Obama’s Failed Foreign Policy

It should not come as a surprise to anyone that I think US foreign policy is now, and has for a long time, been sophomoric. It is not something that originated with Barack Obama, not by a long shot, but it is also nothing Obama has reconciled his administration to improve upon. Worse, US foreign policy may be an even greater disaster today than at any other time in our post-World War II experience. I believe this because the stakes are much higher than at any other time since 1945.


We are used to politicians handing out empty promises by the dozens. We mostly aren't paying attention anyway, and this explains why Americans never seem to make the connection between a president taking our country to war, and the thousands of American soldiers coming home in caskets. We are talking about real people, not televised statistics, who gave up their lives because they promised to serve their country in the Armed Forces. They have parents, sweethearts, wives, and children of their own; many people feel the loss of a single soldier.

Occasionally, war is necessary; too often, it is not. Taking America to war, even half-assed as President Bush did in 2003, has devastating consequences beyond the economic strain. At some point, the American people must come to the realization that our young warriors are a precious resource; we must not waste them frivolously. Sending our troops into battle is an indication that our diplomatic efforts failed. It should tell us that we need better men and women at the helm of the Department of State. We need better individuals serving as president. Notice I did not say “smarter people.” I said “better people;” wiser individuals; people who understand the devastation that results from failed foreign policy.

Mr. Obama told us that in his administration, the United States would seek a partnership relationship with other nations. There is nothing wrong with partnerships. The problem resides in the fact that the United States is not looking for friendships in the world of nations, as if we are looking for playmates. We are looking for other nations with shared interests, with whom we can establish mature relationships. Our presidents and Secretaries of State seem confused about this.

Mr. Obama, and others, seek short-term successes—evidenced by the fact that Mr. Obama wants his policies to appeal to a wide political base. This is very much similar to an analogy I saw recently over at Geeez. Mr. Obama wants to be King of the Prom. I simply wish he’d be an American president. The “prom thing” doesn’t appear to be working after four years; it isn’t working in Syria, Iran, North Africa, or with Israel, who can’t even get a date to the prom. One wonders how long things have to be so bad before a light bulb comes on inside Mr. Obama’s head. Where is that smooth, sophisticated, intelligent man overwhelmingly elected by the American people?

He never existed in the first place.

Our foreign policy situation is getting worse by the day. It isn't simply a matter of covering up events in Libya, although it was bad enough. No, it is also a matter of downsizing the Department of Defense to increase available funds for domestic socialist programs. Does Mr. Obama, or anyone with a lick of sense, think our enemy isn't watching this farce? Where is that basic understanding that an enemy will pounce when they believe it is in their advantage to do so? Can we sustain the additional loss of diplomatic personnel or expensive embassies?

Why are we trying to make nice with people who have categorically stated that we are their enemy? What advantage does the United States have to speak with representatives of the Taliban, al-Qaeda, of the Muslim Brotherhood? More importantly, how do we ever convince another country that the US is a trustworthy ally following the debacle with Hosni Mubarak?

When we are dealing with an area or region of the world that still thinks removing men’s heads (or women’s genitals) is an acceptable behavior, how do we advance our agenda or our nation’s prestige by apologizing for previous president’s policies?

How is it possible to maintain a world leadership role from the back of the bus? How do we appear to others as a mature, thoughtful, honorable people when our president keeps spiking the bin-Laden football at every opportunity? How do we maintain national dignity when our representatives are such people as Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, Madeline Albright, and Warren Christopher?

Finally, how do we appear to others in the world when we cull out anyone who has the temerity to speak out against fundamentalist Islam, berate them publicly  fire them from government service, all at the behest of groups with ties to Islamic extremism? Appeasement has never worked in the court of international opinion, and it certainly doesn't work here at home. Nevertheless, this is what we have now in the United States.

US foreign policy is an utter disaster. It didn't begin with Barack Obama; but it must end with Barack Obama.

Updated thanks to Tocsin