Stephen Dinan

Obama: Stimulus working as planned

With bad-news stories about the stimulus spending bill piling up at home, President Obama used his weekly radio address Saturday to try to reset expectations, saying despite continued job losses and the money going out slowly, the program "has worked as intended."

July 11, 2009

Obama claims G-8 resolve against Iran

Wrapping up the Group of Eight summit, President Obama said Friday that the world's major powers are ready to act if Iran fails to show good-faith efforts and negotiate about its nuclear development program.

July 11, 2009

Obama to African leaders: Time for ‘responsibility’

President Obama on Friday said African countries cannot blame colonialism for problems caused by corruption and their own bad governance as he embarked on his first trip as president to sub-Saharan Africa.

July 11, 2009

World leaders: Obama doing ‘everything right’ so far

President Obama's debut performance at a G-8 summit is playing to rave reviews from his counterparts Friday, with Italian President Silvio Berlusconi telling reporters the American "has done everything absolutely right" on foreign policy so far.

July 10, 2009

Obama gives Iran deadline on nuclear program

UPDATED: President Obama said Friday that Iran faces a September deadline to show good-faith efforts to halt its nuclear weapons program, and said the statement issued by the world's leading industrial nations meeting here this week means the international community is ready to act.

July 10, 2009

G-8 vows restart of talks on trade

Trying to fight a rising tide of protectionism, leaders of the world's top economies Thursday vowed to restart moribund global trade talks and have the on-again-off-again negotiations finished by the end of next year.

July 10, 2009

Leaders aim to finish trade talks by 2011

Fighting a rising tide of protectionism, leaders of the world's top economies Thursday said they will try to restart trade talks and have the on-again-off-again talks finished by the end of next year.

July 9, 2009

World leaders greet Obama with applause

In a curious sign, leaders of the world's most powerful nations applauded President Obama as he arrived for the group photo Thursday afternoon.

July 9, 2009

Polluting nations not on board with G-8

Eight of the world's top economies, including the United States, pledged Wednesday to slash greenhouse gas emissions but have failed to win the same agreement from top polluting nations.

July 9, 2009

G-8 leaders pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

The world's top eight economic powers, including the U.S., pledged Wednesday to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but have failed to win the same agreement from the broader group of top polluting nations.

July 8, 2009

Obama: Putin is ‘practical,’ not ‘soul’ mate

Eight years after President George W. Bush peered into Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin's psyche and got "a sense of his soul," his successor on Tuesday took his own look over breakfast and found a "strong," "practical" and unsentimental advocate for his country.

July 8, 2009

Obama rejects Russians’ invite to light up

The hosts had a message for President Obama - we've got 'em, so smoke 'em while you're here. But America's most famous wannabe ex-smoker was having none of it, and instead encouraged Russians to quit for health's sake.

July 8, 2009

Obama challenges Russia’s strong-arm policy

While acknowledging America's own imperfections, President Obama on Tuesday challenged Russia's strong-arm foreign policy and urged his host nation to stop competing and instead join in a "global partnership" of strong nations dedicated to world security.

July 7, 2009

Obama gives Ovechkin nod

In Russia, president offers praise of Capitals star.

July 7, 2009

U.S., Russia agree to reduce nukes

President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday signed a framework for reducing nuclear weapons but put off the thornier issue of U.S. missile defense plans, as both leaders said they have re-established a partnership that Mr. Obama said had seen a "sense of drift" recently.

July 7, 2009

Obama, Medvedev commit to nuclear reduction

President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday signed a framework committing to reducing nuclear weapons but put off the thornier issue of U.S. missile defense plans.

July 6, 2009

Obama, Medvedev: A lot to talk about

Gingerly stepping into Russian politics, President Obama said new charges against two Russian businessmen are "odd," though he hastened to say he supports Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's efforts to boost the rule of law.

July 6, 2009

A chill in air for Obama in Russia

Despite calling for an end to the Cold War mentality, when President Obama sits down with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday it may seem like the Cold War is still raging.

July 6, 2009

Challenges abound for Obama abroad

Over the next week, President Obama will be trying to put to bed the Cold War in Russia, rewrite the rules for international finance in Italy and reassure developing countries they retain his attention in Ghana.

July 5, 2009

Ruling reverses Sotomayor in firefighter case

Casting a wary eye on affirmative action, the Supreme Court ruled Monday that white firefighters faced unlawful discrimination when their city threw out a promotion test after not enough minorities did well on it.

June 30, 2009