US voters' views: Sumit Galhotra

As Barack Obama marks one year since he was elected US president, we ask Republican and Democratic voters from across the US to reflect on his performance.

Sumit Galhotra Graduate student | Democrat

For the first time, I feel a sense of optimism about what lies ahead

Age: 25 Lives: New York Occupation: Graduate student Last election voted: Democrat In 10 words or less: Activist, worldly, liberal, cosmopolitan US voters' views: main page

"President Obama and his team have done a stellar job thus far at rolling up their sleeves and beginning the clean-up job of the enormous mess left behind by the previous administration.

It's easy for us to become despondent because the results are not readily apparent. But we must be patient.

The way in which foreign policy is conducted has undergone a seismic shift over the past year.

In the past, the US was quick to act as a lone player in the international community and disregard world opinion.

The current administration immediately began to repair our stressed relations with the international community and to re-establish our alliances.

Nowhere is this more evident than the US's relationship with the Muslim world.

The new administration has also re-shifted focus. The government is finally paying closer attention to Afghanistan and Pakistan, unlike the Bush administration which focused most of its efforts on Iraq.

The manner in which we allocate foreign aid has changed as well.

In the past, the US would blindly throw funds at the Pakistani military. The current administration has finally tuned into the reality that the bulk of the aid must be directed at promoting development in Pakistan.

New restrictions are expected with the aid package aimed at making sure the funds are used appropriately.

I hope the Obama administration will do more to improve human rights in the US and abroad.

I look forward to the positive changes that lie ahead over the next three - and hopefully seven - years.

For the first time, I feel a sense of optimism about what lies ahead."

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The readers' panel has been selected from as wide a cross-section of people as possible and may not be representative of wider US public opinion.

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