PETERSON | G-20 thoughts

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With the craze over Michelle Obama’s every single gesture, clothing accessory and exchange of pleasantries with other spouses of world leaders somewhat subsiding, the realization of what the whole trip was about comes back into focus.

For starters, the fact that Barack Obama is visiting Europe.

Now that we have re-established the reason for Obama’s first presidential foreign visit, there needs to be a full understanding of what Obama is attempting to accomplish. And the challenges before him and the rest of the G-20 members are grand and numerous.

While he is on his journey throughout the region, Obama joins the NATO meetings in Strasbourg, France, with the major priority of deciding the next moves in Afghanistan for NATO forces.

Treasury officials of European nations will need to address any concerns they have about Obama’s recovery plan for the global market.

And Obama must show the world he intends to be different from his predecessors – especially the one, George W. Bush, that other countries did not enjoy because of his do-it-yourself approach.

What makes all of this foreign tour intriguing is how important it will be for everyone involved, from Obama to the blue-collar workers who depend on his success in opening opportunities for them in this growing and evolving global market.

As he is the person who has to take these challenges head-on, Obama and the U.S. will not succeed without the help of others.

What has made these visits complicated are the crazies who feel they need to draw attention to what they feel is important.

There are fully legitimate individuals and groups of people who peacefully state their objections to the tasks of the G-20. But where there are those who aim to bring their issues to light, there are those who just want to ruffle feathers, such as the die-hard anti-capitalists and demented anarchists who want to add shock factor to the whole situation.

Knowing all of this, it makes most people believe that little changes when dealing with U.S. intentions.

We are a nation that values free speech, free press and all the wonderful rights we have created to ensure our liberties. Some countries seem to take it a little too far, but from their perspective there is little that they can do to get their point across. I just wish those who desire to hijack those with peaceful intentions would wise up and stop being unhelpful with what goes on.

But tensions are high from the whole fiasco on Wall Street and all across the globe with the financial situation. People will do things they don’t understand until it is too late.

Some, however, know that time will create opportunities where there once were none, and Obama should be able to see that himself – in time.