US Security

During the primary it was clear to many of us that Obama would move for a radical change to the left, if elected. His phony campaign rhetoric directly contradicted his record (radical). But our gravest concern during the primary was that Obama was profoundly out of his league in the international arena and that if he were to be elected, this translated to a heightened security risk for the US.

To his credit, in adopting wholesale the Bush-Cheney domestic security apparatus Obama did the right thing.

It is with foreign security concerns that Obama has acted more or less in character. However, contrary to his harshest critics we think he may have learned a thing or two. It’s probably nuts to say this about the guy, way, way out on a limb, but heck, let’s take the fling.

We highlighted yesterday’s UN reaction to muslim-mongrel Ahmandinejad’s rant (love the leisure suit.) The better part of the body sat there and clapped. Our point was that this event will provide support for the many who have for so long looked to de-fund and then abolish the UN. I think most of us now can see why. Good.

Yet to many observers, even some Democrats, yesterday’s event blew a great big hole in Obama’s foreign strategy. Naturally most of us understand (the nursery crowd late learners) that to “reach out” to thugs is simply suicidal. And we all did see BO’s answer from Ahmandinejad’s pals. So critics figure Obama is now completely impotent in matters of security, as if yesterday’s reaction were the final spike in the casket.

But to those critics - not so fast. In recent blogs we praised the administration for tougher sanctions on Iran, sanctions that have teeth, something we know from reports of gasoline tanker off loadings. And these sanctions were set independently of the UN. So a good move by the US (and the EU, Australia and Canada). And threats of a military strike have been more frequent. While these two items may not have been BO’s idea, and we doubt they were, he is at the helm so he gets the (in this case) benefit of the doubt.

It is true that BO is addicted to world organizations. And it is true that his foreign policy distills down to this - downplay U.S. strength and exceptionalism, while promising not to act independently against despots without the approval of world governing bodies. Maybe. Or maybe BO’s not a complete fool after all. Maybe Ahmandinejad’s about to find that out the hard way.

Now that they’ve joined us, it’s too easy to join them - the crowd. It’s easy because there’s no courage in crowds, and this one’s hell bent to beat Obama to a pulp. He deserves it in matters domestic. He may not deserve in matters of the mid east.

Robert Craven