September 18, 2009

OBAMA THE UNILATERALIST

Barack Obama, 2008:

I want to use all elements of American power to keep us safe, and prosperous, and free. Instead of alienating ourselves from the world, I want America - once again - to lead. As President, I will pursue a tough, smart and principled national security strategy - one that recognizes that we have interests not just in Baghdad, but in Kandahar and Karachi, in Tokyo and London, in Beijing and Berlin.

What about Prague and Warsaw?

The Poles and Czechs are scared.  And mad.

An editorial in Hospodarske Novine, a respected pro-business Czech newspaper, said: "an ally we rely on has betrayed us, and exchanged us for its own, better relations with Russia, of which we are rightly afraid."

So we elected Obama to end the era of unilateralism, to mend fences with alienated allies and make the world love and respect us again.

Except for the Eastern bloc, who backed George Bush.  They can get bent.

[Polish Prime Minister] Tusk did not sound pleased with Obama's announcement, telling Polish radio on Thursday, "It was an autonomous decision taken by President Barack Obama" that did not involve the Polish government.

That sounds pretty unilateral to me.

I remain flabbergasted that my president keeps siding with people like Zelaya and Putin.  Unbelievable.

Posted by: Sarah at 05:33 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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1 Neville Chamberlain comes to mind...

Posted by: Carrie at September 19, 2009 07:34 AM (HdP+f)

2

The Neville Chamberlain comparison is one that many people are using these days, but it's really unfair--to Chamberlain, that is.

Although Chamberlain pursued a very unwise policy of appeasement, he also hedged this policy by supporting the buildup of Britain's defenses...including production of the Spitfire & Hurricane fighters and the deployment of the world's first radar-based air defense network.

Had Chamberlain fully shared Obama's attitudes on defense, these systems never would have made  it out of the design offices, and Britain would probably have lost the war.

 

Posted by: david foster at September 19, 2009 08:14 AM (uWlpq)

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