Obama foreign policy failure...

[Soonerjeepman]

yes, from the Heritage Foundation...

I know some folks are lets just pull out and bring everything in...but maybe if the US had a different approach some of the mess wouldn't be there...also don't believe we can just worry about our own country either...the world is too connected...just my 2 cents worth...

read and comment...

Three years ago, President Barack Obama set forth to recast American foreign policy in an image of his own design. It was one in which the White House engaged with enemies and undercut allies, apologized for American exceptionalism, and favored the "soft power" of treaties and international organizations. This "Obama Doctrine" was tailor made to burnish America's supposedly flagging reputation on the world stage. Today we are seeing the disastrous results of a doctrine gone wrong.

The Middle East is a logical starting point of this Obama Doctrine retrospective, a region where the President's soaring aspirations have been mugged by the reality on the ground. Beginning in Iran, Obama sought to engage a regime led by a man who has openly called for the destruction of Israel. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was not mollified by the President's charm offensive, and now, even in the face of escalating sanctions, Iran is ratcheting up its rhetoric, threatening to cut off a quarter of the world's energy supply, and marching toward a nuclear weapon. The Obama Administration's response? An admonishment of Israel for considering a strike against the murderous Iranian regime.

Syria, too, is yet another example of the Obama Doctrine failure. The President entered office hoping to engage the hostile regime of Bashar al-Assad and soft-pedaled its criticism of Assad's violent crackdown on anti-government protesters. The result? Syria ordered the attack on the U.S. embassy in Damascus, threatened the U.S. ambassador, and to date has killed more than 7,500 Syrians who are standing against the autocratic government.

The President's failure to discern friend from foe in foreign affairs left it flatfooted in the Arab Spring awakening last year, as well, and that too has put America at a loss. In Egypt, the President hesitated when the people called for Hosni Mubarak's ouster, but wound up supporting his overthrow in the end. Now, though, the Muslim Brotherhood is within inches of grasping power, the country's peace treaty with Israel is being questioned, and pro-democracy American workers there are facing criminal trial. In Libya, the President was forced into action by European allies, withdrew as quickly as possible, and the country is seeing increased instability as its militias are being accused of war crimes. None of the above is in America's interests.

In each instance, the Obama Administration was caught leading from behind, uncertain of the role the United States should play or how to react, instead of taking clear, assertive action to defend U.S. interests. Unfortunately, the one area where the President does display clarity is where his political interests come into play. That, too, has left American interests worse for wear.

In Afghanistan, the President has insisted on a speedy withdrawal of U.S. forces while pursuing negotiations with the Taliban -- a veritable enemy that has launched lethal attacks against American troops. Neither tactic is a strategy for victory or for preventing Afghanistan from once again becoming a safe haven for terrorists. In the middle of this tinderbox, anti-American protests are flaring after the apparent burning of Korans at a U.S. military base. The President issued an apology, yet the Taliban is calling for retaliation against the United States -- and that is the same Taliban which Vice President Joe Biden said "is not our enemy."

Iraq, too, has devolved into violence following the President's decision to withdraw U.S. troops. It has been just over two months since the last U.S. forces left Iraq, and in that time the country has witnessed ongoing insurgent attacks, a mushrooming political crisis, and the threat of a civil war which will aid neighboring Iran.

As these international threats simmer to a boil, the President is undercutting America's ability to defend its interests at home and abroad. Under Obama's new budget, the military faces nearly half a trillion dollars in cuts, on top of $400 billion the President has already slashed. That does not include the half trillion in funding that will have to be cut under the debt limit agreement Congress reached last summer. Vital defense programs have been killed, next generation weapons will be delayed or eliminated, and troops will be reduced. And it's all being done in the name of freeing up funding to pay for the President's domestic agenda.

In the course of three years, President Obama has pursued a foreign policy that has left America less secure today and even more at risk tomorrow. A nuclear Iran, a failed Afghanistan and Iraq, an unfriendly Egypt, an Israel at risk, and an underfunded military are all serious concerns for the American people. Rather than continue pursuing the ill-advised Obama Doctrine, it is time for the President to put defending America first and appeasing our enemies last. That is a doctrine the American people can depend on.

[SoonerProphet]

sounds like partisan boilerplate without offering up any viable policy alternative

[OU_Sooners75]

sounds like partisan boilerplate without offering up any viable policy alternative

Should it offer any?

It was an article about how pathetic your overlord Obama is on foreign policy.

Wait, it did offer up an alternative....Defend America First and appease our enemies last!

Maybe you should read an entire article before being a far left dumbass?

[SoonerProphet]

Should it offer any?

It was an article about how pathetic your overlord Obama is on foreign policy.

Wait, it did offer up an alternative....Defend America First and appease our enemies last!

Maybe you should read an entire article before being a far left dumbass?

my overlord? setting the stage for meaningful discusion eh.

so we defend america first by spending ourselves into bolivia by defending every nation but our own...sound logic there.

name calling, again, sound basis for discussion internet tough guy.

[OU_Sooners75]

my overlord? setting the stage for meaningful discusion eh.

so we defend america first by spending ourselves into bolivia by defending every nation but our own...sound logic there.

name calling, again, sound basis for discussion internet tough guy.

Not exactly sure what the writer meant by it. But he did offer something up.


Let me ask you this.

Do you like how Obama has presented his foreign policies by shunning our allies and sucking the cocks of our enemies?

[OU_Sooners75]

name calling, again, sound basis for discussion internet tough guy.

http://images.icanhascheezburger.com/completestore/2009/3/30/128829001750607744.jpg

[SoonerProphet]

Not exactly sure what the writer meant by it. But he did offer something up.


Let me ask you this.

Do you like how Obama has presented his foreign policies by shunning our allies and sucking the cocks of our enemies?

not sure if i care to address such a loaded question. i will say this, sanctions on iran have seemed to have some effects and the egyptian military ain't going anywhere or doing anything "crazy", pretty pragmatic bunch. i am a fan of the realist school and have plenty of legitimate concerns about obama's foreign policy.

[OU_Sooners75]

It goes further than just Iran and Egypt.

I hope no one has forgotten about how he tried to befriend Hugo Chavez?

And there are more.

The guy is a ****ing joke...and I cannot believe I wasted my vote for the guy!

[ouwasp]

It was obvious to the universe that a Dem was going to win in '08. I just wish it had been HRC, and I still have a hard time typing that. But I believe she would have been more pragmatic versus idealistic.

In this dangerous world it is not prudent to scale back the most powerful military in history. Our enemies and rivals are bold enough as it is. When the Eagle looses a lot more talons, then they will really feel full of vigor. Putin must be relishing every moment of our self-inflicted situation.

As for actions? Declare victory and pull out of Afghanistan yesterday. Announce we stand beside our ally Israel in all situations, and Iran continues its bellicose path at its own peril. Tell Red China we do not intend to cede any sort of status to them now or in the future... and to please buy some more debt...

[TUSooner]

Should it offer any?

It was an article about how pathetic your overlord Obama is on foreign policy.

Wait, it did offer up an alternative....Defend America First and appease our enemies last!

Maybe you should read an entire article before being a far left dumbass?

"Far Left Dumbass"? That's it?
What exactly do you propose we do to "Defend America First", the details are a b*tch, no?
That Heritage piece does little more than conclude (not demonstrate) that Obama is a "wuss" and then blames every unfavorable foreign event on him. It's trite and simplistic second-guessing. I generally expect more substance from the Heritage Foundation; any RW radiohead on this board could have written that. And it does NOT propose any alternative, unless it implies we should talk loud like Bush II and perhaps spend and shoot our way to peace and security. If that's the plan, at least say so.

[TUSooner]

"Far Left Dumbass"? That's it?
What exactly do you propose we do to "Defend America First", the details are a b*tch, no?
That Heritage piece does little more than conclude (not demonstrate) that Obama is a "wuss" and then blames every unfavorable foreign event on him. It's trite and simplistic second-guessing. I generally expect more substance from the Heritage Foundation; any RW radiohead on this board could have written that. And it does NOT propose any alternative, unless it implies we should talk loud like Bush II and perhaps spend and shoot our way to peace and security. If that's the plan, at least say so.

I just read that again, and regardless of what little I think of the Heritage piece, I cannot say that I am pleased with Obama's foreign policy. But I don't know what's best, so I am going to STFU for awhile.

[SoonerProphet]

It goes further than just Iran and Egypt.

I hope no one has forgotten about how he tried to befriend Hugo Chavez?

And there are more.

The guy is a ****ing joke...and I cannot believe I wasted my vote for the guy!

So what are your solutions to theses foreign policy issues?

[Curly Bill]

So what are your solutions to theses foreign policy issues?

This may sound crazy, but I'm gonna throw it out there: how about we elect someone with a clue next time?

[TUSooner]

This may sound crazy, but I'm gonna throw it out there: how about we elect someone with a clue next time?

That's pretty poor. We (including you) don't even have clue what a clue is, and you aren't telling anyway. It's so easy to say that a Prez is effing up when you really have nothing to compare him to. Heck, nobody really offers any alternatives except maybe, "If they're brown, shoot them down" or something like devoting the entire Nation to all-out war against "them" until the end of everything.

"That guy SUCCKS!!" Compared to what? Fortunately, nobody depends on us posters to solve any of these difficult problems. But a thoughtful answer might at least be more interesting than "That guy SUCCKS!" I have no thoughtful answer by the way.

[KantoSooner]

This may sound crazy, but I'm gonna throw it out there: how about we elect someone with a clue next time?

I'm still waiting for one to run.

It would be nice if our candidates had a fighting chance of passing a freshman level diplo course (Huntsman being a notable exception).

[Ike]

meh...


I generally expect more substance from the Heritage Foundation; I don't think they've really had much substance since the 90's when they invented Obamneycare.

[TUSooner]

meh...

I don't think they've really had much substance since the 90's when they invented Obamneycare.

Evidently I have been misinformed. (I think I confused them with the Cato Institute, by bad mistake!)

[SoonerProphet]

This may sound crazy, but I'm gonna throw it out there: how about we elect someone with a clue next time?

ah yes, the fire venables approach to discourse.

[OU_Sooners75]

So what are your solutions to theses foreign policy issues?

Let me first say I do apologize for being quiet short with you yesterday and the name calling....



1. Not to give in or be lax on those that would rather see America or Israel or any other ally burn!

2. Stop being the worlds police! If there is a problem somewhere, we do not need to go at it unilaterally.

3. DO NOT SHUN OUR ALLIES and cater to our enemys.

4. Elect someone that has a damn clue! I mean, we have a guy in office that thought there were 57 states in the Union! He doesn't even know his own country. Yet we are suppose to trust him with foreign policy?

Other than that, I think we both can agree that foreign policy is a tough thing to handle.

[diverdog]

Oh great! Another f***ing Neocon (Brownfield author of the article). Yeah we should listen to these idiots again.

[diverdog]

A far fairer evaluation of his foreign policy achievements:


Three years into his presidency, what grades has Barack Obama earned managing foreign policy hotspots in 2011? Here is an end of year report card.NATIONAL & HOMELAND SECURITY
Counter-terrorism: A+
No surprise here. With an admirably surgical counter-terrorism record and masterful resolve against global terrorist targets, the Commander-in-Chief deserves high marks for breaking the back of Al Qaeda. Timely fulfillment of his pledge to withdraw from Iraq by Christmas warrants kudos despite sniping from Republican field marshals addicted to Camp Victory. Extra credit goes for knocking off Yemeni Al Qaeda leader Awlaki, and stealing thunder away from GOP critics panting to label Obama weak on defense. Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano has expertly managed her portfolio and kept the U.S. safe from terror attacks.
MIDDLE EAST/MUSLIM WORLD
Arab Spring/Islamist Winter: C
One year into Arab revolts, the President's cherished goal of rebuilding U.S. ties to the Muslim world -- by his own admission a principal foreign policy goal -- barely earns a respectable grade despite all the self-adulating Libya hoopla. The surprising Arab revolts of 2011 admittedly placed the U.S. between a rock and a hard place (favored dictators vs. democratic values). But Obama's personal standing throughout the Arab world has regrettably plummeted in the wake of unfulfilled expectations courtesy of an overzealous/underfunded agenda (too much money wasted in Pakistan losing more hearts and minds there). Belated nods to Arab democratic revolts did not help, either, and the U.S. is having a hard time influencing a run amok Egyptian military which is dependent on U.S. largess. The rise of Islamist political parties throughout the region portends a hard foreign policy slog in 2012. The "below-radar" foray into Libya robbed the White House of willpower to innovatively tackle the Syrian uprising, outsourcing U.S. policy to Turkey. What happens in Syria has far more consequences to U.S. Mideast interests than does Libya.
Afghanistan: C
Despite Obama's squishy targeted withdrawal date of July 2012, the Petreaus-inspired "son of surge" in Afghanistan barely yielded its promised results. Between an unreliable alliance with Afghanistan's mercurial Hamid Karzai and ever shifting goals, the U.S. has may have set an exit date, but has no exit strategy in place to prevent Afghanistan from descending into another safe haven for the Taliban and the remnants of Bin Laden's AfPak terror network. Without Pakistani cooperation, Afghanistan isn't going to go well for Obama in 2012 (see below).

Israeli-Palestinian "Rest in Peace" Process: F
From the moment the White House haplessly dove headlong into the short end of the Middle East peace process its approach has been marred by missteps and mismanagement. For the first time since the 1978 Camp David Accords, Obama has accomplished the dubious feat of transforming the U.S. into the"dis"honest broker no longer trusted by either side. Israelis and Palestinians have not been this far apart in two decades and the White House cannot avoid part of the blame. Saddled between a stubborn Israeli government and a moribund Palestinian leadership, Obama's team has abandoned the playing field - further undermining U.S. standing throughout the region. Memo to Obama: Your Nobel Peace Prize is collecting dust.
Obama has done far more for Israel's strategic security than given credit for despite his barely concealed and self-defeating contempt for Israel's leadership. To prevent Israel from taking regional matters into its own hands the President needs to rev up Air Force 1 and finally make a long overdue journey to Jerusalem to speak directly to the Israeli people why he has their best interests in mind.
Iran: Incomplete/With Minor in Economic Sanctions: A
The Atomic Ayatollahs contemptuously rejected Obama's overextended open arm. Semi-multilateral imaginative U.S. lead sanctions have nevertheless failed to deter the Supreme Leader from salivating how close he is getting Iran to a nuclear bomb, per the IAEA's latest report. Mixed messages emanating from Obama Administration senior officials -- notably Leon Panetta -- cast serious doubt if "all options are on the table." Whether accelerated U.S. counterespionage efforts supplanting sanctions against Iran's nuclear programs can prevent a military showdown will be the most important foreign policy test for Obama in 2012.
Pakistan: Pass/Fail: Audit
As his generals appear to be heading already, Obama might as well throw in the towel on Pakistan and just keep the power on long enough to prevent a total freeze in ties. The Pakistani military and its two-faced ISI fail every lie detector test. The U.S. has tried every trick in the book to maintain a sense of diplomatic decorum. Managing relations is virtually a hopeless waste of energy, but the place is enough of a tinder box to compel Washington to keep a vigliant eye on its unsafe nukes and Islamists who add new meaning to the word "extremist!" "Mess management" is the best anyone can hope for in 2012.
EUROPE
Europe & the EuroCrisis: B-
"Eurospectics" abound in Washington these days. The once mighty and all important trans-Atlantic alliance between the U.S. and Europe has fallen victim to "lead from behind" leadership. Bickering European allies resent gratuitous economic advice from a White House that is treating Europe like a "lost continent."
Russia Reset: B+
Until Vladimir Putin started accusing Hillary Clinton of provoking protests against his "Kremlintocracy" the White House had successfully reset relations with Russia on a variety of key fronts, including reducing tensions with NATO, new strategic arms limitations initiatives and global counterterrorism. But with Putin destined to win the Russian presidency, that "reset" may require yet another "reboot."
ASIA
China's Muscle Flexing & Asia: B+
The Obama team has imaginatively pivoted in the past few months to unveil a new and strategically sound Asia policy to regain support in a region essential to U.S. economic and national security interests. A more robust challenge to Chinese military designs in the Pacific and expanding trade with the region represent a "win/win" for the U.S. and its Southeast Asian partners. The White House has embraced a more sure-footed China strategy neutralizing a Congressional China policy power grab over trade and currency manipulation -- for the time being. Caveat Emptor: Touting an Asian pivot which may come at the expense of safeguarding U.S. strategic interests in Europe and the Middle East could affect overall grade point average.
North Korea: A-
OK, Pyongyang still has nukes, errant missiles, and still threatens South Korea. But sophisticated, real time diplomacy with China, Japan, and South Korea kept North Korean military provocations from deteriorating into a full-fledged peninsula conflict. Perhaps the "Great Successor" will turn out not to be chip off the old block, but the White House is taking no chances and is burning the diplomatic midnight oil.
EXTRA CREDIT
Our peripatetic Secretary of State remains the Obama Administration's global superstar as an emissary extraordinaire despite somewhat tardy focus on Syria's revolt and the unfulfilled diplomacy of her own designated Middle East and AfPak policy czars. Mrs. Clinton has imaginatively pursued a carefully constructed policy of global "soft diplomacy" that has yielded respect and admiration from her peers and grudging admiration from America's detractors. Her word remains trusted and respected wherever she goes.
Also, Vice President Biden's quiet, effective oversight of U.S. withdrawal from Iraq earns high marks despite Iraq's future sectarian machinations. Americans incurred few casualties during the complicated drawdown, and Biden remains a respected voice among Iraq's warring parties.

[Curly Bill]

ah yes, the fire venables approach to discourse.

Or as I like to call it: if the guy's not very good at his job lets get someone else approach.

[OU_Sooners75]

Oh great! Another f***ing Neocon (Brownfield author of the article). Yeah we should listen to these idiots again.

Sometimes even the neocons or the neolibs (is that a word?) can actually have some good information.

It is just presented in a way that turns the reader, who may not have the same ideologies, off.

I am far from a neocon, but read it anyway.