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Sowell: How Foreign Is Our Policy?
Creators Syndicate ^ | April 1, 2014 | Thomas Sowell

Posted on 03/31/2014 1:09:26 PM PDT by jazusamo

Many people are lamenting the bad consequences of Barack Obama's foreign policy, and some are questioning his competence.

There is much to lament, and much to fear. Multiple setbacks to American interests have been brought on by Obama's policies in Libya, Egypt, Syria, Crimea and — above all — in what seems almost certain to become a nuclear Iran in the very near future.

The president's public warning to Syria of dire consequences if the Assad regime there crossed a "red line" he had drawn seemed to epitomize an amateurish bluff that was exposed as a bluff when Syria crossed that red line without suffering any consequences. Drawing red lines in disappearing ink makes an international mockery of not only this president's credibility, but also the credibility of future American presidents' commitments.

When some future President of the United States issues a solemn warning internationally, and means it, there may be less likelihood that the warning will be taken seriously. That invites the kind of miscalculation that has led to wars.

Many who are disappointed with what seem to be multiple fiascoes in President Obama's foreign policy question his competence and blame his inexperience. Such critics may be right, but it is by no means certain that they are.

Like those who are disappointed with Barack Obama's domestic policies, critics of his foreign policy may be ignoring the fact that you cannot know whether someone is failing or succeeding without knowing what he is trying to do.

(Excerpt) Read more at creators.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: antiamerican; foreignpolicy; obama; sowell; thomassowell
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How Foreign Is Our Policy?: Part II
1 posted on 03/31/2014 1:09:26 PM PDT by jazusamo
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To: abigail2; Amalie; American Quilter; arthurus; awelliott; Bahbah; bamahead; Battle Axe; ...
One ping to 2 parts. Part II

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Thomas Sowell

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2 posted on 03/31/2014 1:14:47 PM PDT by jazusamo ([Obama] A Truly Great Phony -- Thomas Sowell http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3058949/posts)
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To: jazusamo

I sit here in Canada, musing how Americans could possibly have a culturally alien president steeped in Indonesian islam running the country.

I never thought America could be that F******D up.
But it is, and the people are continuing to swallow it without acting as their nation is being systematically destroyed.

And its not just America. America is the hub of western man.

Yeah o yeah, Islam and communists at work.


3 posted on 03/31/2014 1:18:34 PM PDT by himno hero (hadnuff)
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To: himno hero

If civilization (and the concept of freedom) survives this “president” the damage will be felt for many decades.


4 posted on 03/31/2014 1:31:57 PM PDT by logic101.net (How many more children must die on the altar of gun control?)
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To: himno hero

Barack Obama’s foreign policy is a carton of red pens, meaningless red lines, no ba**s and a total lack of credibility in words or actions.


5 posted on 03/31/2014 1:35:39 PM PDT by chiefqc
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To: jazusamo

“president’s public warning to Syria of dire consequences”

I thought he explained it as a pin-prick strike?

We have had no foreign policy I can decipher in 6 years and Sowell unfortunately can explain something that is simply not there.

You simply cannot get there, from there.


6 posted on 03/31/2014 1:35:41 PM PDT by edcoil (Not a single republican was ever a slave owner. They were all democrats.)
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To: jazusamo
B-1B Rocks
7 posted on 03/31/2014 1:40:42 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: logic101.net

IF the lights dim any further in America, islam is ready to march.

Through Obama and his supportive beliefs, Iran is going nuclear.

Once islam marches, it will be hundreds of years. All technologies and advances will be destroyed as islam has done in the past.

We are deep into it with low hope of recovery.

On a relative basis, America was the model of hope for mankind.


8 posted on 03/31/2014 1:41:37 PM PDT by himno hero (hadnuff)
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To: jazusamo

What is his red line to get into another war or is he just a keyboard warrior?


9 posted on 03/31/2014 1:43:15 PM PDT by ex-snook (God forgives and forgets.)
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To: jazusamo

I’m livid that Obama is out campaigning for his boot lickers.


10 posted on 03/31/2014 1:48:08 PM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: jazusamo

Ping


11 posted on 03/31/2014 1:52:19 PM PDT by Rich21IE
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To: himno hero

I read Dreams when Hillary was still the presumptive Dem nominee in 2008. I realized then, this guy was really not culturally American as most here see it, but rather was Indonesian + Marxist.

Little that has come to pass has been much of a surprise since, other than the stupidity of the American electorate in 2008, and even more so in 2012, and the profound ability of the Court Media to sway events for the Dems.


12 posted on 03/31/2014 1:55:50 PM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: Sacajaweau

The morning after the Benghazi debacle he went to Las Vegas to campaign, that tells you where the bastards priorities are.


13 posted on 03/31/2014 1:59:37 PM PDT by jazusamo ([Obama] A Truly Great Phony -- Thomas Sowell http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3058949/posts)
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To: jazusamo

How foreign is it? Here’s how “foreign” it is:

From 1948 to 1992, the Holy Grail of Soviet Foreign Policy was to drive a wedge between the United States and Western Europe. They tried and always failed for the simple reason that so long as the USSR existed, their existence guaranteed the USA and Western Europe would stick together.

Putin is on the verge of cracking that relationship apart. He’s dealing with Merkel and freezing out 0bama.

That’s how foreign it is. 0bama is ready to allow a strategic defeat, the scope of which is so huge, it was unimaginable even during the Carter presidency.


14 posted on 03/31/2014 2:03:07 PM PDT by henkster (I don't like bossy women telling me what words I can't use.)
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To: jazusamo

It is about as foreign to our congress critters and zero as a trip out of the D.C. Beltway!


15 posted on 03/31/2014 2:09:38 PM PDT by Red_Devil 232 ((VietVet - USMC All Ready On The Right? All Ready On The Left? All Ready On The Firing Line!))
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To: henkster

Obama makes Carter look almost like a competent president.


16 posted on 03/31/2014 2:12:20 PM PDT by jazusamo ([Obama] A Truly Great Phony -- Thomas Sowell http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3058949/posts)
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To: jazusamo

I believe 0bama made Putin realize the Holy Grail could be within his grasp when he returned the bust of Churchill to the Brits. Those acts may look innocuous, but to people whose job it is to pay attention, like Putin, that seemingly little gesture said a whole lot.


17 posted on 03/31/2014 2:19:29 PM PDT by henkster (I don't like bossy women telling me what words I can't use.)
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To: henkster

Good point...For 0bama to blatantly pull a stunt like that should have tipped everyone off.


18 posted on 03/31/2014 2:29:02 PM PDT by jazusamo ([Obama] A Truly Great Phony -- Thomas Sowell http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3058949/posts)
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To: himno hero
You Canadians are very nice, but too up-tight.

So, our POTUS is a gay guy from Africa, a trust-fund baby with a transvestite homo nanny who raised him in Indonesia, who worked as a community organizer in a Chicago church basement, and is best friends with Bill Ayers and other Weathermen bomb-throwers. BFD.

Relax, what could pssibly go wrong?

19 posted on 03/31/2014 2:33:08 PM PDT by Kenny Bunk ( The Republican Party is very sick . Hold all contributions until we see who picks up the patient..)
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To: FreedomPoster

He may or may not have been “born” an American.

There can be no doubt he was not “raised” and American.


20 posted on 03/31/2014 2:33:47 PM PDT by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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