Tribute to President Obama for his Glorious Legacy
11 January 2017By Saeed Qureshi
The incumbent president of United States, Barack Hussein Obama II would
relinquish the mantle of presidency on January 20 this year after remaining
for 8 years on this most prestigious office of the most powerful country. He
was 48 years of age when he took over as the president for the first term. He
is now 56 years old.
President Obama's first term as the 44th president of USA started on January
20, 2009 and the second on January 20 2013. His immense popularity can be
judged from the brightening fact that President Obama was elected twice. One
can have no doubt in believing that had there been a third term in the
constitution, he would have still returned victorious in the elections.
President Obama leaves behind him a glorious legacy of far-reaching
achievements and landmark attainments in diverse fields both domestically and
internationally. Those brilliant hallmarks might not be outshined by the
future presidents of the United States for a long time to come. In the
backdrop of the sharp ethnic divided between the white and the so called
African American communities, his reelection in 2013 speaks for his immense
popularity and love among the diversity of the American people.
His ''American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA}'' saved and
created jobs after an unpresented economic meltdown. This Act provided
immediate investment and relief to those projects those were most affected by
the recession. It helped sustained investment in infrastructure, education,
health, renewable energy, industries mostly notably in automobile
manufacturing industries such as General Motors and Chrysler.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) or Obamacare was enacted was in March 2010. This
act brought about many fruitful changes in the then prevailing medical and
insurance malpractices. For instance, it facilitated ''expansion of health
insurance coverage to the uninsured, to cap premium increases, and to allow
people to retain their coverage when they leave or change jobs.
Also, known as the public option, to compete with the corporate insurance
sector as a main component to lowering costs and improving quality of health
care. It also made it illegal for insurers to drop sick people or deny them
coverage for pre-existing conditions, it require every American to carry
health coverage. The plan also includes medical spending cuts and taxes on
insurance companies that offer expensive plans''.
The first priority of the president elect Donald Trump and the Republican
party now in majority in both houses of congress, is to undo this act which in
fact is going to restore the previous system benefitting huge health
conglomerates at the cost of those Americans who cannot pay huge premiums.
In another landmark development initiated by president Obama in the domain of
foreign relations was the normalization of relations between United States and
Cuba. As a result of that the interest sections in both countries were
upgraded to the level of full embassies in July 2015.
The negotiations spawned over a period of two years Between Iran and United
States during the Obama tenure as the president resulted in signing of the
''Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action'' that prevented Iran from manufacturing
Nuclear weapons or material. In return the stifling sanctions imposed on Iran
were lifted.
There might be a difference of opinion in assessing the Libyan civil war in
which the American embassy was attacked resulting in the death of the
ambassador along with two other members. But the fact is that the attack on
the embassy was an offshoot of the chaos and no one could have stopped it.
Even Muammar Qaddafi the besieged ruler was also killed. But the American
military action did end the civil war speedily. It was a kind of timely help
by the Obama administration that saved further bloodshed.
A "surgical raid" authorized by Obama administration conducted by United
States Navy Seals on May 1, 2011, resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden and
the seizure of important information from his compound. He was the most wanted
target of the United States for many years.
President Obama terminated the American combat operations in Iraq and recalled
the American soldiers stationed in Iraq by August 2010. In Afghanistan
although there is American military presence, but it is not engaged in active
fighting but to sustain the democratic system that is now in place against the
Taliban and other radical militants.
From the foregoing, it is evident that president Obama has been focused on
reducing the international conflicts either political or military in which
United States has been either directly or indirectly involved.
As a person, he is a decent family man with two young daughters and a loving
wife. Interestingly his name contains two words that are purely Islamic. Those
were derived from his father whose name was Barack Hussein Obama Sr. Barack in
Arabic means the blessed one. Hussain is the most coveted and sacred name for
the Muslims especially for Shia sect in Islam. Hussain was the grandson of
prophet Muhammad and was martyred by one of the Ommyad caliphs in the desert
of Karbala near Baghdad.
Obama is a recipient of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize "for his extraordinary
efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between
peoples''. In a poll conducted by ''Harris Interactive'' in May 2009,
president Obama was rated as the most popular world leader. President Obama is
among the top ten most popular and successful presidents of the United States.
The two latest decisions made by president Obama have been very crucial and
which demonstrate his trait of fearless decision making. Lately in a clear
departure from the past blind support for Israel, United States abstained from
vetoing a resolution against its ally Israel. That facilitated passing of the
Un Security council resolution on December 22 by 14-0 condemning the
construction of Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and West bank. This was
for the first time that America with Obama as president has adopted a just and
legitimate stance.
The second decision taken on December 30 is the expulsion of 35 Russian
diplomats from America in retaliation to the hacking of the 2016 American
presidential elections. President Obama has also imposed sanctions on nine
Russian entities and individuals involved in cyber hacking to manipulate the
results in favor of president elect Donald Trump and against the Democratic
candidate Hillary Clinton.
His popularity among all sections of the populace was strident and perhaps can
be rated among the leading presidential luminaries. He has been consistent and
endowed with a level of confidence and courage that enabled him to take
momentous decisions at a time when the USA was steeped in one of the deepest
economic chaos fomented by his Republican predecessor George W. Bush.
A Gallup poll declared Barack Obama as the 7th great president after Ronald
Reagan (19%),
Abraham Lincoln (14%), Bill Clinton (13%), John F. Kennedy (11%), George
Washington (10%), Franklin Roosevelt (8%), Barack Obama (5%)
A Quinnipiac University poll showed Barack Obama as the fourth best president
since World War II, after Ronald Reagan (35%), Bill Clinton (18%), John F.
Kennedy (15%), Barack Obama (8%), Dwight Eisenhower (5%).
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