A More Perfect Union, A More Perfect World

The optimism flowing through the crowded streets of Washington, DC is contagious, and it's easy to allow yourself to get swept up in the collective realization that we, as a nation, are on the verge of something incredible.

While we cannot allow our "audacity to hope" blind us, we are, no doubt, witnessing the dawn of a new era, for the country and for the world --- ushered in not by one man, but by the movement he inspired.

Today, I am proud to be an American.

For far too long, we have strayed from our founding principles. Government by the people, for the people was subsumed by offensive wars, torture, the reckless obstruction of civil liberties, and opaque and callous leadership. Today, as Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office, I am overjoyed by the feeling of renewed faith in a government based on rights and guided by integrity.

Of the many pressing issues facing our new president, the restoration of America's image abroad must be a top priority. Jonathan Mann, writing for CNN, notes the pressing need to fill the "leadership vacuum" left by the departing administration's failed foreign policy. In the words of Mr. Obama himself,

"The disappointment that so many around the world feel toward America right now is only a testament to the high expectations they hold for us. We must meet those expectations again, not because being respected is an end in itself, but because the security of America and the wider world demands it."

Darfur will be an early test for Obama and his foreign policy team. The region is entering a critical stage, where negotiations for peace seem fraught, perhaps as never before, with mind-boggling complications, but new windows of opportunity to exert pressure over both Khartoum and the rebels are emerging. The impending ICC indictment decision on Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, for instance, is only days, or at most weeks, away. Given the considerable media attention around Obama's foreign policy last week, with the confirmation hearings of Hillary Clinton and Susan Rice, I'm curious to see if the administration is setting the stage for swift action once in office.

But it can't stop there --- Obama and his team should use Darfur to set the stage for the renewal of American diplomacy. By fulfilling his commitment to make Darfur a "day one" priority, Obama will not only make good on a campaign promise, but will set the direction for a future of American global engagement grounded in both strategic and moral leadership.

The challenges of the weeks, months, and years ahead are tremendous, no doubt, but I refuse to believe that they are insurmountable. After years of frustration and feelings of utter helplessness, watching our leadership squander our good will abroad, I once again feel that we are on the right track.

The is what democracy should be: Always imperfect, but always striving for a better day --- never absent of the audacity to hope, to believe, that we are one step closer to a more perfect union, and a more perfect world.