So we have now had a new president for two weeks.

All of the excitement over the inauguration of the first African-American US President has died down as the realities start to hit.

The honeymoon is already over - and Obama has learned the harsh lesson that bi-partisanship requires the partisans to be open to it.

At this point the question of what happens with the economic package is up in the air.

In some ways our new president has done some remarkable things.

To give his first interview to Al-Arabiya seems to be a masterful overture to the Muslim world to look at al Quaeda as the west does - a destructive force that will not improve their lives. For the first time an American president has taken the battle of ideas to a place where it matters. It will be interesting to see where this leads.

He has reversed the Bush E.O. on family planning aid - and that one should stick.

He has scolded the financial industry for their amazing lack of sensitivity on bonuses - although it is unclear that any repercussions will follow.

But other developments are somewhat dismaying to the casual observer.

With much fanfare the administration announced the closing of Guantanamo and the postponement of tribunals there. That one looked good for a week - until the officer in charge politely gave Obama the finger and said he would proceed with tribunals despite the executive order. This does not bode well for Obama's Gitmo strategy.

The day after the inauguration, Obama announced "no lobbyists will hold a position in my administration."

Within hours the first of 13 lobbyists held such a position. Reality bites.

The most disturbing action (or lack thereof) however is that with regard to the self-confessed commission of war crimes by the leadership of the now departed administration.

Although to advocate looking forward and not rehash the past sounds wise and appears to be in the spirit of reconciliation, things are not what they seem.

The previous administration - self-admittedly - confessed to the commission of crimes under the Geneva conventions and violations of american law.

Under international treaties all countries are committed to investigation and prosecution of war crimes within their jurisdiction.

If Obama and his administration in fact take no such actions, then they, and by association all Americans, are complicit in being accessories after the fact.

It is my fervent hope that the administration will reconsider this inaction and follow the treaties and laws they have sworn to uphold. Not only is the alternative a moral abdication, but our servicemen, our civilians, and our foreign service personnel all become fair game for those who would seek to apply OUR rules against them.

The next month should be interesting - and I hope my skepticism and disappointment will have been unwarranted.