At a the forum “Obama at 100: A Progress Report from The Nation” held on
April 21, 2009 in Washington DC, Katrina vanden Heuvel discussed the
refreshing rhetorical change the Obama presidency had brought to
American foreign policy. However, quoting the president, vanden Heuvel
pointed out that “the greatest test is ‘not only words, but also deeds'”
and, in his conduct of the war in Afghanistan, she feared
Obama may not
be passing the test. “I do see parallels with Vietnam,” vanden Heuvel
warned. “If we are interested in seeing a successful Obama presidency…
we as allies do a service to the nation and this administration by
speaking out and offering smart alternatives” such as an Congressional
hearings, an exit strategy and visibility to antiwar
efforts.

—Corbin Hiar

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