So far, Mr. Obama’s foreign policy has been a mess. Yes, he does have a few successes. He ordered (after massive prodding) the attack that killed Bin Laden. Which ticks off Islamists, but, to hell with them. He got Anwar Al Awlaki (which has gotten him attacked by people on the left and right for targeting an American citizen. The attack and support of this is bipartisan. I applaud Obama). He’s drone-striked tons of Islamists. He’s done a good job in ignoring and playing tough with the nutjob leaders of North Korea, refusing to play their game (which might just be because Obama can’t be bothered). And then, um, er, well. Seriously, the only A given to Obama in 2013 by the Washington Post was for his dealings with China. Yet, as Charles Krauthammer notes, Obama just got punked by Putin regarding Asia, especially China. Iran is playing a game, stretching things out on their way to building the nuclear bomb. He’s annoyed our allies. His Libyan adventure is a mess. He made the US look weak regarding Syria. He’s even managed to annoy Canada. Seriously, Canada? There’s so much fail it’s hard to know what to include in the start of this post and keep it short. Even the NY Times’ Ross Douthat can’t find much to talk about as a success. Cue the Neverending Campaign
(Yahoo News) President Obama will use his commencement speech at West Point this week to defend his handling of an ever-widening array of foreign policy crises and to outline top national security goals for his fast-shrinking time in office, officials say.
Under fire from Republicans who accuse him of being a weak president overseeing a dramatic and dangerous American retreat from the world stage, the president who ordered the death of Osama bin Laden but has been powerless to stop the bloodbath in Syria will argue that he has struck the right balance – and will continue to do so.
“You will hear the president discuss how the United States will use all the tools in our arsenal without over-reaching,†a White House official said on condition of anonymity.
“He will lay out why the right policy is one that is both interventionist and internationalist, but not isolationist or unilateral,†the official said.
I bet this year’s West Point graduates are thrilled to have to listen to this whiny dreck, which will certainly include lots of blamestorming, and sound very much like a Typical Obama Campaign Speech, rather than hear something uplifting and inspirational from their Commander In Chief.
As far as “over-reaching” goes, it matters little, because Obama either fails to reach or reaches wrongly. Kinda like trying to shake everyone’s hand with your foot. The latter is more common.
After that, he’s going on a European tour, attempting to Look Presidential, but, so far, previous trips have show little reward. Which is what you can say about most of his foreign policy. He’s long on words, short on action. This sounds like one of his famous “pivots”, meant to distract from other affairs, rather than a serious continuation of policy that works.
Days after the speech, he heads to Europe for a trip heavily defined by his standoff with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Ukraine. Obama will reaffirm America’s ties to the continent in a speech in Warsaw, then attend a rich-nation summit in Brussels from which Putin has been banned.
He can speak about it all he wants, but, really, his best times dealing with European leaders has been taking selfies at Mandela’s funeral. Then he’ll attend a memorial in Normandy for the 70th anniversary of D-Day. Which he’ll surely make about himself.
Perhaps he can explain to the West Point grads how he’s failed to follow through on all the problems at the Veteran’s Administration. More likely, he’ll ask for $3 or whatever they can spare. On the bright side, at least these college grads have decent jobs in their immediate future.
Crossed at Right Wing News.
I would think the West Pointers would be supportive of not overreaching, e.g., invading and occupying a nation such as Iraq for no good reason.
Just because we have the most expensive military ever doesn’t mean we have to use it for empire building. It’s the Dept of Defense, not Dept of Invading. The invasion and occupation of Iraq was such a massive debacle that it stopped the neocon plans to invade Lebanon, Syria, Libya, Iran, and The Sudan.
In general, the care at the VA is top notch. Several local administrators forged the records on wait times to make their facilities look better. Benghazi!!
Jeff,
I know the VA, it is horrible care by any standard. It shows how little you know.
If Iraq was without cause, then why did the Dems go for it?
“Invading a country like Iraq For no good reason…” I see Jeffery is still failing at high school history. Again, our planes were shot at, violating the no-fly zone, an attempted assignation of a former President, stock-piling WMDs-those would sound like pretty good reasons to sane people. Nice, no actually, a very lame try, again.
david,
The evidence disagrees with you concerning the VA. Many Dems were wrong on the Iraq invasion, too. But it was Mr. Bush’s decision and plan.
j,
The US (with UK and Fr) established the NFZ, so the Iraqis were only responding to our behavior. There were no weapons of mass destruction. This is the second time you’ve talked about the assignation of Mr. Bush. Please look up assignation. You’re looking for assassination.
Those non-existent chemical weapons somehow found their way to Syria.
It’s funny how nearly every nation also believed that IRAQ had WMD. It’s funny how even IRAQ had promoted that it had WMDs. It’s funny how we had proof of their plans to further develop weapons in to WMDs. It’s funny especially in light that IRAQ had used WMDs like Syria has.
But, because a Repub mentions it, it must be false.
And, the no fly zone was established by the UN. Which if I recall has almost all nations of the Earth involved in it.
And, the war had nothing to do with the no fly zone. it was their WMD and their support of al-queda. And, when you do tack on the no fly zone violations, the attacks on their own people, the continued abuse of UN personnel, the whole of UN voted for the war in IRAQ, after all but 3 dems in Congress voted for military invasion.
Stick to your meds J. When you’re off of them, you get idiotic.
Jeff,
Why don’t you chronicle the “evidence” on the VA? What I love about internet comments is stupid people arguing with people who are experts. Have you worked at the VA? Have you even been in a VA? Do you sit and talk to patients that have to put up with the system? I have.
As to Iraq, Saddam used chemical weapons. That is history. Chemical weapons and weapons of mass destruction were found. But at the end of the day, Saddam and his family just needed killing, and that was done.