Obama's West Point speech; Keystone pipeline; Chinese cyberspying
Beijing听/ China Daily
US accusations hypocritical and self-deceiving
鈥淐hina was completely justified in rejecting remarks made by US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel at the 13th Asia Security Summit, or Shangri-La Dialogue, in Singapore [in late May],鈥澛犅爄n response to remarks by Secretary Hagel about China鈥檚 鈥渦nilateral鈥� actions in the South China Sea and cyberspying against the United States. 鈥淭he US has thrown its weight behind Japan, its regional ally, since September 2012 when the Japanese government unilaterally announced its decision to 鈥榥ationalize鈥� China鈥檚 Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.鈥�
Beirut, Lebanon听/ The Daily Star
Delusions of a superpower
In his commencement address to West Point graduates in May, President Obama 鈥渟tressed that the U.S. would not become isolationist, and that 鈥楢merica must always lead on the world stage. If we don鈥檛, no one else will.鈥� This smacks of self-delusion. Once the world鈥檚 leading superpower, the U.S. looks increasingly dwarfed by Russia and China,鈥澛�. 鈥淭hough much of the American public might believe Obama鈥檚 interpretation of events, the rest of the world is watching, and it is not so easily deceived. Where Obama sees success in soft diplomacy and stepping back, the international community sees stumbling and inaction.鈥�
Toronto听/ National Post
New rules on coal underline US hypocrisy
鈥淲ashington has spent a good deal of time complaining that Canada lacks an adequate strategy to address the emissions issue. Coal is by far the dirtiest way to produce electricity, and Canada uses far less of it than the U.S. ... yet Washington keeps citing Canadian emissions policies as a significant reason Mr. Obama hasn鈥檛 been able to bring himself to make a decision on the Keystone XL oil pipeline,鈥澛犅燼bout US emissions regulations proposed in early June. 鈥淣ow that the U.S. has an actual plan on the table, maybe it will quit beefing about Canada and focus on whether its own efforts are adequate.鈥�
London听/ The Guardian
US foreign policy: principle and pragmatism
鈥淢r Obama is striving to steer a middle course between the isolationists and interventionists ... [with] a varied toolbox for dealing with foreign challenges: unilateral military force, if necessary, to defend against direct threats to Americans, US core interests and allies; in all other circumstances, America will not go it alone, and will prefer nonviolent means if possible,鈥澛�. 鈥淎s sensible as it is to have [an] extensive toolbox, however, the real challenge for a US commander-in-chief is knowing when to use each tool. On that measure, Mr Obama has a reasonable scorecard.鈥�
