At a the forum “Obama at 100: A Progress Report from The Nation” held on April 21, 2009 in Washington DC, Katrina vanden Heuvel discussed the refreshing rhetorical change the Obama presidency had brought to American foreign policy. However, quoting the president, vanden Heuvel pointed out that “the greatest test is ‘not only words, but also deeds'” and, in his conduct of the war in Afghanistan, she feared Obama may not be passing the test. “I do see parallels with Vietnam,” vanden Heuvel warned. “If we are interested in seeing a successful Obama presidency… we as allies do a service to the nation and this administration by speaking out and offering smart alternatives” such as an Congressional hearings, an exit strategy and visibility to antiwar efforts.

—Corbin Hiar

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