I support his notion that, so far, Mr. Obama looks awfully naive, and it isn't working well for him or the US. Give it a read and see what you think.
Hags
www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,656501,00.html
Friday, November 6, 2009
Is Obama "Ordinary"?
Here is link to a really interesting interview between Der Spiegel and Charles Krauthammer. Mr. Krauthammer is unapologetically conservative (as opposed to Republican) but I think even most liberal readers will credit him with being intelligent even if they disagree with his philosophy. You may have to enter the link into a Google search in order to get through, but it is worth the effort.
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3 comments:
Krauthammer is very intelligent but also very mean spirited. Living in a wheelchair has informed his disposition and he is not a happy man.
His cynical view of international relations was shared by Dubya, and look what it did for us. We'll see just how naive Obama is. I expect to see much better outcomes over the next 3 years than we saw in the recent past.
I like CK's .5% malpractice pool suggestion.
Bax,
I liked the 0.5% idea, too.
I don't view CK's view as cynical. Merely pragmatic. It would be nice if you and Obama were right, but underestimating evil people is a dangerous thing.
Time will tell.
Other than the Euros liking us better, can you point to any constructive, tangible benefit? Not Gitmo. Not Iran. Can't see it in Afghanistan or North Korea. Not the Peace prize (I think that actually is not helpful to Obama).
What are you seeing that I am not?
Hags
Hags:
There is much to undue. GWB took an uncompromising hard line. This prevented the world community from coalescing around an approach to bring N Korea and Iran to heel. Other countries very understandably questioned our motives. The French and the Russians made a decision to frustrate our efforts whenever possible, just so that our unilateralism would not be rewarded. Most of the world is delighted that we have struggled so in Iraq. That is what happens when you lead with your middle finger.
The road to N Korean capitulation runs through Beijing. IMO, Obama's approach will bear far more fruit, but it will take longer than 9 months.
If Teheran is to be prevented from "going nuclear", it will require cooperation from the Russians. As with China and the DPRK, Russia shares our interests here, but that isn't always so obvious, particularly in the Kremlin. Obama empowers the good guys with his behavior. The Bush/Bolton method simply strengthens the likes of Putin.
I am very confident that we will see significant progress on the nuclear front during Obama's first term. Petulance, it seems, is out of style.
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