You asked about a failed promise and I gave you one. The reason Obama is a decent foreign policy president is that he is a liar and never intended to keep his promises, knowing they were not feasible or realistic or smart. It's like the reason he is a good president with respect to religious social issues, he is a liar and isn't actually Christian. The question I guess is whether we voters want to be lied to. I don't, but many do.
I appreciate the compliment and feel the same about you in our discussions. However there are a couple of things that trouble me about your response. First I made no defense of what the reps said at their convention, Romney's statements or agree with the endless drive to intervention. Actually we did interfer in Egypt by telling Mubrek to abandon the presidency (this attributed by dem sources). Because of who and what we are every action constitutes some sort of interference. You are right the arab spring are NOT BHO's fault and is a concequence of the end of the cold war, age of dictators, increased communication of internet and all the modern tools cell, twitter tet etc. It is a series of events that are centuries past due and will be more violent as a result. Red says the are tribal, illiterate and religous fanatics. He is right on 2 of 3 items most are literate and know how to use the tools of the 21st century. I agree with you that one style won't fit every situation. That is why I differentiated between tactics and stratagy. We need a basic set of principles to guide us through this as we will be involved whether we like it or not. Each country and situation will have a different solution but we need to have a common set of goals. I think BHO and his predessors from Bush Sr on have been grappling with such a different set of circumstances since the fall of communisum that we have struggled to find a path. I do think W at least had an idea. If you remember he often warned the whole range of dictators they had to let their hold on power go and help the ME become modern and more democratic. He also tried to implement policies to encourage that. Unfortunately he was a poor manager and was hit with 9/11 and had the poor judgement to rely on Cheny & Rumsfeld in the war in Iraq. A parade of clowns ruined whatever chance it had to be a fairly quick success and turned it into a nightmare. That said I think BHO has done more to weaken our standing. Look at the recent UN conference in Iran. In spite of our begging 120 countries and the Sec Gen of the UN went. As Iran gives us the finger we humiliate Israel by not even speaking with Netanyaho. There are many dem foreign policy experts who are distressed at BHO's handling of the ME. There are many more examples of his lack leadership and willingness to take a position that the US must as a world leader. That is why I say we are weaker in standing than ever before. The next many years will be difficult in the ME and we need better from BHO and any successors.
I can't read minds, and Christianity is a mental state, so I can't prove it. But very smart people who were not raised Christian and are exposed to multiple religions as a kid are not usually Christian. And smart kids who want to go into politics realize early on they need to start pretending. A friend of mine started his lie in his first year of law school. It took a proper mocking from me to convince him it wasn't worth it.
its my opinion. its unknowable. if you assert that i am wrong, then you are "making that up" as well.
This movie has been out since June/July... if the protests and attacks are based soley on this movie, then why haven't they been rioting since the beginning of the summer? Hmmm... These mud hut dwellers can do what they like as far as i'm concerned, but once they attack embassies and consulates, and kill embassadors they should be met with swift and deadly military attacks. Whether it's bombers/war planes, or drone/cruise missile attacks... they should all be wiped off the earth and given their numerous virgins and a donkey.
