Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

President Barack Obama ushered in a new era of hope, not just for America but, by extension, for the whole world. He talked about a new regime of diplomacy and one presumes he meant that to replace a regime of aggression. He talked about holding out a hand of friendship to other countries, including Iran, North Korea and so on. One has to consider the legacy the old regime gave us. In terms of the discussion on the economy — this is sometimes missed — the aggression that was part of America's foreign policy has an echo in the economic crisis we are experiencing. The high expenditure and disruption of normal life and markets is part of the legacy.