U.S. President Barack Obama has been duly installed with pomp and ceremony for another term in office. He celebrated with another of his trademark fine speeches. But it was a bit like a minor Mozart opera, too many pretty words. And as my mother used to say, fine words butter no parsnips: Even the greatest rhetoric does not easily translate into action. Both the United States and — especially — the global world are unprettily much as grubby as when Obama first wooed them with his flights of fancy words four years ago.
For America's international role, Obama risks being distracted by domestic dogfights that will sap his energy and gobble up his political capital.
For Asia, especially for anyone concerned about relations with a rising China, it is potentially bad news that the U.S. seems to have little space for serious consideration of intricate issues involving complicated delicate balances between countries, disturbing which could set off a devastating chain reaction.