"...The foreign policy scene does little to improve the sense of Obama’s authority ..."

SWOOP

".... The foreign policy scene does little to improve the sense of Obama’s authority. Over BP, he faces a potentially tense relationship with the British over what is increasingly seen in the UK as an unfairly hostile attitude to BP. The latest round of Iran sanctions has been greeted with skepticism among the foreign policy community that it will slow Iran’s nuclear program. Obama’s June 9^th meeting with Palestinian President Abbas has done little to inspire confidence that the Middle East peace process is advancing. In relation to Afghanistan, Pentagon officials tell us privately that behind the scenes doubts are growing that the US counterinsurgency strategy is viable. Additionally, despite the intense engagement by the Treasury in the financial relationship with China, currency issues have resurfaced as a subject of bilateral tension. All these problems pose searching questions about the competency of the Obama presidency. There is little doubt that it faces testing times."