Barack Obama's mark in the final stretch.

(Baonghean) - This past week, the public witnessed a series of noteworthy events such as the ceasefire in Syria coming into effect; the visit of the State Counselor of Myanmar to the US; the record-breaking US military aid agreement with Israel; and the continuing heated race for the White House. Notably, all these events bear the mark of US President Barack Obama.

With his final term drawing to a close, Obama's prominent presence in a series of important domestic and foreign events is shaping the image of a unique African-American president in American history.

President Barack Obama delivered a speech in support of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in Philadelphia on September 13. Source: AFP

Decisive domestic policy

This past week, while the American public was still buzzing about the health of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, President Obama surprised everyone. Despite publicly supporting Clinton for months, this was the first time Obama personally ran for office on behalf of the Democratic candidate.

Accordingly, on September 13th, Obama delivered a speech reaffirming his support for Clinton, while also presenting a series of arguments to persuade voters. He argued that Clinton had been treated unfairly, while she had demonstrated transparency in providing documents about her health and finances, as well as publicly disclosing her personal tax records. These were things that Republican candidate Donald Trump refused to do.

Besides strong criticisms such as claiming that candidate Donald Trump's controversial statements and lack of qualifications for president are unacceptable, Obama, in his recent speech, also focused on another major weakness of the Republican candidate: his indifference to the working class. Furthermore, Obama skillfully cited data showing rising incomes in the US to refute Donald Trump's mistaken view that the American economy is declining.

According to observers, at this point, Obama could be the deciding factor in 50% of the Democratic Party's victory or defeat. Clinton's deteriorating health is causing anxiety among both voters and Democratic leaders.

This is also why billionaire Trump's approval ratings have consistently been higher in recent weeks. Clinton herself has now lost some of her competitiveness against her opponent. Therefore, Obama's decision to run for president is not only to support Clinton personally but also to maintain his Democratic Party's standing.

Flexible foreign policy

Decisive and astute in his domestic presidential campaign, Obama also made progress this past week in his relationships with key partners.

US President Barack Obama (right) meets with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China, on September 5. Source: Ria Novosti

Against the backdrop of strained relations between the US and Israel, the agreement on a record-breaking $38 billion military aid package, signed on September 14th, came as a surprise. The surprise stemmed from the fact that negotiations for this aid package had dragged on for nearly 10 months, marked by Israel's hesitation. Leaders on both sides held significant disagreements regarding the Iran nuclear deal and the Middle East peace process.

Furthermore, Tel Aviv had initially wanted to delay the agreement, hoping that it would contain more favorable terms for Israel once the US administration was in power later this year. Therefore, persuading Israel to agree to this 10-year deal can be considered an impressive success for Obama. With this agreement, the US will be completely reassured about its geopolitical presence in the Middle East for a long time to come.

Not only did President Obama smooth out US-Israel relations, but he also played a significant role in the recent ceasefire in Syria reached between Russia and the US. The brief meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China, on September 5th, to discuss Syria, demonstrated the efforts of both sides.

Particularly from the US side, there are reports that the Obama administration proactively proposed this meeting. Subsequently, during negotiations between the two foreign ministers, the attitudes of both Russia and the US underwent significant adjustments, ultimately leading to a historic agreement: a ceasefire in Syria effective from September 12th.

In addition to handling the contentious issues in the Middle East with flexibility, President Barack Obama took another significant foreign policy step within the United States last week: welcoming Myanmar's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi on a historic visit to the U.S. A number of key issues were raised during this trip, such as U.S. support for Myanmar's democratic process and efforts to cooperate and boost trade between the two sides.

Observers believe that the U.S. easing economic sanctions, removing many Myanmar individuals and companies from the blacklist, and supporting Myanmar in resolving ethnic tensions will all be carefully scrutinized. These are clear manifestations of the Obama administration's pivot to Asia policy.

President Obama receives Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi during her historic visit to the United States. Photo: Internet

Alongside rolling out the red carpet for Myanmar, President Obama also demonstrated his diplomatic prowess in his relationship with another Asian nation, the Philippines. The public has undoubtedly witnessed a series of impolite criticisms leveled against Obama by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in recent times.

However, in response, the American leader appeared polite, stating that US-Philippine relations would not be affected by such minor issues. Public opinion interpreted this as Obama's tactical persistence in the face of the Philippine president's erratic temperament and reactions. The ultimate goal was to ensure stability and maintain relations with America's most important Asian ally.

With a series of recent events, it's perhaps not an exaggeration to say that many believe President Obama is shining brightly in the final stages of his term. Not only has he solidified his image as a prominent Black president in American history, but he has also paved the way for Democratic candidates to win the crucial November election.

Phuong Hoa