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How Obama Divides—and Conquers
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
The same diplomatic velvet glove that has flummoxed leaders from Cuba to Al Qaeda, reports Michael Fullilove, has also sown confusion among his conservative critics.
Barack Obama has gotten off to a remarkably sure-footed start on foreign policy. There is the pragmatism of his policies on Iraq and Afghanistan, in which he has managed, so far, to square his campaign promises with the advice of his military commanders; the liberalism of his early moves on detainee treatment and nuclear disarmament; and the ambition of his efforts on public diplomacy and Middle East peace.
The real measure of his success, however, is the confusion of his enemies. Thus al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri, alarmed by Obama’s adroitness in reaching out to Muslims, has had to resort to casting racial epithets at America’s first black president. Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chávez, on the other hand, has taken a different approach. At the Summit of the Americas last month, a blushing Chávez told Obama “I want to be your friend,” and gave him a book inscribed: “For Obama with affection.”
You can hardly blame American foreign-policy conservatives for feeling a little discombobulated. It was one thing when their policy prescriptions were unpopular abroad, but in recent years they were also rejected by the American people and even, in his final years in office, by President Bush himself.
Even the Castro brothers are bickering over Obama, with Raúl saying that “everything” was on the table for negotiation, including human rights and political prisoners, and Fidel then claiming that the media had “misinterpreted” Raúl’s statement.
A similar schism has appeared among American foreign-policy conservatives. The provisional wing of the conservative movement has criticized Obama for being so different from George W. Bush—for being weak, bloodless, and un-American. Bloggers who did not seem to worry about President Bush holding hands with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia went apoplectic at the sight of President Obama apparently bowing to him. Karl Rove has criticized Obama for going abroad and “confessing our sins.” Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer has accused the president of showing “disdain… for his own country while on foreign soil, acting the philosopher king who hovers above the fray mediating between his renegade homeland and an otherwise warm and welcoming world.”
Krauthammer et al are correct in believing that international relations is an unsentimental business. Few difficult problems are susceptible to agreement without leverage and pressure. Regimes in Pyongyang and Tehran are not overly impressed by Obama’s exotic lineage, his fine words or his Portuguese water dog. Yet it is silly to suggest that by showing courtesy toward other countries, Obama is showing disdain for his own. Obama’s thoughtfulness about America’s history is bolstering Washington’s prestige, not undermining it.
The second conservative take on Obama’s foreign policy is the exact opposite of the first. This latter camp argues that Obama’s approach is actually a replica of Bush’s. Former Bush administration staffer Peter Feaver of Duke University argues that on the big issues, it’s a matter of “same policy, different letterhead.” Robert Kagan concurred in an op-ed in the Post, arguing that “the basic goals and premises of U.S. policy have not shifted” and sending up the ironic cry: “Viva la revolucion!”
John Talks Joe
Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
Amateur Hour at the White House
Leslie H. Gelb, a former New York Times columnist and senior government official, is author of Power Rules: How Common Sense Can Rescue American Foreign Policy (HarperCollins 2009), a book that shows how to think about and use power in the 21st century. He is president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Going Rogue: The Index
Christopher Buckley's books include Supreme Courtship, The White House Mess, Thank You for Smoking, Little Green Men, and Florence of Arabia. He was chief speechwriter for Vice President George H.W. Bush, and is editor-at-large of ForbesLife magazine. His new book is Losing Mum and Pup, a memoir. Buckley's Daily Beast column is the winner of an Online Journalism Award in the category of Online Commentary.
America's Image Rebounds
Michael Fullilove is the director of the global issues program at the Lowy Institute and a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
Fergus Hanson is the director of the Lowy Institute Poll.
Why Kissinger Should Support Obama
Michael Fullilove is the director of the global issues program at the Lowy Institute and a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
Plus, it is so much easier. The Cheney/Bush administration so badly bungled our foreign policy (and everything else) that it is not easy to fix. Just do the opposite.
Yes, slim, that mean old Bush and Cheney brought down the Twin Towers also and they put caterpillars in the same cell as a terrorist.
sdeakins you're right about Cheney/Bush and the WTC. If only they had paid attention to that CIA memo in August 20001.....
Actually, men like Bush and Cheney did bring down the twin towers. It is their imperialistic anti-American policies that created the first Al Queda (in Afghanistan) and then the hatred of "America" (actually the self same imperialists) by pursuing a policy of ownership and military occupation in other countries (Saudi Arabia, specifically). Don't kid yourself, our leaders created this mess, Bush and Cheney brought it to the fore.
Hopefully a new batch of leaders will bring about a more peaceful harmonius world.
Is this Osama speaking from his cave?
Obama is likable. How much actual change remains to be seen, beyond the obvious: He is not Bush / Cheney.
I don't like Obama. What's to like about a racist, fraud and liar? I bet a lot of folks like Fidel and Hugo too.
Racist, fraud, and liar: are you speaking about Limbaugh, Hannity, Rove, Gonzalez, or any one of a thousand self righteous posers the words R/F/L instantly conjure up in any sane imagination? My friend, behold the future: it's bright, and hopeful in America, at last. Get used to it. 70% of Americans are thrilled to death to have an intelligent, articulate, and reflective man at the helm. As for the other 30%? Frankly, my dears, we don't give a damn!
Thanks for being honest.
1) Obama is not a racist. I know you might feel that he is,. but thats just the way you *feel*. Neither he or his wife have done anything that is actually racist.
2) Obama is not a fraud. He is doing the things he promised that he would do. In fact many people dislike him for the things that he is doing.
3) Obama is not a liar. He does get some things wrong though.
http://www.factcheck.org/politics/100_days_of_spin.html
Missing one letter. It should be Michael Fullinlove as in Full In Love with Obama. It is way to early to say any of Obama's policies are working and on several points he is moving right: Torture pictures, military tribunals, surge in Afganistan, etc. It is campaign vs governering. It be interesting if authors Mr. Fullilove ever become disillusioned as it becomes clear things aren't going to change that much (outside of healtcare).
Love it! Agree...agree...agree...
...for a minute there I thought I was reading something from the bamster's publicist...perhaps "fallinlovewithtthebamster" is campaigning for the job...
"bamster"? You're a hick right?
I think you mean Obama sells out his democratic base on nearly every position he has taken since moving to the White House.....he doesn't divide and conquer.
The reason conservatives can't fight back is because Obama is almost as conservative as they are.
"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain". Also, don't watch what the left hand is doing. Where has the left arrived at the concept that President Obama is, and is acting conservative? Who do you think you're kidding? That idea is unsaleabe to me.
This President is radical "Left" and this can't be masked. The conservatives will mount an offensive have no doubt. The real question is has the nation as a whole become majority dependent on the government trough, or are there still enough freedom loving voters out there?
Charlie I can't say Obama is a radical left on foreign policy.
He delayed the timeline to withdraw from Iraq that's not far left.
He's closing Guantanamo Bay I think John McCain said he would close it too when he was campaigning.
He cut wasteful spending on the war bill and at the same time raised it even more.
I don't see how he's Left on foreign policy at all.
Maybe you're too far to the right.
Besides anyone who thinks his a radical left must be a regular fox news viewer, if he were torture photos would be released and Dick Cheney would be in jail already.
charlie, how the readical rebubs mount an offensive with only 21% of the country supporting their "ideas"? Wishful thinking my friend. The country has moved to the left and now you and yours are just regional party.
charlie-
I know this will
Be dissappointing
But the President is
Not radical anything.
He's way too
Smart for that.
Charlie, extremists ( conservative and liberal ) tend to want to portray the positions of their political adversaries as polarizing. Mostly this is because any view that differs from theirs is "incorrect", so they need to polarize and demonize the opposition. For example, they scream "baby-killer!!" at a person who has said that he wants to reduce the number of abortions in this country.
The President is quite moderate actually. Anyone who did not see that during the campaign probably wasn't paying much attention to what was actually being said. Extremists have issues with listening to other people. When you stand in the center, you take a beating from both sides.
Not everyone wants to have political battles with their fellow countrymen. Some of us actually want to come to a consensus and solve problems and advance our society, our nation, and our lives.
al-nafs-
That's a really
Good post above
You get the gold star
For most excellent response.
A great categorization: "In addition to war, earthquakes, and pestilence, we now have the astonishing sight of Dick Cheney-..."
The author is correct on all counts. And it is so much fun watching this President maneuver. He's really good at it! Like the other day when he stood before the world with the six miserable lying health care groups stating their commitment to save the country 1.5% a year or $2 trillion over 10 years. They've already begun to "back off" that promise as he knew they would -- but, there's no doubt who is really in charge of health care reform. Divide and conquer. President Obama is a master of the art. It's going to be a great eight years.
In many ways it's true. Obama doesn't act like a bull in a china shop. He's cool, calculating and patient. He has an understanding of the world around him. (Ok, he's the worst gift giver... but nobody is perfect.)
He doesn't stick to the old play book. The Republicans are scrambling. He believes in the true American saying "Talk softly but carry a big stick!" His political opponents keep underestimating him. And they keep losing...
WHAT is this guy talking about. The President has "flummoxed" Al Queda leaders because they resorted to racial epithets? That is your evidence? Really? By that measure, Bush had Al Queda leaders in a state of catatonia, given the names they called him. And Chavez was not "blushing". Come on, what squishy-brained support. I'm not critical of the foreign policy so far, and feel it's generally been successful, but certainly not because of the supposed "confusion" of our enemies. Geez.
You don't see a difference?
Even the countries that HATE us the most have been relatively quiet. Al Qaeda has resorted to nothing more then basically calling him a ngger. It is far more difficult to blast a leader a Satan when he has a muslim name. (At least from a cultural perspective)
The regular barrage of damnation has been reduced to a relatively minor shelling. And that is after we exported a world recession.
So what I'm trying to say... his substance is different in small but powerful ways. He's respectful where George was rude. He's thoughtful was George was thoughtless. He is patient, cool and aware. In diplomacy... that means alot. It's a chess match... just like the rest of politics.
Guess some people have forgotten about George W. Bush kissing a Saudi man right on the LIPS!!!!
n2-
It's not as brash
As you make it sound.
There was lots of
Hand holding
Leading up to
The kissing
Part.
Bush's kiss was no more inappropriate than Obama's perceived bow. When in Rome, do as Romans do. Both men were following local custom. It was not inappropriate.
That was OK. It wasn't their first date!
If Jesus were on earth, and said that Obama was a "good president and a good man" stupid Republicans like Dick Cheney would still be criticizing him. Why in the heck after Dick practically hid from the media...is now on every show that will have him spouting off stupid things. Shut up Dick, you are making a fool of yourself---but then, I wouldn't expect anything less from you!
As long as Obama doesn't get the "shoe treatment" he must be doing something right.
Pics
http://www.antiwar.com/news/?articleid=2444
Like it is hard to sow confusion amongst contemporary right-wing nutjob extremists.
Or contemporary left-wing nutjob extremists.
You mention in the article Karl Rove and Charles Krauthammer. These men are despicable and have been rejected by the legitimate media.
There is a difference between loving one's country and hating everyone else's. Eliminationists/Republicans fail to see this.
Legitimate media like MSNBC, CNN, NYT ... right. Just what country is it that the Obama's love? Michelle can tell which one they don't.
sdeakins-
Thank you
For your foul and surly
Contributions.
Your family must be
So proud.
Every circus has to have a freak... ;) MSNBC, CNN and the rest of them are no different.
@sdeakins: You really need to get laid. Badly.
Fullilove hearts Obama. Mancrush.
Obama flummoxes the Cubans? I don't know about Al Queda or Hugo Chavez, but if this guy thinks Obama has confused Fidel and Raul, then he knows nothing about that country. Give me a break.
As for this Obama worshipper, I guess he will be one of the last to say "The Emperor has no clothes"
Barack Obama is a very likable president who is playing it safe Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are very unlikable and they are going at it full metal. I must say I like the good cop bad cop strategy.
Hawnzz sucs.
Who the hell are you?
Latest wise foreign policy move by our President - asking Jon Huntsman to be our Ambassador to China. Huntsman is a moderate Republican Governor from Utah who cannot run again due to term limits. He's one of the few leaders of the GOP who has not been making a fool of himself in the press since inauguration day and may have been a frontrunner for the presidency in 2012.
So Obama diffuses the risk by making calling him to duty in one of the most important foreign relations posts. He looks bipartisan and moderate in doing so, and shows independents and republicans that yet again, he's not a lapdog for the liberal wing of the Democratic Party. Slick. Wise. Good for the country.
As a true conservative (not a neocon) I applaud the moderate tenor and pragmatism in Obama's foreign policy. Now if only he could apply a little more of that secret sauce on the domestic side and stop spending us into becoming a beggar nation.
Why not acknowledge that our president is an American? So much hate speech here. I am progressive and do want some kind of truth commission. I do think that the torture photos should be released. However, I also know that this would only inflame the overseas Muslim community and very possibly further endanger our troops. Our country is so divided and held in such poor regard by the rest of the world. I feel fortunate to have a president who is informed and willing to listen and to compromise for the greater good. We would not be in so much trevail if the previous administration had demonstrated these skills. Finally, if nothing else, globalisation has shown all of us a much more interconnected world. We must get a long or we all will perish.
I'm actually hoping he's not - Americans have already screwed things up royally.
As someone who attended the same school as Obama, from grade 5 through grade 12, let me clarify that many of us were taught to be polite, speak clearly and use rhetoric to make our points.
This didn't necessarily make us better leaders, or better people or even better parents. It just made us slightly more articulate than average, with a tendency to try and see both sides of any argument.
Do not mistake clarity of thought and speech for actual leadership. Just talking to each other does not mean we are moving forward; we have been talking to each other in the islands for almost 150 years. Without actual leadership, without any changes or willingness to sacrifice nothing changes.
Talking in Hawaii it means we can deconstruct our hatreds and prejudices in detail, explaining why our race, culture or belief system should be privileged over another system. If adopting this on a world scale leads to the same divisions and violence we struggle with in Hawaii we will suffer the same consequences; a society harshly divided into castes and tribes, each seeking to explain and justify their need for the lion's share of Hawaii's wealth. No one seems willing to compromise.
Now we have this model on a national level. We hear Obama's talk of compromise but see no one walking the walk.
Talk is cheap. When this government follows through on their promises of compromise, without blaming, making excuses, and saying "our tribe first" that will be change we all can believe in.
sdeakins
I don't like Obama. What's to like about a racist, fraud and liar? I bet a lot of folks like Fidel and Hugo too.
***********************
Hey Loony-Tunes, that is not Barack Obama you are seeing in the mirror. You need to get back on your meds.
neverlate
* I read your posts all the time and I am trying so hard to remember when you were complaining that GWB was spending a trillion dollars on an invasion of another country. Stupid invasion.
Care to comment? I cannot remember ever hearing you complaining about that. Why not?
Thank you.
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