Posted on 03/23/2011 9:07:52 AM PDT by unseen1
A Republican former governor, solidly pro-Israel, is running for the White House, but mocked by the pundits for allegedly lacking foreign policy expertise yet ends up time and again being proved right on the major international issues of the day. Thinking Ronald Reagan?
Try Sarah Palin.
Nearly one month ago, the incumbent GOP vice presidential candidate became the first major American political figure to call for imposing a no-fly zone over Libya. Finally, in the past week, Palins idea was adopted by in quick succession the Arab League, the UN Security Council, and President Obama. Finally this week allied ordnance began striking Moammar Qaddhafis forces. Lets hope its not too late.
Libya is just the latest major foreign policy challenge where Gov. Palin has confounded her detractors and demonstrated that, just as with Reagan, good instincts and a sound worldview are what count when a leaders telephone rings at 3:00 a.m.
We call it the Palin Doctrine. Its based on the principles that allies should be supported, dictators reviled, terrorists hunted down and enemies defeated. It also means the western world will not stand by at the bloody repression of a democratic revolution.
These notions might be self-evident to some, but theyre not to President Obama, who cannot bring himself even to utter the words Islamist and terrorist in the same sentence. One of his top intelligence officials actually told Congress last month that the Muslim Brotherhood is a largely secular organization. Ms. Palin, by contrast, denounced as a shame the administrations offer to the Brotherhood of a seat at the table of power in Egypts newly evolving system.
Last week Governor and Mr. Palin were in New Delhi where she delivered the keynote address at a high-level political conclave. As the first visit to south Asia by a potential 2012 GOP contender, her attention was welcomed in a democracy justifiably concerned about the unstable behavior of Pakistan, its nuclear-armed neighbor to the northwest, and a China rapidly arming, under a regime where state capitalism and rigid control of political power go hand-in-hand.
The Palins stopover in Israel likewise came at a critical moment. In the wake of the Itamar massacre and the renewed rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza, Gov. Palin expressed only solidarity, even wearing a Star of David during her tours. She promised to return soon for a longer visit.
Contrast that with the behavior of Mr. Obama, who has yet, as President, even to visit the Jewish state, pays only lip service to the threat of ceaseless Palestinian incitement, and has returned to carping about the illegitimacy of Jews building houses where they already live.
Most important for the long term, Mrs. Palin has extensive experience administering energy policy, and proven success in tough negotiations with the giant energy firms, and the former Alaska governor always links U.S. security interests with responsible development of Americas abundant fuel resources.
The presidents most effective critic recently declared that his war on domestic oil and gas exploration and production has caused us pain at the pump, endangered our already sluggish economic recovery, and threatened our national security. In her India address Mrs. Palin chastised the White House aversion to energy development as a form of social engineering.
Jimmy Carters foreign policy was marked by indecision, weakness, and a the abandonment of long-standing U.S. Allies. The resolute Reagan Doctrine of peace through strength restored Americas standing in the world and brought down the Soviet empire without firing a shot. Barack Obamas foreign policy is looking more like Carters every day. And Sarah Palins looks more and more like Reagans.
I think her chances of winning are excellent -- unless the GOP establishment tries to give Obama a second term. Which wouldn't surprise me.
The no fly zone is absurd and not a great example of Palin judgment.
The best foreign policy move by far is to offer both sides in Libya just enough beans and bullets to keep gunning each other down... Forever if possible. Never let either side win, just keep the slaughter going. Hell, it’s the Muslim way.
yeah it’s never a good idea to hunt down and kill a murderer of Americans for the last 30 years when we have the chance. /s
“yeah its never a good idea to hunt down and kill a murderer of Americans for the last 30 years when we have the chance. /s”
Really? Who takes over the power vacuum? Al Qaeda? That’s fine because we now they have never ever murdered Americans./s
We have a precedent for this BTW. Iran/Iraq war. We kept both sides functional and shooting. Worked great until the war, sadly, as all wars must, stopped.
hmmm you might have missed the fact that Saddam invaded Kuwait and Arabia after the Iran/Iraq war requiring us to go in and fight two major wars in that area. Both countries Iran/Iraq came out stronger from that war not weaker. Iran is one of the strongest powers in the ME thanks to the Iran/Iraq war. As far as who fills in the power vaccuum. If we aren’t around we have no ability to determine that.
((Interest Ping))
Missing? No. That was over a decade later. Our mistake was letting that war end. We should have had them at each others throats again.
Iran helped to create Hezbollah its current leadership structure in 1988 the same year the war ended.
Both countries coming from a decade long war with many veterans and arms exported their fight across the Middle east the day after the war ended.
Timmy P said he was the first to call for a no fly zone.
I said to him through the television that I believe he was mistaken, he never replied.
You have no idea what you are talking about.
Palin do this day is the first and only one to call for the NFZ for the correct reason. The destruction of the American murdering dictator.
How is Sunni slaughtering Shiite a bad thing? Tell me. Please. Cause I want to know.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.