Achtung Baby

He wanted the Brandenburg Gate, he got Tiergarten park, but last night, Barack Obama spoke to over 200,000 of his view of the future for transatlantic relations in a post Bush era. It was an uplifting speech that was high on rhetoric and low on detail but arguably he doesn't and shouldn't go into too much detail. He is, after all preaching to the converted and he knows it. Europe is not his target audience, his popularity is very high this side of the Atlantic. It's the impact back home that is important. He needs to build his profile as a statesman in international affairs, hence the desire for Brandenburg Gate, a much more high profile and instantly recognisable venue. Berlin was also a strategic choice, Germany's leader is a 'she', Angela Merkel. She has a given track record on commitment to Europe and Obama follows in the rhetorical shadow of some high profile american statesmen: "Ich bin ein Berliner" JFK 1963, "Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall" Reagan 1987. Obama hopes to follow with 'remaking the world' and "this is our time, this is our moment". The Independent gives an overview of the speech whilst The New York Times highlights Europe's scepticism towards Obama's view on transatlantic trade and his desire to get Europe to field more troups to Afghanistan. Obama moves to today to Paris before hitting London and then the US.