Mon Apr 28, 2014, 05:35 PM
TBF (31,869 posts)
The Collapse of Obama’s Diplomacy
One of the websites I rely on for alternative points of view is http://www.watchingamerica.com/News/. Some are pro-USA, some more critical.
The Collapse of Obama’s Diplomacy By Eric Leser The American administration has given up the role that the United States has traditionally played in world affairs for the last 70 years. The extent of the consequences is yet to be seen, even if they are already felt from Kiev to the China Seas. Translated By Simon Wood 17 April 2014 Edited by Brent Landon Is diplomacy made up of good intentions and great speeches? No. And one doesn't have to read Sun Tzu, Thucydides or Machiavelli to know this. We have been reminded once again of the disaster that is the foreign policy of the Obama administration. Obama has, however, delivered some nice speeches. In July 2008, having just assumed office, in front of an ecstatic crowd of 100,000 people in Berlin who came to acclaim him, he promised “to rebuild the world.”* In June 2009 in Cairo, the president of the United States announced a “new beginning” in the relations between America and the Arab-Muslim world and offered a “greeting of peace.” In September 2009, this time in front of the United Nations General Assembly, he affirmed, “No one nation can or should try to dominate another nation.” And a few days later, Barack Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” Less than five years later, these good intentions lie in the dungeons of history, swept aside by setbacks, concessions, humiliations and forgotten promises. The instances of weakness make a long list for an America that remains the biggest economic and military power in the world. We had almost forgotten ... Much more here: http://watchingamerica.com/News/237344/the-collapse-of-obamas-diplomacy/
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22 replies, 2921 views
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Author | Time | Post |
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TBF | Apr 2014 | OP |
Tarheel_Dem | Apr 2014 | #1 | |
TBF | Apr 2014 | #2 | |
Tarheel_Dem | Apr 2014 | #5 | |
Starry Messenger | Apr 2014 | #6 | |
socialist_n_TN | Apr 2014 | #7 | |
Starry Messenger | Apr 2014 | #8 | |
TBF | Apr 2014 | #9 | |
Jackpine Radical | Apr 2014 | #3 | |
Tarheel_Dem | Apr 2014 | #4 | |
TBF | Apr 2014 | #10 | |
TBF | Apr 2014 | #11 | |
2banon | Apr 2014 | #17 | |
yallerdawg | Apr 2014 | #12 | |
TBF | Apr 2014 | #13 | |
yallerdawg | Apr 2014 | #14 | |
Jackpine Radical | Apr 2014 | #15 | |
2banon | Apr 2014 | #20 | |
2banon | Apr 2014 | #16 | |
TBF | Apr 2014 | #18 | |
2banon | Apr 2014 | #19 | |
TBF | Apr 2014 | #21 | |
2banon | Apr 2014 | #22 |
Response to TBF (Original post)
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 05:43 PM
Tarheel_Dem (31,122 posts)
1. "Translated By Simon Wood". From what? Russian?
Response to Tarheel_Dem (Reply #1)
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 05:45 PM
TBF (31,869 posts)
2. From Slate (France) - are you having trouble reading today?
You are also in a protected group so tread carefully.
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Response to TBF (Reply #2)
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 05:58 PM
Tarheel_Dem (31,122 posts)
5. Block me. Sounds like you guys need "protecting".
Response to Tarheel_Dem (Reply #5)
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 06:05 PM
Starry Messenger (32,335 posts)
6. Bye!
Response to Starry Messenger (Reply #6)
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 06:34 PM
socialist_n_TN (11,481 posts)
7. SOMEBODY'S got to take out the trash.......
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Response to socialist_n_TN (Reply #7)
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 06:44 PM
Starry Messenger (32,335 posts)
8. Whenever "Obama" is in the subject line, the bat signal goes up.
I should have said "adieu", considering. Oh well!
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Response to TBF (Original post)
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 05:55 PM
Jackpine Radical (45,274 posts)
3. I may be wrong, but this whole piece has a rather Neocon-ish, hawkish flavor.
Or maybe, more to the point, a right-wing Israeli flavor.
They seem to be deriding the Obama administration for seeking peaceful solutions rather than taking hard-line stances. |
Response to Jackpine Radical (Reply #3)
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 05:57 PM
Tarheel_Dem (31,122 posts)
4. That's sorta what I got from it. Whatever it is, it is most definitely a hitpiece. n/t
Response to Tarheel_Dem (Reply #4)
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 06:50 PM
TBF (31,869 posts)
10. People have opinions on the president -
here we are able to discuss them without the thought police tasering us.
We shouldn't have to preface every post with "we voted for Obama but ...". That is understood. Critique of policy is allowed, and it is especially allowed in this group. |
Response to Jackpine Radical (Reply #3)
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 07:07 PM
TBF (31,869 posts)
11. Slate is a cultural magazine -
this is just the French version. It is not typically a hawkish magazine unless I've missed something.
This summary leads me to believe they are critiquing Obama vs. previous administrations. Definitely critical in the area of foreign policy and terror - and I am wondering if they are simply seeing him not as strong in negotiating as a Bill Clinton for example: "It is also true that the Obama administration has taken an opposite course to the mistakes and the adventures of George W. Bush in Iraq and Afghanistan, while continuing with the same contestable methods regarding the war on terror. But by changing doctrines, Barack Obama has in passing given up the role that has belonged to the United States in world affairs for 70 years. The extent of the consequences is yet to be seen, even if they are already felt from Kiev to the China Seas." |
Response to Jackpine Radical (Reply #3)
Tue Apr 29, 2014, 10:20 AM
2banon (7,321 posts)
17. Yes, I got the same hit as you did..
Exactly how it reads to me.. hand wringing of attempts to engage in peaceful diplomacy rather than engaging militarily.. please, without directly saying so, it would seem the writer is bemoaning peaceful diplomacy.
I'm no apologist or cheerleader for this administration.. it must be acknowledged however that there are a million "fires" Obama is attempting to put out all at once. These efforts maybe impossible to achieve, given all of the elements he's forced to contend with. |
Response to TBF (Original post)
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 07:34 PM
yallerdawg (16,104 posts)
12. The role of the last 70 years.
That would be since World War II.
If the US is slowly relinquishing it's role as the world's policeman, this will create some anxiety in a lot of our so-called allies (like the French). We have the greatest military spending in the world, and it would be missed. On the other hand, maybe diplomacy and peace would become the new normal if no one is enabling military confrontation everywhere! But we have little Reagans prancing in the halls of Congress reminding us what we need to do. |
Response to yallerdawg (Reply #12)
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 07:38 PM
TBF (31,869 posts)
13. Nice analysis - thanks. nt
Response to TBF (Reply #13)
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 07:48 PM
yallerdawg (16,104 posts)
14. The French
Much more socially progressive than we are by a long shot.
But historically the US has been subsidizing and bailing them out since WW I (and even Viet Nam). Where can we find a big dumb brother to watch out for us a while we conduct self-absorbed social experiments? And the only thing they have ever given us in return is Anthony Bourdain. |
Response to yallerdawg (Reply #14)
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 07:52 PM
Jackpine Radical (45,274 posts)
15. The French have a history of being real bastards in many ways.
What they did to Vietnam going back to about 1880; what they did to people on Devil's Island; what they did in North Africa, etc.
Not that I would hold us out as paragons of virtue, of course. |
Response to yallerdawg (Reply #14)
Tue Apr 29, 2014, 02:46 PM
2banon (7,321 posts)
20. LoL I had to wiki Bourdain....who knew, he's a graduate of the CIA.. (not that CIA) ;)
Anyone besides crazy ole' tin foil hat me ever wonder if the Culinary Institute of America was/is actually a CIA front? LOL! Wikipedia says it was founded in 1946.. perfect timing, n'est c'est pas?
I kid, i kid.. ![]() |
Response to TBF (Original post)
Tue Apr 29, 2014, 10:09 AM
2banon (7,321 posts)
16. This reads like a bloodthirsty Neo-Con rant, to me.
I have deep criticisms of our U.S. foreign policies and geopolitical machinations, but I don't see it from this writers perspective at all.
A Succession of Failures and Concessions
The Arab revolutions, supported by Washington, foundered with the sole exception of Tunisia. The United States will have seen in passing their Egyptian, Saudi, Turkish and Israeli allies distancing themselves or turning their backs on them. And what to say of their mistakes and of their impotence, finally, regarding the torturer of Damascus, Bashar Assad, in spite of their proclaimed will to see him leave office? And of the announced “red line” regarding the use of chemical weapons against its civic population? There has been more saber rattling and constant concessions regarding the Iranian nuclear program. The difficult negotiations in progress in Geneva should allow an agreement of frontage with Tehran, and the end of economic sanctions against a control of the Iranian nuclear sites because the White House wants an absolute success. But it will simply be a facade without the dismantling of the Islamic republic's secret military program of nuclear armaments. Since the beginning, the parties involved in the negotiations have acted as if it didn't exist. As an aside, I tried to figure who this "Watching America" organization was, impossible from it's website, claims to be "neutral" when obviously it isn't. I noticed a "Blue Republican" logo sponsor which I've never heard of before. I suspect it's a Neo-Conservative organization.. or tied to that milieu of Neo Cons tied the Foreign Relations Council etc. Could be wrong. ![]() |
Response to 2banon (Reply #16)
Tue Apr 29, 2014, 10:36 AM
TBF (31,869 posts)
18. Watching America has been around awhile and I have
Last edited Tue Apr 29, 2014, 11:22 AM - Edit history (1) always find it interesting to see the stories from other countries. I thought the logo was just an ad (you'll notice a wide variety of ads on DU too if you sign out or aren't a star member) but maybe I'm mistaken and they have been formally bought out by somebody.
I think Jack had the same feeling after reading the line re Iran and their nuclear armaments. So you definitely aren't alone in your assessment. Personally until the recent moves in Venezuela and Ukraine (and leaking re TPP) I had been ok with Obama and foreign policy. He is quieter than Bill Clinton though and that may have an impact - Bill had his photo ops with middle eastern leaders shaking hands and we haven't had that with Obama. I also think yallerdawg's read on France was really great from a common sense perspective and likely accurate. I'm happy to hear the variety of opinions - thanks for weighing in! ETA - what I have found on wiki: Watching America From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Watching America Watching America logo.gif Web address www.watchingamerica.com Type of site News website Available language(s) English Launched 2005 Watching America is a website that publishes translated foreign articles from foreign newspapers into English. It was launched in 2005 and founded by Robin Koerner. Watching America states its goal is "to reflect as accurately as possible how others perceive the richest and most powerful country in the world." The site posts newly translated articles up on a daily basis, along with a link to the original article. The translations are done by native speakers of the relevant languages. It currently translates articles from Arabic, Armenian, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Turkish, and Urdu. The website has been linked by Foreign Policy, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, The Christian Science Monitor as well as cited in various published popular books and academic sources as a source. |
Response to TBF (Reply #18)
Tue Apr 29, 2014, 02:36 PM
2banon (7,321 posts)
19. thanks for the wiki background info...
I was headed over there but as it so often happens, got distracted on other topics and didn't follow up.
It's interesting, we're hearing a lot of "voices" from outside of the U.S. (as well as internally) expressing extreme disappointment with Obama's "soft" approach to conflicts.. whether regarding Syria, to Iran, to the Crimea, Nigeria and on and on. we drone where we can get away with it, Pakistan, Yemen, Somali and elsewhere no doubt, which is absolutely unacceptable to many of us. On the other hand Obama has so far refused to be baited into outright military interventions (vis a vis launching invasion/bombings/storm trooping) a lot of imperialistic talk, but no actual military attacks, which I applaud, but so many are salivating for him to do, here in the states and abroad. What I think I'm reading and hearing, is a sort of bemoaning that the U.S. isn't behaving in it's traditional "exceptionalist" manner, and shame on us. it's been years since I've followed the Foreign Relations Council war hawks spouting off their policies and recommendations on anything. But as it happens, on the eve of the Crimea referendum, the sitting members of the panel on Leon Panetta's institute's conference were all practically sobbing, cued with Panetta's opening remarks "We Lost Crimea". Hopefully I can be forgiven for any momentary lapse of open minded thought with regard to opinions which seem straight out of the mouths of William Kristol and his ilk. Having said all that.. I DO really appreciate being made aware of an array of thought especially from out side the country.. it's important for many reasons, in seeking to further and broaden my understanding of divergence of world views.. And this is a website, I've never seen before, it appears that Noam Chomsky is featured in the archives.. so I look forward to exploring that place more.. ![]() ![]() oh yeah, regarding the "Blue Republican" logo, it does look like an ad on second view.. there's "Ending Left vs Right" meme attached. Interesting. |
Response to 2banon (Reply #19)
Tue Apr 29, 2014, 02:52 PM
TBF (31,869 posts)
21. "Open minded thought" -
we want that in this group. No red baiting helps us keep the group think out, but we definitely are interested in socialist progressive ideas for the future. Happy reading
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Response to TBF (Reply #21)
Tue Apr 29, 2014, 03:03 PM
2banon (7,321 posts)
22. No reminders necessary as far as I'm concerned.. :) n/t