ISTANBUL (AP) -- Euphoria swept the world after the election of President Obama, a symbol of hope and yearning for compromise after years of war and resentment toward his predecessor's style and policies. Today, after an electoral rebuke at home, Obama is still popular among America's traditional allies, but his star power among Muslims - a focus of his international outreach - is fading.
American unhappiness with Obama and the government, evident in the staggering blow to incumbents in midterm elections Tuesday, stems largely from concern about the weak U.S. economy, suggesting there will be a basic continuity in U.S. foreign policy.
Still, Obama departs this week on a 10-day, four-country trip to Asia, his longest foreign trip as president, and pundits will keep a close watch for any signs that his weaker position at home is recalibrating his approach abroad. The Afghan war, Mideast peace efforts, Iran's nuclear activities, climate change and the prospect of a currency war rank among global challenges - with trade and finance topping the agenda at summits of world leaders in South Korea and Japan this month.
Democrats lost the U.S. House to resurgent Republicans and suffered setbacks in the Senate, an outcome that will make it harder for Obama, faced with a divided government, to push his policies. Some in China fear an escalation of conflict over trade issues if the president seeks to deflect tougher Republican criticism of economic recovery plans.
"It is easier to accuse China of making that mess," said Xiong Zhiyong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University who specializes in U.S.-China relations.
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