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily: "Barak Obama's 
becoming the U.S. president heralds the dawn of a new era 
as he is the first Afro-Americans to reach here. India is 
very interested in Obama because of his underprivileged, 
non-white background. Rights of the underprivileged and 
marginalized sections of society are a great concern in 
this country too. What is interesting is that black Obama 
was sponsored by the non-blacks. That is the beauty of 
the American society. Now it is time for the non-whites 
to live the American dream. In the U.S., 80 per cent 
white and 12 per cent of the population is black. What 
happens nowhere else -- only happens in America." 
 
¶13. "OBAMA! THOUSANDS OF PROBLEMS WELCOME YOU", editorial 
in January 20 right-of-center Urdu daily "HAMARA SAMAJ", 
New Delhi: "By the grace of Almighty, human beings got 
rid of the ugliest and the most hot-headed American 
ruler, George Bush. It will need centuries altogether to 
heel the wounds inflicted by him on humanity. Today, 
America and the entire Europe are entrapped in the 
quagmire of a dreaded economic crisis, which created 
instability throughout the world. Even the super power, 
America is reeling under increased unemployment and 
poverty. The present chaos in America is neither an 
abrupt feature nor did American people make any 
undemocratic and unwanted decisions. Unfortunately, 
trampling the American people's opinion, Obama's 
predecessor, President Bush adopted the policy of 
venture, death and destruction like Hollywood stars and 
sent out American mariners to conquer the Muslim world by 
adopting aggressive and imperialistic policies. American 
people elected Obama and thus, sent a message that they 
still believe in supreme values of democracy and want the 
welfare of humanity. At present, issues like Palestine, 
Iraq and Afghanistan are top of the complicated issues. 
 
NEW DELHI 00000128  006 OF 009 
 
 
Moreover, capitalism has turned most exploitative and 
there on uprising against it in Europe itself. Hoping 
Obama will bring uncontrolled capitalism under the 
purview of just and legitimate conditions." 
 
¶14. "FROM MARTIN LUTHER KING TO OBAMA", editorial in 
January 20 right-of-center Urdu daily "INQUILAB", Mumbai: 
"Martin Luther King was a social reformer, famous as well 
as respected in America. He dedicated his life for 
restoration of civil and human rights. Martin Luther King 
was awarded Nobel Prize for Peace in 1964. Where, on one 
hand, Obama has the honor of being the first black 
President of America, on the other hand, people of two 
continents, America as well as Africa, are happy over his 
election. African Americans think that success of Obama 
is the end result of Martin King's efforts. Eminent 
personalities of Africa and America are considering Obama 
as the continuation of King's ideological journey. But it 
is possible only when Obama practices the human-friendly 
ideology which Martin Luther King had preached. He will 
have to keep the golden saying of King: The right 
delayed, the right denied, always in his mind. American 
policies have deprived millions of people of their 
fundamental rights. Obama will have to remove those anti- 
human elements from these policies so that hatred against 
America throughout the world may deescalate. Obama should 
not forget that George Bush has left a lot of work for 
him to do." 
 
¶15. "A NEW DAWN IN AMERICA", editorial in January 20 
right-of-center Urdu daily "MUNSIF", Hyderabad: "Obama 
will have to face a number of complicated issues and 
challenges. No predecessors of Obama faced such a great 
number of internal and external problems. American 
economy was very strong in the recent past, which helped 
it to be the super power as well as superior to Russia 
during the era of cold war. But now American economy is 
reeling under a severe crisis. Obama, therefore, will 
have to concentrate on the internal issues of his 
country. On the external front, what change Obama can 
bring into Bush's oppressive, unjustified and Zionist- 
friendly policies, is an important question. It is 
because, like his predecessors, he is also under the 
control of Zionism. It is not easy for him to take action 
against Israel. If he, contrary to his predecessors, 
could do something in Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, or 
else where against the vested interests of Israel, it 
will be considered as his revolutionary and historic 
initiative. But such expectations from him are nothing 
but living in fool's paradise." 
 
¶16. "WELCOME OBAMA:  THE NEW AGE OF LAUGHING BUDDHA" 
editorial in the January 21, 2009 multi-edition centrist 
Gujarati daily DIVYA BHASKAR.  "The man, whom the entire 
world is watching with much hope, has finally officially 
assumed office of the President of the Untied States. 
The rise of Barack Obama to the highest civilian office 
is an indicator of sorts of his personality traits.  He 
has this uncanny wit of connecting with people who 
possess diverse opinions. His smiling face beams a 
 
NEW DELHI 00000128  007 OF 009 
 
 
feeling of positivity that the world badly needs today 
than ever before....  Although the tasks and challenges 
before the new president are enormous, Obama has the 
audacity to take the bull by the horns....  Whatever may be 
the case, one thing is sure that this historic election 
has translated Martin Luther King's dream into a 
reality.  Now Obama has the opportunity to write a new 
chapter in history." 
 
¶17. "I HAVE A DREAM" editorial in January 21 left-of- 
center Marathi daily MAHARASHTRA TIMES.  "To instill 
confidence in the American people in one of the darkest 
hours of American life  is not an easy task. President 
Obama's inauguration speech has accomplished that task. 
Obama faces a bleak economic scene at home and elsewhere. 
Similarly, the terrorist and insurgent outfits, spread 
across the globe, have further jeopardized international 
peace and they continue to threaten the new president. 
One should note the fact that Mumbai terror attacks took 
place three weeks after Obama's election and Israel's 
attack on Gaza strip was three weeks before his swearing 
in. Is this just coincidence? Or is it a warning from 
terrorist outfits - as if these outfits want to see what 
kind of change will Obama bring in these uncertain 
times.." 
 
¶18. "OBAMA LEANS TOWARDS..." editorial in January 21 
centrist Marathi daily LOKMAT.  "While welcoming Barack 
Obama as the 44th U.S. President, India should exercise 
vigilance towards Obama's foreign policy stance. With 
ideologues like the Chicago-based Rob Malley (who has a 
soft corner for Pakistan), one can imagine what kind of 
South Asia policy will Obama have? Malley is a 
propagandist and will try to veer Obama towards a lenient 
Pakistan policy. India has to be mindful of the lobbyists 
surrounding Obama." 
 
¶19. "NOW AMERICA BELONGS TO OBAMA" editorial in January 
21 centrist Marathi daily SAKAAL.  "... One does not expect 
major foreign policy shifts in Obama administration. 
America's foreign policy has been essentially a geo- 
political expansionist strategy which gives first 
priority to the U.S. vested interests.  That's precisely 
why Obama's assurance of withdrawal of forces from Iraq 
will not be an easy proposition. The rich oil reserves of 
Iraq and other parts of Middle East will remain central 
to many policies. Obama will not be able to overlook the 
U.S. economic interest in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
Similarly, the U.S. needs Pakistan to fight terrorism in 
Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Therefore, it won't be easy 
to dictate terms to the erring Pakistan...." 
 
¶20. "OBAMA-HILLARY POSSESS GOODWILL, THEY CAN DO, BUT 
THEY WILL NEED TIME," front-page commentary in the 
January 21 left-of-center Kolkata Bengali daily SAMBAD 
PRATIDIN by former Indian Ambassador to the U.S. 
Siddartha Shankar Roy.  "People expect too many things 
from the new Obama Administration. First, the U.S. 
Administration will continue to become friendlier toward 
India; second, the U.S. will adopt certain economic 
 
NEW DELHI 00000128  008 OF 009 
 
 
measures that will also 
benefit India. Third, U.S. military aggressions in the 
Middle East including in Iraq, and in Afghanistan will 
stop 
and the U.S. foreign policy will change soon. I can 
clearly say that Obama and Hillary will want to change a 
lot of things. Maybe they will be successful to some 
extent. But they will not be able to do anything 
overnight. The Obama team will be ideally positive for 
the entire world. But they are not magicians. Let us be 
patient. People should give them time to deliver." 
 
¶21. "OBAMA'S CHALLENGE," editorial in January 21 left-of- 
center Bengali daily SAMBAD PRATIDIN.  "The world will 
monitor Obama's role in combating terrorism. The issue of 
Indo-U.S. relationship under the Obama regime will also 
be important. Regardless of Bush's flaws in several 
fronts, there is no denying of the fact that Indo-U.S. 
relationship has blossomed like never before during his 
tenure. The Indo-U.S. civil nuclear deal bears testimony 
to it. New Delhi must be anxious to see which way that 
relationship moves in the near future. We may hope that 
the relationship between the two countries will at least 
remain stable if it does not flourish more." 
 
¶22. "OBAMA WILL MISS THE HONEYMOON," editorial in January 
21 Chennai-based independent English daily THE NEW INDIAN 
EXPRESS. "As Barack Hussein Obama enters the White House 
he might be tempted to reflect on the road he has 
traveled. It hasn't been an easy one and it's likely to 
get much harder, not simply because his victory as the 
first African-American President spells a revolutionary 
change in American politics. As the race went on, the 
times got worse and now, as he takes office, Obama 
probably won't even have the 100-day honeymoon US 
Presidents are traditionally expected to use for settling 
down in office. Even before he formally took over as the 
44th president, newspaper headlines focused on an all-too 
short honeymoon. But Obama has moved in with huge 
expectations and, at the same time, apprehensions of how 
successfully and speedily he will ease the burdens the 
country is reeling under, at home as well as abroad. The 
near-collapse of the financial sector, spelling a loss of 
nearly three million jobs last year alone, together with 
the mess exported by the Bush regime provide extreme 
challenges for the new President... 
In addition, he has to pay attention to the Indo-US 
nuclear deal, Pakistan, Afghanistan and decide on his 
approach to Iran's congratulations..." 
 
¶23. "CHALLENGES BEFORE OBAMA," editorial in January 21 
Bangalore-based left-of-center Kannada daily 
PRAJAVANI. "In all likelihood, the US-India relations are 
expected to reach new heights during President Obama's 
regime. There is a possibility of continued military 
action in Afghanistan, which will affect the US ties with 
Pakistan. His statements with regard to Kashmir have 
created ripples in India though Indian leadership is 
confident of changing his stance on Kashmir. Any change 
in US policies with regard to outsourcing might affect 
 
NEW DELHI 00000128  009 OF 009 
 
 
the Indian IT sector adversely. The confusion in this 
regard might end soon. In spite of all these, Obama wants 
a better relationship with India and that is a very good 
sign." 
 
¶24. "OBAMA TAKES OVER," editorial in January 21 
Bangalore-based independent Kannada daily KANNADA 
PRABHA. "Obama's takeover signifies a great social 
revolution in the world. Obama might choose a path of 
restraint and cooperation instead of confrontation." 
 
¶25. "BUSH'S MARKET VALUE," editorial in the January 21 
CPI (M) Organ GANASHAKTI Bengali daily, Kolkata. "People 
in America and abroad had been awaiting Bush's exit from 
the White House. During his tenure Bush put a question 
mark on America instead of shoring up its image 
domestically and internationally. Now, Obama faces a 
great responsibility of addressing the issue of 
withdrawing American troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. 
American citizens as well as the world community will be 
eagerly watching for sometime to see what actions he 
takes on this. How Obama tackles the pressure from the 
U.S. war lobby remains to be seen. But what will happen 
to Bush? What will he do now? Will he take up a new job 
or will he write his autobiography? However, his personal 
equity seems to be so low that nobody wants to take a 
risk." 
WHITE