A discussion of policy, politics and culture in government and society.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Presidency and Foreign Affairs
JOHN HEILEMANN, in New York magazine, 'Realpolitiktian: Obama's handling of the Egyptian uprising reveals that in foreign policy, too, he is a pragmatic centrist to the core.' http://bit.ly/eo6C3b
I think the discrection of the Obama administration on their stance of the situation in Egypt was the right path to take. People can not expect President Obama to simply tell President Mubarak to step down since in the beginning of the revelution was uncertain the way it was going to turn out and we couldn't turn our back on an ally that has been with us for so many years. He took the right steps to stay neutral til an outcome became more clear so that he wouldn't upset the new government of egypt. It was a good stance so that we can now form good relations with the new forming government.
It was a welcome level of statesmanship that made me proud of our President and I have more faith that the President will achieve his inherent potential. However the writers statement "the U.S. still packs a throw weight rivaled by no other nation" here is a comment by John Helimann in the New York magazine that I constantly struggle with.., as determined by who? The Isreali's, Palestians, the Chinese, the Russians. Hows our throw weight working in Afghanistan and many other sections of the Middle East. Our throw weight is bankrupting America and it is costing us just as much respect when our dollar is worthless than all of the Aircarft Carriers and satellite surveillance capacity. I APPLAUD the Presidents restraint allowing the citizens to manifest their own destiny, however it is doubtful in a country where a tv journalist can be assaulted in the middle of coverage of a citizen celebration it is very doubtful if Western Demoncracy can take a foothold in the near future. Presidential international politics at its best now we only have to spend $900 billion dollars getting the government to recognize the human rights we want while America cannot solve its health care issues. I know this is cynical but an unstable Middle East has allways been costly for the USA. I hope the President can find a way to support Democratic change that does not involve another 30,000 troops stationed in the desert on the other side of the planet. I admit that maybe I liked Hosni Mubarek too long.
I think the discrection of the Obama administration on their stance of the situation in Egypt was the right path to take. People can not expect President Obama to simply tell President Mubarak to step down since in the beginning of the revelution was uncertain the way it was going to turn out and we couldn't turn our back on an ally that has been with us for so many years. He took the right steps to stay neutral til an outcome became more clear so that he wouldn't upset the new government of egypt. It was a good stance so that we can now form good relations with the new forming government.
ReplyDeleteIt was a welcome level of statesmanship that made me proud of our President and I have more faith that the President will achieve his inherent potential. However the writers statement "the U.S. still packs a throw weight rivaled by no other nation" here is a comment by John Helimann in the New York magazine that I constantly struggle with.., as determined by who? The Isreali's, Palestians, the Chinese, the Russians. Hows our throw weight working in Afghanistan and many other sections of the Middle East. Our throw weight is bankrupting America and it is costing us just as much respect when our dollar is worthless than all of the Aircarft Carriers and satellite surveillance capacity. I APPLAUD the Presidents restraint allowing the citizens to manifest their own destiny, however it is doubtful in a country where a tv journalist can be assaulted in the middle of coverage of a citizen celebration it is very doubtful if Western Demoncracy can take a foothold in the near future. Presidential international politics at its best now we only have to spend $900 billion dollars getting the government to recognize the human rights we want while America cannot solve its health care issues. I know this is cynical but an unstable Middle East has allways been costly for the USA. I hope the President can find a way to support Democratic change that does not involve another 30,000 troops stationed in the desert on the other side of the planet. I admit that maybe I liked Hosni Mubarek too long.
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