Obama’s progress continues with his first trip abroad, starting in London with G20 to deal with the finance crisis, then on to Strasbourg to review the future of NATO worrying about European commitment to supplying more troops to Afghanistan. His final stopping place Turkey was to assure Moslems the the US was not at war with them.
Fidel Castro reflects on Obama’s message and whether it marks a fundamentally different view to what went on before. Yes tehre are differences between Obama and Bush, but the powerful Empire dictates the extent there can be meaningful change

Castro concludes:
“The crisis is indissolubly linked to the capitalist system of production and distribution. Its main exponent, the U.S., has suffered two great crises throughout its history which dealt harsh blows to its economy during periods of more than 20 years. This is the third one and recovery from it will be very slow. Europe knows that because of its own bitter experience.
The American transnationals used to acquire holdings anywhere in the world by virtue of Bretton Woods. They paid in gold and with paper money; today they buy them with paper money or “junk money” as the Chinese like to call it. Furthermore, its country has the rare privilege of veto power in the International Monetary Fund. Not one word has been uttered in London that would commit the United States to relinquish such a privilege. The next crisis will happen much sooner and it will be much more serious than Obama and several of his main G-7 allies could ever imagine. Crises are not resolved by either administrative or technical measures because they are systemic and affect the economy and globalization of the planet every time.” Source Granma.
He continues by pointing out that not everyone was euphoric with the agreement. Those who had demonstrated in London were ignored, as were the poor. Other key questions such as the rapid thaw of polar icecaps and sustainability continue to threaten the earth but these matters were not on the agenda.
Obama’s contradictions.