Ahmadinejad, Mumbai and Russia on Obama's Plate

Barack Obama was elected president of the United States of America -- not just the head of defense or economic finance. His decision-making will span across every aspect of American culture, society, economics and foreign policy. With less than two months left before Obama is inaugurated, he'll have plenty of high-priority overseas matters on his plate waiting for him once in office.

Mumbai Terrorist Attack

In what has proven to be one of the most heart-wrenching events of 2008, the loss of almost 200 lives in a multi-day terrorist rampage in Mumbai is shaping up to be a major center of international attention for the coming year. In what are already turbulent relations between India and Pakistan, this attack by rumored Pakistani militants could destabilize the region of Southern Asia and worsen the fragile state of the Middle-East. President Obama must take a proactive stance in assisting the Indian government in tracking and punishing the militant group who executed the Mumbai attack and offer support in re-building relations between the long-quarreling nations.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Iranian Question

Iran's anti-Western and anti-Semitic public stance made by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has fanned the flames of fear and anger throughout the world. A war-weary United States is clearly hesitant to engage in direct military action with Iran. But the continued push to enrich uranium for questionable purposes may drive swift and fierce military action by surrounding countries unless Obama is able to act on his campaigned intentions of sitting down with the Iranian government officials to come to mutually acceptable terms of non-aggression that respect Iran's sovereignty. Unless acted upon promptly and carefully, Iran could wind up being another Iraq, Afghanistan or worse.

Oil-Rich and Resurgent Russian and Venezuela

As of recent developments, Russia has been practicing naval maneuvering in Venezuelan water's to simulate military action in a far remote location from the motherland. While being passed off by Russian officials as simply a military exercise, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez is articulating what many believe to be Vladimir Putin's underhanded message that that United States is weakened and that the countries once held under the U.S.'s proverbial thumb are now able to freely express themselves and act as military powers. A strong president in Barack Obama must be able to stand up and firmly negotiate and protect peace in both the United States and also in neighboring countries to boisterous governments such as Russia and Venezuela.

Regardless of Obama's plans for economic stimulus, job creations or social programs, he must be and probably is well aware of the complex international situations that the United States is finding itself in at this pivotal point in history.