Special Report
No Offense
President Obama is determined to abandon the one government program that has already proved it works.
(Page 2 of 2)
Now, all of the sudden, here comes Obama, ready to stare and gaze indefinitely. It’s all part of his wait-and-see strategy. “Let’s talk it out” is his operating philosophy.
Like Obama, Vladimir and Dmitry want to talk until their mouths fall off, and why wouldn’t they? When everyone talks, no one decides. An international talkathon, precisely because it will resolve nothing, serves Russia’s interests as well as Obama’s, ridding him of an awkward decision: protect American interests or flatter foreigners?
It’s sweet that Obama wants to befriend nation-states, but geopolitics is not junior high, sadly, and chitchat isn’t always cheap. The more time we spend blabbering for its own sake, the more time Iran has to continue its nuclear “research,” right before it starts studying for its AP Biology exam. According to an IAEA report released last week, Iran possesses 460 more pounds of uranium than previously thought, giving it “enough atoms,” per a senior U.N. official, to build at least one nuclear bomb. How comforting, then, that we will continue assuming the best intentions and worst capabilities of trigger-happy psychopaths.
As long as Iran keeps researching its way into the nuclear club, shouldn’t America “research” its missile defenses over to Poland and the Czech Republic? Given who we’re dealing with, it only makes sense to plan ahead for worst-case scenarios. If you knew O.J. Simpson had it out for you and was on his way to the safe where he keeps his revolver, wouldn’t you take some precautions (such as running away or buying a bulletproof vest) rather than just trying to talk him out of owning a firearm?
To be sure, preemptive self-defense may offend the “international community,” which raises an important question: So what? No one said being the world’s policeman meant keeping 6.7 billion people in a good mood. That’s what prescription drugs are for.
Prozac, however, is useless against ballistic missiles, and missile defense is quite naturally the best defense against them. The logistics are complex, but the issue isn’t. Instead of agonizing over the impact it will have on his global reputation, President Obama should approach missile defense with the same attitude I take to physical fitness: Don’t sweat it.
About the Author
Windsor Mann is a writer living in Washington, D.C., and the editor of The Quotable Hitchens: From Alcohol to Zionism.
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Jay| 2.27.09 @ 6:48AM
The US once had a very simple, elegant and pragmatic foreign policy: Speak softly and carry a big stick. That worked from the first Roosevelt to Truman. Now with aggression conducted at the speed of light ( sound really) we dither and blather.
Apparently nobody, democrat or republican has considered that we will not have the year Lincoln had once the South fired on Ft. Sumpter nor the 9 months FDR had to respond to Pearl Harbor. The turn around time is measured in seconds.
The missle defense system whether flawed or perfect must give thinking people pause. Pause because if they don't destroy our ability to retaliate completely nuclear conflict is not winnable. Thinkig people excludes much of the Muslim world and now that Iran is nuclear and probably Syria as well our missle defense system is clearly necessary to the safety of our citizens.
JJ JR| 2.27.09 @ 8:12AM
Y'all,
Interesting article citing what I believe is actually a secondary concern for Obama--wanting to be continually adored by the foreign fever swamps of the left (secondary in this case only--it trumps every other issue for him--the Messiah, a citizen of the world, must do his civiv duty and eviscerate American exceptionalism).
In this case, Obama's underlying motivation is to continue to keep alive the media canard started by Ted Kennedy when the Gipper announced the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)--it's "Star Wars" said the often incoherent bridge driver! It's stupid, it won't work, and even if it does, it will "offend" the Soviets. Why the Soviets might get so offended that they'll invade their neighbors--never mind that they were on their 4th year of occupation of Afghanistan.
My point is this: allowing the now successfully tested missile defense system to become part of the operational arsenal of the greatest republic ever on earth would in fact completely VINDICATE President Ronald Reagan's vision that was and continues to be trashed by the left. They need to keep it in the "Bedtime for Bonzo" realm--and so it goes. . . .
Seymour Kleerly| 2.27.09 @ 10:47AM
The Missile system in Eastern Europe if concieved by any other administration (Rep. or Dem) might be a good idea. However Bush's perfect record of being WRONG in foreign policy is scary still. He has strengthened Putin (to most of the world we are the Evil Empire now) and given rise to a strong Nationalist movement in Russia. It was a provacative, unnecessary, and yet again counterproductive move. Right Wingers should stick to CHECKERS.
JeffW| 2.27.09 @ 11:22AM
Seymour.
You might be more persuasive with your point if you didn't so cleary pick a name poking fun at and repeating a stereotype against asians and immediately go to the attack of right wingers. Not to mention following your logic that the missile defense is a good idea as long as it wasn't thought of by Bush just shows your level of Bush derangement syndrome. But hey, as long as it made your enlightened mind feel better. Our NATO allies seem to disagree with you.
Michael Tomlinson| 2.27.09 @ 12:05PM
WTF? What does "pragmatic and cost-effective" national defense mean? A return to bows and arrows? Buying enough white flags to make Osama bin Laden a "man dress?"
It wasn't "pragmatic or cost-effective" national defense that decimated al Qaeda and Islamic extremists on the battlefields of Iraq winning the first war for the US since 1945. Aside from expensive gear it was guts that won the war in Iraq -- something in short supply among average Americans, Democrats in Congress and the Obama administration.
Thank God President Bush was smart enough to ignore the polls and war "fatigue" BS of American civilians and gave Islamic terrorists a beating they richly deserved. That's given terrorist appeaser Barack Obama breathing room before his "school buddies" pay another visit to these shores to kill New Yorkers who think verbage and talking nice can protect them from Muslim murderers.
Obama is not only a threat to the economy, unborn babies, the sick and hard working Americans who pay their bills, but to the national defense of our country.
Louie| 2.27.09 @ 1:27PM
Why in hell can't the Euros defend themselves?
Crusader| 2.27.09 @ 2:12PM
Louie,
Euros won't defend themselves for a couple of reasons, the biggest is (drumroll please),
WE DO IT FOR THEM!!!!!
60+ years after WWII and we still have troops all over Europe. The Euros EXPECT us to fight their wars for them and we are more than willing to do it. Hell, Italy spends less than 1% of their GDP on defense. Care to guess why?
Secondly is they are broke from the big-daddy nanny states they've become. Europe is about 20 years behind us culturally but about 20 years ahead of us politically and economically. If you want to see when America will look like by 2030 or so go spend some time in the old world. Weenie, effeminate men, skyrocketing taxes, crumbling infrastructure, and a failure of the native population to reproduce at sustainable levels (but you will see lots of Abduls walking around with Fatimas and about 6-10 kids following behind), plus multiple generations living in the same house because of the dreary economic situation.
Oh, one more thing, "Doner Kabobs" are popping up all over the place too.
Its, ah, interesting to say the least.
lisa| 2.27.09 @ 5:32PM
Quiet scary to me. We need our missle defense system. God help us!!
Rick Josey | 2.27.09 @ 10:41PM
I agree with Louie. Why can't the Europeans defend themselves? It's ridiculous for us to have our troops scattered across the globe while simultaneously our own borders are unguarded. Our gutless leaders in Washington have lost their minds. Or perhaps their minds are just too dulled by the champagne they ingest...at our expense.
The purpose of Homeland Security is to secure the homeland...duh. What kind of catastrophe will it take to wake up our Capitol Hill geniuses? You would think 9/11 would have penetrated their thick skulls. We could only hope that if there is another attack some of them will be in its path. That sounds cruel, but if their negligence is going to cause deaths, might as well be their own. They are the ones asking for it.
www.PatriotHangout.com
Who Needs YOU| 3.2.09 @ 10:21AM
I think the defence shield should be ste up all around America, that will improve American safety. And that way they will never have to accuse any country of attacking them. Worry about America and let others worry about them selves.
And keep your banking system that is set to Cripple the world, keep it all in America and while you are about it keep the slave labour jobs in America as well.
trytry| 11.25.09 @ 8:35PM
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