Do Tyrants Fear America Anymore? President Obama’s Timid Foreign Policy Is An Embarrassment For A

The Telegraph's Nile Gardiner Blast On Obama

WoW! Talk about a blast in the face for America's Foreign Policy.

Just remember Newton's Third Law of Motion is plausible in almost any/every instance.

The débacle of Washington’s handling of the Libya issue is symbolic of a wider problem at the heart of the Obama administration’s foreign policy. The fact that it took ten days and at least a thousand dead on the streets of Libya’s cities before President Obama finally mustered the courage to call for Muammar “mad dog” Gaddafi to step down is highly embarrassing for the world’s only superpower, and emblematic of a deer-in-the-headlights approach to world leadership. Washington seems incapable of decisive decision-making on foreign policy at the moment, a far cry from the days when it swept entire regimes from power, and defeated America’s enemies with deep-seated conviction and an unshakeable drive for victory.

The Telegraph's Nile Gardiner Blast On Obama

Remainder of story in OP link:

Just a few years ago the United States was genuinely feared on the world stage, and dictatorial regimes, strategic adversaries and state sponsors of terror trod carefully in the face of the world’s most powerful nation. Now Washington appears weak, rudderless and frequently confused in its approach. From Tehran to Tripoli, the Obama administration has been pathetically slow to lead, and afraid to condemn acts of state-sponsored repression and violence. When protesters took to the streets to demonstrate against the Islamist dictatorship in Iran in 2009, the brutal repression that greeted them was hardly a blip on Barack Obama’s teleprompter screen, barely meriting a response from a largely silent presidency. In contrast to Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, President Obama fails to see the United States as an exceptional nation, with a unique role in leading the free world and standing up to tyranny. In his speeches abroad he has frequently found fault with his own country, rather than projecting confidence in American greatness. From Cairo to Strasbourg he has adopted an apologetic tone rather than demonstrating faith in America as a shining city upon a hill, a beacon of freedom and liberty. A leader who lacks pride in his own nation’s historic role as a great liberator simply cannot project strength abroad. It has also become abundantly clear that the Obama team attaches little importance to human rights issues, and in contrast to the previous administration has not pursued a freedom agenda in the Middle East and elsewhere. It places far greater value upon engagement with hostile regimes, even if they are carrying out gross human rights abuses, in the mistaken belief that appeasement enhances security. This has been the case with Iran, Russia and North Korea for example. This administration has also been all too willing to sacrifice US leadership in deference to supranational institutions such as the United Nations, whose track record in standing up to dictatorships has been virtually non-existent. The White House’s painful navel-gazing on Libya last week, with even the French adopting a far tougher stance, is cause for grave concern. The Obama administration’s timid approach to foreign policy is the last thing the world needs at a time of mounting turmoil in the Middle East, including the growing threat of a nuclear-armed Iran, and Islamist militancy on the rise from Egypt to Yemen. US leadership is now needed more than ever, but has embarrassingly gone AWOL on the world stage.

Beat you to it by a few minutes, but the same thread is allowed in both forums.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by EyeHeartBigfoot


Who cares?

We've had an aggressive foreign policy for how long now? I'd rather we not be so aggressive in other countries.

America should focus on defending America, not Iraq, not Afghanistan and certainly not any other country!

The point contradicts itself.

The very fact that America's point of view is in question proves our relevance.

Tyrants are extremely concerned about whether negative media attention will incite Americans enough that our politicians feel obligated to do something.

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Short answer - Of course they still fear America.

What other country is going to do ANYTHING ?

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Do tyrants fear American anymore?

reply to post by EyeHeartBigfoot


I'm no Obama fan, but I find it refreshing that the administration is not jumping on the neo-con bandwagon talking or even inferring that the US is going to do anything other than sanctions, freezing of assets and public statements that condem violence. The US has played the game long enough where it feels it is necessary to step into the void, feels it necessary because nobody else will.

Its an easy game in which to predict the outcome. The US steps into a mess and then the rest of the world takes a step back, despite their "deep concerns" that something must be done. The situation being a mess, unfortunate things happen, like civilians get killed and the result of that is more hatred directed at the US, since now, the nations that called for US action and indicated that they would take a lead role are now in the back seat wringing their hands on the situation and being critical of the US.

Let the EU take the lead here. Let the UN take the lead here. Let the ANC take the lead here. Let the Arab League take the lead here. Let noone take the lead and just let the thing play itself out, regardless of the outcome. Let the US, for once play a supporting role in this mess.

These problems will take $billions and decades to fix. The US should do exactly what we are currently doing.

Obama is generally seen as weak around the world and that is exactly the kind of situation where you might expect the President to go in guns blazing to show his toughness. If he holds his ground here and does not get engaged and repeat the same mistakes of both Bushes and Clinton, he will have earned my respect.

One half of the time, doing nothing takes a lot more courage than doing something. This is one of those times.

reply to post by dolphinfan


It's nice to be able to agree with you for a change.

For far too long the US has been dictatorial as it comes to world affairs. The reality is, Libya and other countries that are having uprisings are sovereign nations that need to be able to resolve their own internal disputes.

Yes, when Gaddafi kills his own people that's a horrible thing. But the people will decide what will happen in their country and they are deciding to take their country back, which is happening all over the middle east.

Neo Cons however think that our military presence is required for some stupid reason. They believe that the world needs to fear the US for the US to be an effective world leader and seriously, we can't afford to be the world's police anymore.

reply to post by whatukno


Well the Neo-Cons certainly have an agenda anytime something goes on within 1000 miles of Israel, as well as anytime there is an issue that might have an significant economic impact (oil). The whole democratization of the middle east, while perhaps a nice ideal, is likely to be nothing but a pipe dream. We need to be able to work effectively with all forms of governments and frankly there are societies that are too immature to handle democracy (Afganistan comes to mind). Now is the time to commit to assisting on the backend of this, not trying to influence in anyway militarily what comes out on the back end.

The other offensive thing about our current, neo-con driven foreign policy is that the motives are so naked. If killing and bloodshed was reason enough to commit US military power, then why not send a brigade into the Sudan and stop that horror show. That is a situation where at least the bloodshed could be stopped with a few thousand troops. To want to get into Libya under the guise of "human rights" when ignoring other situations more horrific around the world underscores the deep inconsistency and dishonestly of the publically stated goals of US foreign policy.

I think Obama is smart enough to recognize the fact that the US needs saving before he/it can be in any position to help or even give any opinion about other countries. The US is just as much in shambles as these other countries being referenced here; the US hasn't been this divided in a very long time, so how can a country that is so divided be able to help mend the differences of other countries around the world?

If anyone should help, it should be the global community, not one country alone. I hate American arrogance; in fact that's the main reason most other countries dislike Americans in general. Obama is humble, not proud; last time I checked pride was a sin. Bullying and making bombastic speeches certainly won't help anything, it never has in the past so why should it now?

Name dropping to prove your worth..? How pathetic.

Originally posted by The Sword
reply to post by EyeHeartBigfoot

 

Who cares?

We've had an aggressive foreign policy for how long now? I'd rather we not be so aggressive in other countries.

America should focus on defending America, not Iraq, not Afghanistan and certainly not any other country!

I agree. No more wars, no more meddling, focus on home.

reply to post by Cocasinpry


Unfortunately Obama is not saving America. He is helping the Democratic Socialists of America aka Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid spend us into oblivion. However, I do not want to see war with Libya. We did not invade communist China after Tianeman Square, but then China is a large country with a huge military. Still, I believe a lot of this chaos and upheaval was engineered at some level.