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At Large
Snake Oil Diplomacy
There is one consistent factor in the new administration's foreign policy: talk, talk, and more talk. President Barack Obama has his designated talkers (aka special envoys and ambassadors) attempting to do what they consider the reverse of what they've judged to be the Bush/Cheney method.
The last administration was charged with an unwillingness to discuss American plans -- or as some would say, build U.S. policy based on a consensus with other nations' views and positions. The Obama view has been that holding foreign political cards close to the chest is not the way to build friendship and understanding. Sounds good, especially if you are in the community organizing business, but not quite transferable to the political, economic, and military world of international relations.
While laudatory comments about the new Obama smile program have been elicited from such diverse players as Russia, France, Germany, and even Iran, China jumped all over U.S. Secretary of Treasury Geithner when he broke ranks and noted that Beijing had manipulated its currency. As usual Uncle Sam is supposed to accept any opprobrium thrown at it but never be negative in return. Tim Geithner hadn't yet learned the lessons of the new Obama game.
Already the European press is picking up on the fact that the liberal Obama Administration style is to pay lip service to every issue under consideration and emphasize a willingness to discuss each and every element. This is what Washington now considers good foreign policy. The operational theme is to flood the diplomatic process with talk and pass that off as foreign political accomplishment. It isn't!
There is an important difference between maintaining friendly relations with other countries and actually obfuscating the issues through platitudinous exposition. That might work on the campaign trail, but is easily seen through by professionals in foreign policy. If George W. Bush came to be considered a "cowboy," Barack H. Obama is in danger of being viewed as a "snake oil salesman."
The aggressively warm and fuzzy diplomatic approach of the Obama Administration is nonetheless a useful device for the Russians, who are searching for ways to exploit the newly arrived American charm offensive. Joe Biden announced in his exquisitely opaque style that it was time to "press the reset button" on U.S./Russian relationships. It is rumored that he was referring to the establishment of regular discussions between agencies of both governments. How very ecumenical!
Clearly the Obama government is trying to find a way to wiggle out of the Bush commitment to place anti-missile batteries in Poland and radar systems in the Czech Republic. Hillary R. Clinton referred to the need to make an assessment of the technical capability and cost effectiveness of such a system before a decision for deployment would be made. It's obvious that the Obama plan is now to keep assessing the project, and talk about assessing the project, long enough so as to make it easier to tell the American people that the missiles really weren't needed in the first place.
Meanwhile the Iranians happily proceed apace as Washington convinces itself that a revived friendship with Moscow will result in its putting pressure on Tehran to limit its nuclear program to peaceful development. It's hard to believe that the Obama White House really can be so ignorant of Iran's true intentions after so many years of well-documented efforts by the Persians to develop a nuclear weapon capability.
Following the Obama policy of talking itself into perpetual talks, Secretary Clinton announced at the start of her current Far East tour that the new administration in Washington intends to usher in "a new era in relations with Asia." One isn't too sure of what that great expert on Asia, Hillary Rodham, has in mind. Too bad Tim Geithner is persona non grata. He speaks Chinese.
Special Envoy Richard Holbrooke has been winging his way through South Asia (Pakistan, Afghanistan, India -- in that order) alerting all to the newly discovered fact by the Obama team that "Islamic militants are a danger to that whole region." It must have been really hot news to Islamabad, Kabul, and New Delhi.
Unfortunately for Holbrooke who was trying to bring a message of general support to President Karzai, the Afghan president only seemed interested in the fact that he hadn't yet received a personal telephone call from the new U.S. President.
It would appear that a policy of talking may seem a safe way to say nothing, but that, too, can get you into trouble.
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drudge ette obama| 2.20.09 @ 7:09AM
Wooden Hillary Clinton will not go down as a good Secretary of State because she hasn't the instincts required. She's a left-leaning politico and not inclined or trained to be effective as a foreign service head. I think the first characteristic of being a successful secretary of state would be an acknolwedgement that you can't just walk in and change the world just because it is you. Ultimately, each country has its interests which ahven't changed since the previous administration. Charm offensive, which she lacks, can't compensate for very difficult facts and conflicts rooted in hundreds of years. I am not convinced that Clinton has this country's best interests at heart...she has her's and there is a difference there.
Country Boy| 2.20.09 @ 7:10AM
Unlike every major employer in the U.S., none of these foreign governments honor the "Equal Opportunity" rules for african-Americans.
American voters: "Stupid is as stupid does".
Pingback| 2.20.09 @ 8:02AM
President Obama » Snake Oil Diplomacy links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
ame| 2.20.09 @ 8:20AM
Since when has Obama ever done anything BUT TALK! Obama has done NOTHING for the USA except take and then TALK his way into ignorant voters "feelings" to elect Obama the dissembling equivocator to sell the USA down the socialist drain! Even PUTIN warned us about socialism and now the "TALKER OBAMBI" is ready for MORE STIMULUS Democratic payoff using tax payer money!
DEMOCRATS OUT IN 2010!
OBAMA OUT IN 2012!
WAKE UP, AMERICA!
Pingback| 2.20.09 @ 8:44AM
Barack Obama » Snake Oil Diplomacy links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
frost| 2.20.09 @ 10:14AM
Reminded about something Pat Buchanan so eloquently said bout Bill Clinton some years ago, but certainly apply these daze as well -- to paraphrase: "The only thing Barack Obama knows about foreign policy is that he once at breakfast at the International House of Pancakes." Period.
carol hellman| 2.20.09 @ 10:27AM
Hillary is out of her league. She has no foreign policy experience whatsoever. These foreign leaders see her for the pompous blowhard she is.
We are all at risk with this administration's foreign policy team. Neither the president nor the secretary of state nor the CIA director have any foreign policy experience at all. They think this is some kind of game.
It's not...
Tim| 2.20.09 @ 11:01AM
Snake oil or something.
What is becoming a pattern is that everytime either Obama or Hillary or any other high Administration official talks, the Stock Market takes a dive........
Doctor Right| 2.20.09 @ 11:11AM
The only thing that will shock this country out of the current "spend-Spend-SPEND!!!" madness being offered by the Obama administration, and it's negative effects on the economy, will be another terrorist attack similar in scale to 9/11.
Unfortunately, with this adminstration's amateurish and naive approach to foreign policy, that is all but a certainty.
Obama is a fool who is vastly out of his league in world affairs. The Chinese know it, the Russians know it, the Islamists know it, and our allies know it, too. As Obama struts and frets his hour about the stage playing President, the world's other major powers are working busily to best exploit the situation to their advantage.
China will make a move on Tiawan before Obama leaves the White House. Count on it.
Russia will attempt to effectively regain control of the Ukraine and Belarus, and to throw their weight around in Eastern Europe (And why not? No missile's right?) to re-establish their empire.
Iran will build a nuke, and may actually use it on Israel. If Israel gets wind of the effort, they will pre-empt it with a nuke of their own.
Pakistan will edge ever closer to an Islamic regime that is NOT friendly to US interests.
Meanwhile, our Apprentice-in-Chief will be flying off to another part of the USA for yet another photo-op with the downtrodden as he tries to sell us yet another "stimulus" bill.
Obama is weak. Weakness invites aggression. Unanswered aggression only invites more aggression.
And then, the inevitable...
9/11 was bad enough, but at least we had a competent President, and a coherent, focused foreign policy to deal with the aftermath.
Now, we have a "community organizer" whose personal hero is Saul Alinsky.
God help us all.
Alan Brooks| 2.20.09 @ 11:20AM
that reminds me, Ayers is doing the lecture circuit, yapping about the "New McCarthyism".
Tim| 2.20.09 @ 11:26AM
Doctor Right,
Well Said! and you are oh so right on the money!
The real racists in the USA are and have been the liberal press, Labor Leaders and Democratic Machine Political Leaders.
They all knew what a light weight Obama was but got him elected anyway so they could control their own private agenda. They pushed his color to mask their real intentions.
Talk about token Racism!
And its the left leaning leaders who fit that profile and not the so called Right Wing.
Thomas| 2.20.09 @ 12:34PM
I am unsure of the ultimate goals of the Obama machine, as even I find it impossible to believe that these people can not see the pitfalls littering the international landscape. All that Dr. Right predicts is correct. Much is happening now and has been in play for the last two years. More will occur in the next two years. But, are Obama and his advisers truly ignorant of what is going on in the world? Or, are there goals, inimical to the United States, being pursued? I do not know, but the future appears to be darkening.
Marc Jeric| 2.20.09 @ 12:53PM
Among my 20 or so friends I am cetain at least 15 know more about foreign policy, terrorist threat, economy than the entire Abu Hussein' team. All of them bloviating gasbags - Panetta, Clinton, Biden, Holder, Emanuel, and their socialist friends in the Congress. Empty suits, empty words, empty promises, "social justice"- and "no big crisis should be wasted" is our fate for the next 4 years.
JP| 2.20.09 @ 3:55PM
My prediction is Obama will eventually engineer a "Peace Plan" with the Taliban, Afghanistan and Pakistan, with the US acting as an "honest broker". Already Karazi is sending feelers out to the Taliban, and Pakistan has essientially ceeded the western portions of its territory to them.
Obama hasn't the stomach for a long decadal fight with the Taliban or AQ. He saw the pummeling Bush43 took from his comrades, and would like nothing more than to "allow events to force his hands" (ie remain passive vis-a-vis the Taliban bases in Pakistan, and allow anti-war sentiment to grow here in the heartland). A Taliban Peace Treaty would be very divisive, but think of the accolades he'd get from the press, his own party, the UN, MSM, and Nobel Committee.
Of course, that might mean him sharing the Nobel Peace Prize with the very same people who helped bring down the Twin Towers. But hey, that's the price for greatness.
Louis Jenkins| 2.20.09 @ 4:58PM
Of those who were commonly unqualified to be secretary of state Hillary should rank # 1. Her hind quarters, and ego, are larger than most of the nations that she has visited. Her attempt at counter sniper fire in Bosnia gave her the credentials that Obama's administration really needs. Foreign heads of state probably laugh behind their hands and wink at each other as her plane is parking on the tarmac. My Boston Terrier has better instinct as to what is best for his family. Hillary has none of the qualities to even make her a decent Boston Terrier.
frost| 2.20.09 @ 7:12PM
Sure don't like the idea of it, but, can't help agreeing with Dr. Right's aforementioned predictions -- at least 97.45% of 'em....
Remember, Frederick the Great said, “Diplomacy without force is like music without instruments.”
And we're in a world'o'hurt, gang!
CKA in Red State USA| 2.20.09 @ 9:22PM
Carol Hellman said, "Hillary is out of her league."
Respectfully, Barack Hussein Obama and his entire gaggle of advisers and administration whatevers are out of their league.
He seems not to understand that he no longer needs to campaign.
But he does seem certain that it's his manifest destiny to dismantle America's standing in the world.
But, wait: He can always blame that on George W. Bush, can't he?
Paul Nelson| 2.21.09 @ 4:49AM
You still don't get it. Al Qaeda and the Taliban are not Obama's enemies. They are allies and YOU are his enemies. Prepare to fight or prepare to run.
Tim| 2.21.09 @ 9:47AM
I guess the entire West will have to let Israel restore order until the USA once again becomes the champion of the West's capitalistic and freedom loving way of life.
I have total Faith in the new Israel PM to keep us safe from the those who would do us harm.
The "Chosen People" will have to carry us for a couple of years or so....
Thank You.....
bobmontgomery| 2.21.09 @ 2:29PM
The good thing is that Hillary is not going to let a trifle like human rights get in the way of chatting about the weather.
Helen Jenkins| 2.21.09 @ 4:08PM
... darkest before dawn ... never was a phrase more accurate. America's election of Barack Obama on November 4, 2008, signaled America's darkest moment before dawn. America has been in a self-induced politically correct, race dominated coma since the 60's. Signs of awakening can barely be detected. The silver rays of dawn are slightly visible. Obama, the professional agitator, euphemistically referred to as a community organizer is totally unqualified to be president of the United States. However, he did fit the politically correct elite, limousine liberals' idea of the " Magic Negro". Spawned in the cesspool 'aka' as Chicago politics, he fit their bill perfectly - emotionally needy, financially greedy, but articulate and physically attractive. But above all, he is manageable ! Right on cue, he re-instated the corrupt Clinton re-treads. I am still waiting for some pundit / commentator to ask out loud " What did the Clintons really sell to allow them to come to Washington, nothing but suitcase in hand; leave 8 years later, multi-millionaires, owners of a townhouse in Washington and an estate in Chapaqua, New York ? Having her drop from the arrogance of offering her political opponent a job in her administration to becoming Secretary of State in his. But, contact with foreign potentates is lucrative. Her talk with North Korea, raises the question " didn't the Clinton administration give North Korea their start on the road to nuclear arms ? Talk from Obama and Hillary causes a cold chill to pass over me.
Old Guard Chief| 2.21.09 @ 5:02PM
Lets face it, Obama was elected on a domestic agenda and not to resolve a foreign crisis. The Iraq war had already turned toward victory & an Iraqi government was starting to assert itself. His administration will have zero results in getting our NATO allies (ok, they're lousy allies) to shoulder more responsibility in Afganistan. I get the impression Obama wants to be a domestic agenda president & doesn't care much for foreign policy anyway. He sent in the clowns (Hillary, Holbrooke and the rest) to buy time. I think he wants to get his domestic agenda set in place before he moves aggressively in foreign policy. It's either that or the economy has occupied his attention almost totally. I predict that he'll cut or freeze defence spending to help pay for his domestic goals. His 2010 budget is due soon. We'll see.
DaveS| 2.21.09 @ 8:23PM
BOH Foreign Policy: we apologize, and we'll make it up to you (foreign governments east of Warsaw and south of Istanbul.)
DaveS| 2.21.09 @ 8:27PM
Would someone please tell me if I am seeing something that's not there: BOH appearing often to defer to another speaker and all the while looking so smug? I've not seen anything like it, and it reminds me of his smug (trying to be respectful/attentive) look while McCain was speaking at the 'debates'.
Alan Brooks| 2.21.09 @ 10:36PM
best way to destroy our enemies is to dispatch Jimmuh to their countries to smarm them to death.
Ken Roberts | 2.22.09 @ 2:27AM
BIll an Hillary Clinton sold out to the Chinese years ago that is why she is so smug going into the Chinese country she is an old hand at giving up our secrets to help the poor Chinese ,now she was ask to answer 69 questions and I bet you none of them were about her china connection.
Louis Jenkins| 2.22.09 @ 5:39PM
Hillary has went to the Chinese government and begged them to buy even more of our ever mounting national debt. Now that's diplomacy! The Clintonestas are up to their old tricks-dealing our national security away to the Chicoms. Change we can believe in. And Obama, et al, hope the Reds buy our debt to keep the US Federal government/country continuing down the path of internal destruction. Follow the link:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.42a44b0f5d9cf5c9762e80574e79a3d5.831&show_article=1
We'd all better learn to speak Chinese and soon. They own us.
air max| 7.27.09 @ 11:23PM
yes. communication can break the bridge,,,,,,,,
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