The Obama presidency is in its waning days and the United States — as well as the rest of the world — is bracing itself for the unknown under a man who has befuddled his allies even before his foes.

Donald Trump will take over a sharply divided country and will immediately be faced with foreign policy challenges where off-the-cuff and oversimplified solutions will not do.

It is fair to say that the world, and much of America, has been disappointed with Barack Obama.

His charisma and optimism-filled promises of a better world had enthralled millions of people from all regions and backgrounds. 

But even Obama, the prudent leader and the intellectual with a quasi-philosophical approach to issues, had overestimated his personal appeal and the power and influence of the US.

MORE:   http://jordantimes.com/opinion/osama-al-sharif/mideast-under-trump

The writer is a journalist and political commentator based in Amman.