Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama will travel to Indonesia and Australia in the second half of March, the White House announced Monday.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama, accompanied by first lady Michelle Obama, would visit the two nations to advance U.S. interests in the region.
No specific dates were provided.
Obama spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, which Gibbs noted has the world's largest Muslim population. The trip to Australia will commemorate the 70th anniversary of U.S. relations with the country, Gibbs said.
From CNN Politics
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Some of you people are LUNATICS. You want government out of your lives WHY DON'T YOU: Stop using Medicare, Social Security, SSI for your disabled kids, the interstates, the Fedral Money provided for your childrens schools, Cash for Clunkers, Home buyer Credits, Welfare and Food Stamps, Medicaid. AND LEAST BUT NOT LAST THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE TO PROVIDE YOUR SORRY BEHIND A JOB. Have A Blessed Day because I am Praying for All of You Haters.
To all those who are complaining about: 'more travels with taxpayer money':
And how else would the government works? Tax are to fund the governments activities and if it's an official visit to two allies then what is the problem?
To all those who are complaining that Indonesia is not a democracy:
Check your facts straight folks. It WAS a dictactorship... NOW it is a democracy (with lot of problems due to the fact that they have not much of experience with such kind of system, but...) with an ELECTED government.
Any of you ever thought that to become a stronger nation and to defend our standing in the world order, America needs to build strong relationships with counties like Australia who share our values and will support us if/when needed?
We also need to build American credibility in SE Asia, and there is no better place to start than Indonesia – where most citizens (unlike the Mideast) are moderate Muslims. To prevent radicalism from festering in such countries we need to actively pursue goodwill. And if that means sending the President and First Lady over there to smile and shake hands with some important people, so be it. I'd rather the country spend a few more thousand dollars to help improve our image in the world's largest Muslim country than allow fanatic terrorists to spread their poison throughout the Archipelago and risk more attacks on America and Americans overseas. We already have our hands full with the mid-east, we don't need to fight this war on two major fronts.
The righties who take offense here are showing what an ignorant group they truly are...The Birthers and Tea Baggers are the same ilk who would have been against civil rights, Pro Vietnam War and a part of "the Silent Majority"...Isn't it great the GOP alignes themselves with such people...?
These people make me want to puke. It's either a huge blowout party at the white house or boondoggle trip somewhere else.
shouldn't he stop the partying and suck it up for a while like the rest of us?????
what entitles he and the Pelosi's to use our tax payer money for their fantasy adventures?
Anyone else feel Taxed Enough Already????
.... He just keep taking trips over and over, and of course at our expense. Meanwhile american people are suffering. What a lier when he says "he cares about our country."
HAVE A GOOD TRIP, AND PLEASE DON'T COME BACK.... Stay there with your muslim friends!
barbara February 1st, 2010 3:24 pm ET
This POTUS does nothing but travel. I don't get it! It is like this job is nothing but an excuse to "see the world". He needs to stay in the office and work for me... and you... and the rest of the people in THIS nation! Did they not just take a long vacation at Christmas? Isnt he supposed to be an example to rest of us or is it just to those that can "milk" the system and the taxpayer?
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I don't say this very often but...
What a moron! He's not taking a vacation, he's doing his job.
Note this part of the article:
"Obama, accompanied by first lady Michelle Obama, would visit the two nations to advance U.S. interests in the region."
and this part
" The trip to Australia will commemorate the 70th anniversary of U.S. relations with the country, Gibbs said."
Sheesh.
Fix our economy first, you have 3 more years to go sightseeing!
I am so excited that our President is going to Australia. I will write my friends that he is coming and hope they can arrange to see him while he is there. I have told them all about Obama and about how much smarter he is than our last one. Why, that man couldn't even talk. The GOP is so jealous of Obama. He puts every last one of them to shame. He definitely can walk and chew gum at the same time.
Libtards, I realize this is tough, but go to bathroom and stick your Dorito laced fingers down your throat and get all that kool-aid out, there you go nitwits, there you go.
Go check the mailbox BEFORE Oprah comes on, good,. all set, now take some BDS pills and relax, just relax.
Your day is done with the exception of blogging in defense of another Obama trip to nowhere for NOTHING but his personal reasons.
More of my tax dollars being wasted (not you Obamabots as we know you are just waiting for a check) by the liar in chief.
He IS an american citizen, just a never ran a business, a city or a state and NEVER worked aday in his lying, gutless life.
I feel better.
Please take the dunce on here from texas with you Mr.President and dont bring him back.He has multiple personality disorder and should be let out in the outback.hahaha
He is trying to build respect around the world that Bush destroyed.
Well - send a Card - will be lot less expensive..
"The trip to Australia will commemorate the 70th anniversary of U.S. relations with the country, Gibbs said."
I'm an Obama supporter, but I do think he might want to re-think some of the trips he has scheduled. We have some pretty pressing issues here at home.
You people moaning about his "long Christmas vacation" (which was what, a week to 10 days???) must have really short memories. Bush routinely spent 30 days at a pop at his ranch in Crawford, TX.
Wait a minute! Obama's not going to got to the EU summit meeting because he's reducing his travel schedule but he is going to Indonesia and Australia. I guess he wants to visit all the interesting places before his first and only term is over.
What? NO KENYA????
How can he ignore his roots?
(he sure has the libs in OR. fooled)
Does anyone anywhere want to see him anywhere else except behind a desk tending important matters? It seems he is the only one who doesn't understand the urgency and anxieties of this country. I would not set one big toe into this backwards country.
February 1st, 2010 3:43 pm ET
The hunt for the birth certificate contiues, I will tell you you re getting warm and the hint is Africa.
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And the truth shall prevail! We will find out everything this Obumnut is hiding from us sooner or later. No birth certificate, a zero as a student, a real socialist, whatever! The truth will come out!
to Joe J – really – you are dillusional!
Maybe he can get some ideas on how to hurry us into third world status?Or is he going to suck up to the Muslims again?
@pepou: "We need to go to the moon ?"
I guess I could say "we need to stay in Iraq"? "we need to keep bombing Afghanistan"?
Maybe if Obama had cut the military AT ALL (one less robot bomber), he could fund NASA just fine.
When will get a government that actually puts SOMETHING above the holy military?
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LOL please...move somewhere else if you cant accept the fact that SOME people actually care about our military who keeps us safe. Apparently they've done a good job since you dont know what it's like to be ruled by a whole other country...more ungrateful civvies...meh...
Kind of takes what little steam was left from his Union address and makes it fizzle out completely.
Marc-Hear you loud and clear, there is a provision in our Constitution that prohibits a Nationalized citizen from holding office, Obama under his mother's care(whether he liked or not) achieved Indonesian citizenship that in itself under immigration law require that he surrender his Natural born status, and become a Nationalized citizen. Ask Phil Berg, a Philadelphia Democrat for Hillary that specialized in Obama's legitimacy as a candidate. Why else would he spend 9 million or so in keeping his records closed to the scrutiny of the public, transparency, I think not!
ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wasn't this the president who told us that this is the worst economic times in american history? So what does he do, he takes another vacation with his wife. And who is paying for this vacation? Oh yeah, it's the taxpayers money. I forgot how important Indonesia is to this president compared to the american people. I guess the 20 million unemployed and hungry will have to wait for Obama and his mate to return from sight seeing before anything can be done to help them. This guy is a disgrace, he flees the country when we need him the most. STAY IN WASHINGTON AND DO YOUR JOB WHILE YOU STILL HAVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And yet another overseas trip. I was critical of Bush, like many, for what seemed like too much time away from Washington. But Obama has far surpassed him. It is insulting how many vacations we are paying for for this guy.