One of the biggest critcisms of our last president was his "cowboy diplomacy" and that he ruined our reputation abroad. Obama is using this tour to show that he can mend our relationship with the countries we've alienated. Like it or not we live in a global community in which the biggest stresses on our economy are external (India, China, etc.) We need the entire world to buy into what we're selling. If Obama can bring back our "shining city on the hill" reputation while building his foreign policy credentials so be it. Obviously Obama disagrees strongly with the current president's foreign policy. His trip is showing that the majority of the world does as well (Maliki's timetable statement comes to mind). I'm sorry, but I'm not really offended by a few "mea culpas" to get the world back on our side. I LOVE my country! Appently some people believe that this means I have to HATE every other country in the world or that to be a true patriot those countries should at least hate us. I don't get it. I think people are pissed at Obama overseas for the same reason Jesse Jackson is pissed at him about African Americans. "Holy Crap" I can hear them saying "he's airing our dirty laundry on the world stage." 

Jesse Jackson - Can you believe he's telling Black men to take care of their kids and stop being deadbeat dads, white people were listening, now we'll actually have to do something about it.

Consevatives - Can you believe he said we shouldn't have invaded Iraq and tortured people, Germans were listening, now we'll actually have to do something about it.  

What I saw from Obama was a criticism of the last administration, not of our country. I don't know why people can't differentiate between the two. He simply said what he belived and it didn't matter who was listening. Our country was purposefully set up to cycle through our leaders every eight years because America is more than just ideas of an administration, it is a symbol. It is a symbol of a shining city on a hill, an example to all nations of all things truely great in the world no matter how badly the last president has damaged our reputation. I hear Obama saying, "we can be better!" and we truly can. Why is that such a bad thing?

-M