When Barack Obama was announced as the president of the U.S. Nov. 6, many countries were relieved.
BBC recently conducted a poll to see which U.S. presidential candidate countries around the world wanted to see hold the position, and every country polled except Pakistan preferred Obama by an overwhelming percentage.
“It’s surprising that they had such a wide difference because in America the race between Romney and Obama was really close,” Eastern Michigan University freshman Jennifer Anderson said.
Iran was especially relieved by the Obama win.
“Many in Iran were concerned that a Republican win would mean war, and believe a Barack Obama victory makes life safer for the people because the U.S. will move quickly to set up a new round of talks over Iran’s nuclear ambitions,” BBC Middle-East journalist Mohsen Asgari said in a statement.
“It means they have faith in what he’s doing,” EMU junior Sibreel OBannon said. “But if they want to go to war, they will go to war no matter who’s in office.”
Iran has been developing a nuclear program over the past four years. They claim the program is to be used for electricity, but surrounding countries such as Israel fear the program will be used to develop weapons.
Iran has also attempted to shoot down an American drone flying over international airspace on Nov. 1.
Last year, Iran took control of a malfunctioning U.S. drone with stealth technology and refused to give it back after Washington D.C. said the aircraft was monitoring the Iranian government. Iran then released pictures of Iranian officers studying the technology of the drone.
Obama has set up meetings with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to address these issues.
“[Iran] is the explosive middle child that needs to be ignored, because we can’t afford another war,” EMU nursing student Jordan McKamie said.
The European Union was also rooting for Obama, because the Obama administration, especially U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, has been very involved with the Eurozone crisis. A change in American leadership may have been a hinderance.
Mexico was relieved with the continuing presidency, but was happier to see that two of America’s states had legalized marijuana.
Pakistan, on the other hand, wanted to see Gov. Mitt Romney in office.
“Pakistan’s military, which controls the country’s national security policy, has traditionally felt more comfortable with Republican governments in the U.S. Democratic leaders, on the other hand, have tended to be rather cold towards it, due to its position on civil liberties, democracy and nuclear weapons,” BBC’s M Ilyas Khan said in a statement.
Pakistan has been disappointed with Obama’s policies, especially the killing of Osama Bin Laden and drone attacks in their territory.
The country also feels as if their potential to bring peace between Afghanistan and American is being ignored.
“Even though Pakistan wanted a Republican to win, I don’t think Romney had the skills to succeed in foreign affairs,” EMU student David Lesnieski, a senior studying special education, said. “I believe the four years Obama has had in office has been great for him, so in the four more years in office he will excel at foreign relations,”
China has not taken too much notice in the presidential election with their recent leadership change, but is disturbed with the critique given by both candidates.
Beijing is concerned that Obama will try to hinder China’s growth.
Russia is approaching the Obama administration with caution.
“President Obama may have hit it off with the previous Russian leader, Dmitry Medvedev (they once went to a burger bar together), but relations with Mr. Putin are proving more challenging,” Steve Rosenberg, a BBC journalist in Moscow said in a statement. “There is concern in Washington at the current human rights situation in Russia; at the same time, there is suspicion in the Kremlin that the U.S. is funding and supporting President Putin’s opponents.”
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon is looking forward to continuing to work with Obama in the challenges that will come in the next four years.
