Implikasi Idiosinkratik Barack Obama terhadap Kebijakan Kerjasama Kontraterorisme Amerika-Arab Saudi

Abstract

This research aims to find out the leader personality of Barack Obama and it is
implications to U.S-Saudi Arabia counterterrorism cooperation trough the Margaret
Hermann’s leader personality typology (1980). U.S counterterrorism under Bush’s
presidency often use hard power. Bush rhetoric shows strong dichotomy as “good Vs evil”.
There are differences in foreign policy approaches during the bush and Obama. U.S under
Barack Obama’s presidency not as dominance as in the Bush era and no longer used hard
power. U.S has counterterrorism cooperation with Saudi Arabia that has been linked to
terrorism ever since 9/11. This research sees Obama’s background and life experiences,
U.S-Saudi’s counterterrorism cooperation and terrorism threat for U.S post 9/11. Using
qualitative method with secondary and primary data source, the result of this research
shows that Barack Obama’s background and life experiences influence his views and
policy orientation. Obama has the personality of conciliatory leader that consist of five
indicators: low nationalism, low distrust to others, high need for affiliation, high
conceptual complexity and little believe in own control. His conciliatory personality is
implies in the approach of U.S counterterrorism efforts with Saudi Arabia. U.S become
more tolerant and rely on Saudi Arabia's role in the region to counter terrorism.