O's Foreign Failures

by Peter Brookes - July 23rd, 2009 - New York Post

The president wrongly thought he could turn his perceived popularity abroad into results. Instead, like many liberals in the past, he's come face-to-face with the reality of the dog-eat-dog world of international politics, where some of the pooches are self-interested pit bulls. If current trends continue, we're going to end up on the wrong end of someone's canine teeth.

Indeed, as many have correctly said over the years, getting domestic policy wrong can cost people their jobs -- and it has. But getting foreign policy wrong can cost people their lives -- and it will.

The cancellation of the F-22, the reductions in dual use submarines and bombers, the reductions in National Guard funding while increasing the tax payer funding of anti-war groups, will seriously weaken the precept ion by foreign tyrants that anyone need fear us. Teddy Roosevelt had it right when he said, "Speak softly but carry a big stick." Obama has not yet figured out that speaking softly does not include constantly apologizing for and blaming America. Nor has he figured out that gutting our national defense forces is not carrying a big stick.

In fact, as this article portrays him, he has not figured out much about foreign affairs and diplomacy at all.