Foreign policy flops

Obama fails to deliver on most basic diplomacy

Last Friday, President Barack Obama suffered one of the most damaging setbacks to his foreign policy goals — he failed to get the International Olympic Committee to hold the 2016 Olympic games in his hometown of Chicago. This certainly was at the top of Obama’s foreign policy priorities list. In fact, it was so important that he traveled to Copenhagen and brought Oprah Winfrey along for the ride.

I’m beginning to see a pattern starting to develop with the commander-in-chief — Obama is totally inept when it comes to anything foreign, unless we’re talking about applying failed foreign concepts to our own society and government.
Don’t believe me? Simply examine the foreign policy moments of Obama’s presidency so far.

During his campaign for president, Obama stood in solidarity with his far-left base by bashing every foreign policy move made by then-President George W. Bush. He promised he would regain respect for the U.S. in the eyes of the world, reminding me of a high school student who sells himself out to score points with the popular crowd.

During his inauguration, Obama said he would extend an open hand to our enemies’ clenched fists. He essentially meant that we should be the better person and hope our enemies stop plotting our destruction and grow to love us.

Obama started off great by disappointing his supporters, failing to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, where apparently innocent terrorists were tortured.

Obama also made a very important trip to Europe to further beef up his thinning foreign policy résumé. During the G-8 summit, Obama politely asked the Europeans to send more troops to Afghanistan to fight Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. He succeeded in only securing about four helicopters for NATO. Off to a great a start, right?

In addition, Obama felt it necessary to apologize for virtually everything the U.S. has done — securing nothing but respect for us in the eyes of the world.

During the Summit of the Americas, Obama had the chance to invigorate Latin American countries and ask them to follow our example of economic success, but instead, he chose again to apologize on the U.S.’s behalf.

Obama also thought it wise to listen to the “other” perspective and sat in on a 90-minute diatribe against the U.S. by Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega. He also chose to sit around and listen to the Venezuelan president’s thoughts on the U.S.

As the summer started to ease its way in, Obama found himself faced with two major foreign policy crises.
The first was with North Korea, where two American journalists were captured and imprisoned. Obama’s initial response was to do nothing, followed by nothing.

Then North Korea started testing medium- and long-range missiles capable of delivering possible nuclear warheads to the U.S. and threatening our allies as well. Obama, by now the whiz kid of foreign affairs, chose to go with what he knew best — do nothing.

Then came the real shocker — the presidential elections held in Iran were rigged. Millions of young Iranians took to the streets around the country to protest the outcome of the election that claimed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the current president, had won a landslide re-election.

At the direction of the Iranian mullahs, the police brutally cracked down on the protesters and killed many in the process. It appeared for a moment that there was an actual revolution in Iran. All the Iranians needed was support from the country that represented freedom and liberty the most — the U.S.

Obama saw no need to support young Iranians filled with hope that could create real change — more than Obama’s bumper stickers could ever hope for.

What could have been Obama’s greatest foreign policy achievement became one of his greatest foreign policy failures. It wasn’t the result of a poor diplomatic decision, but simply the result of no diplomatic decision — the recipe for worse-than-poor leadership.

There was also another trip to the Middle East where Obama addressed the Muslim world, but he again reverted back to his strategy: He apologized on our behalf.

Some months later came Obama’s first address to the United Nations. Instead of talking about real issues like the War on Terror, Obama talked about solutions to global warming – which will further destroy this country by handicapping economic growth.

His failures didn’t stop there. He decided that because the U.S. was at fault for using atomic weapons to end a war against Japan, he would announced to our enemies that we would be disarming ourselves of nuclear weapons — just when everyone else is nuking up.

This brings us to today. Iran has completely disregarded the U.S and will continue to pursue nuclear weapons. In the last couple weeks, Iran has tested several medium- and long-range missiles.

The U.S.’s involvement in Afghanistan seems like it has been tossed by the wayside, which Obama claimed was a foreign policy priority.

The U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McCrystal, demanded more troops from Obama, saying otherwise we risk losing there. Obama has continued to do what he does best in these matters: He has remained silent and done nothing.
The most important thing for Obama seemed to be getting the 2016 Olympics to Chicago instead of getting badly needed troops to Afghanistan. Too bad he failed at that too.

As our soldiers are dying, we should be comforted in knowing that our president has his priorities straight.

Wacky world leaders

More than speeches needed to deal with erratic leaders

The United Nations General Assembly met in New York last week and it turned out to be quite the experience.

But the three big-hitters who grabbed everyone’s attention were Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, our own President Barack Obama and the dictator of Libya, Muammar el-Qaddafi.
Using his oratory abilities, Obama used his valuable time to discuss the failures of the U.S. in the past in dealing with Iraq and convincing the rest about how his vision of the world is much different than that of the previous administration.

But conservative talk show host Sean Hannity believes the president was overly apologetic. I don’t know what speech Hannity was watching, because acknowledging mistakes is a good strategy if we want any support from others in the future.

But Obama definitely needs to bring a clear message to our allies and to our enemies. World politics is not an arena where world leaders sit around, hold hands and sing happy songs. International politics is brutal: Our own allies spy on us and we spy on them. No doubt, they would get rid of American dominance in a heartbeat.

I did not find the president to be apologetic but I do find some of his views on foreign policy to be too idealistic and some of his language to be too ambiguous.

Another interesting leader at the meeting was the ever-eccentric president of Iran. Ahmadinejad is quite a character, but at least he did not deny the occurrence of the Holocaust at this meeting. Half of the room got up and left when he got up to speak and he carried on regardless.

As expected, Ahmadinejad criticized Israel and its foreign policy. He wanted the world to rise up against what he called the “evil Zionist empire.”

But of course, he did not care to explain the election mess in his own backyard nor did he address the treatment of the people who were arrested in the protests following his controversial election.

But Ahmadinejad’s speech showed the world one thing: He will not change.

His speech contained the same old rhetoric. No doubt, his rhetoric is slowly increasing the possibility of another war in the Middle East. Iran’s president has declared once more that he will not waver from his stances.

But why should Ahmadinejad change his stance? Other than the occasional wag of the finger by leaders like Obama and former president George W. Bush, who thought not talking to him was the best policy, no one has seriously dealt with the madman.

Something must be done and the U.S. and its allies must step up and actually do something about him.

Finally, saving the best participant for last, the permanent “president” of Libya, el-Qaddafi.
El-Qaddafi spoke for the first time at the U.N. and was only allotted 15 minutes to speak. But it was no surprise that 90 minutes later, he was still speaking.

El-Qaddafi used this time to talk about a wide range of topics: He demanded an investigation of John F. Kennedy’s and Martin Luther King’s assassinations, wondered whether Swine Flu was made up, proposed that the U.N.’s headquarters be moved to Libya due to jet lag and overtly strict security in New York and demanded that the world give Africa around seven trillion dollars along with a seat on the security council.

He also proposed that Israel and Palestine be combined into one state called Isratine.

Why was he allowed to go on for an hour and 30-odd minutes? If the UN cannot even enforce its own speech times for the sake of respecting other leaders, what can it do about protecting human rights around the world?

This speech not only highlights el-Qaddafi’s insanity but the weakness of the U.N.
Now is the time that Obama and other leaders need to use the powers the U.N. has granted them to quiet these mad dictators.

El-Quaddafi has stepped in line and given up his nuclear arsenal but Iran still remains a major challenge.

We must demand that the Russians, who claim to be our allies, stop putting Iran on notice and start taking tangible steps to disarm Ahmadinejad.

Obama must put out a harsh message to America’s enemies and back it up with tangible action. Libya’s leader, in all his apparent madness, did stop his weapons production because he knew we were serious and would indeed take action if he did not.

It’s time that Iran felt that same pressure. Obama must learn that pretty speeches are not enough to stop madmen.

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A World Cup of politics

Upcoming United Nations meeting important for the new American image

The United Nations General Assembly is creating excitement as leaders from around the world confirm their attendance for the upcoming general debate from Sept. 23 – 28.

This year will mark the 64th Session of the General Assembly and the first for President Barack Obama.

So far, it doesn’t seem like there is much potential for any groundbreaking policies to be introduced or any important resolutions to be passed, but there is potential for a “Kanye West” moment to occur again.

It was not that long ago when Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez made headlines after declaring that former President George W. Bush was the devil’s equivalent when he took the podium and exclaimed that the smell of sulfur permeated the room.

This year’s General Assembly looks like it will be business as usual, as presidential staffers all around the world prepare their public relations strategies to best showcase their leader.

But events such as this should not be waved off as nonsense, for there is a subtle undertone of political strategy throughout the gatherings.

TV cameras will be ready to capture and highlight body language, one-word gaffs and bad moments. It is also an opportunity for critics of the U.S. to showcase the unfairness of some policies encouraged by the current administration.

Each attending head of state is given the opportunity to address the assembly, which can result into an excruciatingly long day.

African nations will seek to make an impactful statement through their leaders’ speeches on the need to increase worldwide awareness of increasing regional warfare, health epidemics and decreasing economies. It is expected that they will seek to make an impact on the Economic and Financial Committee to increase monetary aid to African nations.

Meanwhile, western European nations, for the most part, will make a stand for nuclear disarmament and to support American-led talks on the issue. Obama will chair a meeting on non-proliferation, urging nations that have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to begin official talks on reduction.

Interestingly enough, the U.S., as the only country to have utilized nuclear weapons as a form of warfare, wishes to begin eradication. But Obama affirms that the U.S. has a duty to headstart this call for reduction because of its own history.

No doubt, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will make the more interesting speeches.
Obama’s administration expects that there will be a general assessment of support for American policies. Such self-encouragement might be good, but the week may prove to be a bit more unwelcoming than expected.

Latin American leaders like Chavez, Bolivian president Evo Morales and Brazilian President Lula de Silva are preparing their speeches to voice unanimous discontent with unfair economic policies dealt to the developing world.
There is also a growing murmur of discontent with the current countries assigned to permanent seats in the Security Council. Since it was formed, some major regions of the world – namely Africa and Latin America – have had no real voice unless they are awarded the temporary seat.

Maybe this time around the U.S. can take a stand on behalf of other well-deserving nations and not just our favorite, Israel. Unfortunately, recent criticism from the State Department of a UN report denouncing both Palestinians and Israelis for war crimes is indicative of the same old American politics.

Such a spotlight event is the perfect opportunity for the American delegation to make an impactful statement on the U.S.’s desire to be more open to the needs of traditionally ignored regions. It is also an interesting opportunity to witness the cliques.

Obama will have to walk a fine line between respect and authority. His philosophy of learning through listening and not preaching has earned him international respect, but domestic critics seem to want him to be more “presidential” and less respectful.

He will face leaders who might not be important in the traditional way, but when the media get involved, the potential for diplomatic fallout multiplies. Anything anyone says or does can be blown out of proportion.

It is an opportunity to make a good impression on the state of the American presidency. International media are broadcasting the nation’s loud debate over health care and other policies to note the end of the “honeymoon” phase of the Obama administration. This has negative implications for any leader who cannot adequately handle domestic affairs is weakened in the eyes of international policy makers.

With a weak economy and a challenging health care debate at home, Obama’s priority is domestic at the moment. This might empower international non-allies to challenge and push the limits.
As each leader seeks to walk away unscathed, the days ahead will prove to be a diplomatic World Cup for Obama.

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