Posted on 08/26/2013 4:47:18 AM PDT by Netz
Resetting US foreign policy Jerusalem Post ^ | 08/22/2013 | CAROLINE GLICK
Never since Americas establishment has the US appeared so untrustworthy, destructive, irrelevant and impotent.
Aside from the carnage in Benghazi, the most enduring image from Hillary Clintons tenure as US secretary of state was the fake remote control she brought with her to Moscow in 2009 with the word Reset in misspelled Russian embossed on it.
Clintons gimmick was meant to show that under President Barack Obama, American foreign policy would be fundamentally transformed. Since Obama and Clinton blamed much of the worlds troubles on the misdeeds of their country, under their stewardship of US foreign policy, the US would reset everything.
Around the globe, all bets were off.
Five years later we realize that Clintons embarrassing gesture was not a gimmick, but a dead serious pledge. Throughout the world, the Obama administration has radically altered Americas policies.
And disaster has followed. Never since Americas establishment has the US appeared so untrustworthy, destructive, irrelevant and impotent.
Consider Syria. Wednesday was the one-year anniversary of Obamas pledge that the US would seek the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assads regime if Assad used chemical weapons against his opponents.
On Wednesday, Assads forces used chemical weapons against civilians around Damascus. According to opposition forces, well over a thousand people were murdered.
Out of habit, the eyes of the world turned to Washington. But Obama has no policy to offer. Obamas America can do nothing.
Americas powerlessness in Syria is largely Obamas fault. At the outset of the Syrian civil war two-and-a-half years ago, Obama outsourced the development of Syrias opposition forces to Turkeys Prime Minister Recep Erdogan. He had other options. A consortium of Syrian Kurds, moderate Sunnis, Christians and others came to Washington and begged for US assistance. But they were ignored.
Obamas decision to outsource the USs Syria policy owed to his twin goals of demonstrating that the US would no longer try to dictate international outcomes, and of allying the US with Islamic fundamentalists.
Both of these goals are transformative.
In the first instance, Obama believes that anti-Americanism stems from Americas actions. By accepting the mantel of global leadership, Obama believes the US insulted other nations. To mitigate their anger, the US should abdicate leadership.
As for courting Islamic fundamentalists, from his earliest days in office Obama insisted that since radical Islam is the most popular movement in the Islamic world, radical Islam is good. Radical Muslims are Americas friends.
Obama embraced Erdogan, an Islamic fascist who has won elections, as his closest ally and most trusted adviser in the Muslim world.
And so, with the full support of the US government, Erdogan stacked Syrias opposition forces with radical Muslims like himself. Within months the Muslim Brotherhood comprised the majority in Syrias US-sponsored opposition.
The Muslim Brotherhood has no problem collaborating with al-Qaida, because the latter was formed by Muslim Brothers.
It shares the Brotherhoods basic ideology.
Since al-Qaida has the most experienced fighters, its rise to leadership and domination of the Syrian opposition was a natural progression.
In other words, Obamas decision to have Turkey form the Syrian opposition led inevitably to the current situation in which the Iranian- and Russian-backed Syrian regime is fighting an opposition dominated by al-Qaida.
At this point, short of an Iraq-style US invasion of Syria and toppling of the regime, almost any move the US takes to overthrow the government will strengthen al-Qaida. So after a reported 1,300 people were killed by chemical weapons launched by the regime on Wednesday, the US has no constructive options for improving the situation.
A distressing aspect of Obamas embrace of Erdogan is that Erdogan has not tried to hide the fact that he seeks dictatorial powers and rejects the most basic norms of liberal democracy and civil rights.
Under the façade of democracy, Erdogan has transformed Turkey into one of the most repressive countries in the world. Leading businessmen, generals, journalists, parliamentarians and regular citizens have been systematically rounded up and accused of treason for their crime of opposing Turkeys transformation into an Islamic state. Young protesters demanding civil rights and an end to governmental corruption are beaten and arrested by police, and demonized by Erdogan. Following the overthrow of the Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt last month, Erdogan has openly admitted that he and his party are part and parcel of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Obamas approach to world affairs was doubtlessly shaped during his long sojourn in Americas elite universities.
Using the same elitist sensibilities that cause him to blame American arrogance for the worlds troubles, and embrace radical Islam as a positive force, Obama has applied conflict resolution techniques developed by professors in ivory towers to real world conflicts that cannot be resolved peacefully.
Obama believed he could use the USs close relationships with Israel and Turkey to bring about a rapprochement between the former allies. But he was wrong. The Turkish-Israeli alliance ended because Erdogan is a virulent Jew-hater who seeks Israels destruction, not because of a misunderstanding.
Obama forced Israel to apologize for defending itself against Turkish aggression, believing that Erdogan would then reinstate full diplomatic relations with the Jewish state. Instead, Erdogan continued his assault on Israel, most recently accusing it of organizing the military coup in Egypt and the anti- Erdogan street protests in Turkey.
As for Egypt, as with Syria, Obamas foreign policy vision for the US has left Washington with no options for improving the situation on the ground or for securing its own strategic interests. To advance his goal of empowering the Muslim Brotherhood, Obama pushed the Egyptian military to overthrow the regime of US ally Hosni Mubarak and so paved the way for elections that brought the Muslim Brotherhood to power.
Today he opposes the military coup that ousted the Muslim Brotherhood government.
The US claims that it opposes the coup because the military has trampled democracy and human rights. But it is all but silent in the face of the Muslim Brotherhoods own trampling of the human rights of Egypts Christian minority.
Obama ignores the fact that Mohamed Morsi governed as a tyrant far worse than Mubarak.
Ignoring the fact that neither side can share power with the other, the US insists the Brotherhood and the military negotiate an agreement to do just that. And so both sides hate and distrust the US.
Wresting an Israeli apology to Turkey was Obamas only accomplishment during his trip to Israel in March. Secretary of State John Kerrys one accomplishment since entering office was to restart negotiations between Israel and the PLO. Just as the consequence of Israels apology to Turkey was an escalation of Turkeys anti- Israel and anti-Semitic rhetoric, so the consequence of Kerrys accomplishment will be the escalation of Palestinian terrorism and political warfare against Israel.
As Jonathan Tobin noted Wednesday in Commentary, to secure Palestinian agreement to reinstate negotiations, not only did Kerry force Israel to agree to release more than a thousand Palestinian terrorists from prison. He put the US on record supporting the Palestinians territorial demands. In so doing, Kerry locked the US into a position of blaming Israel once the talks fail. When the Palestinians escalate their political and terrorist campaign against Israel, they will use Kerrys pledges as a means of justifying their actions.
The current round of talks will fail of course because like the Turks, the Syrians and the Egyptians, the Palestinians are not interested in resolving their conflict.
They are interested in winning it. They do not want a state. They want to supplant Israel.
Clintons Reset button was played up as a gimmick. But it was a solemn oath. And it was fulfilled. And as a result, the world is a much more violent and dangerous place. The US and its allies are more threatened. The USs enemies from Moscow to Tehran to Venezuela are emboldened.
The time has come to develop the basis for a future US policy that would represent a reset of Obamas catastrophic actions and attitudes. Given the damage US power and prestige has already suffered, and given that Obama is unlikely to change course in his remaining three years in power, it is clear that reverting to George W. Bushs foreign policy of sometimes fighting a war on nebulous terrorists and sometimes appeasing them will not be sufficient to repair the damage.
The US must not exchange strategic insanity with strategic inconsistency.
Instead, a careful, limited policy based on no-risk and low-risk moves that send clear messages and secure clear interests is in order.
The most obvious no-risk move would be to embrace Israel as Americas most vital and only trustworthy ally in the region. By fully supporting Israel not only would the US strengthen its own position by strengthening the position of the only state in the Middle East that shares its enemies, its interests and its values.
Washington would send a strong signal to states throughout the region and the world that the US can again be trusted.
This support would also secure clear US strategic interests by providing Israel with the political backing it requires to eliminate Irans nuclear program. Moreover, it would bring coherence to the USs counter-terror strategy by ending US support for Palestinian statehood. Instead, the US would support the institution of the rule of law and liberal norms of government in Palestinian society by supporting the application of Israels liberal legal code over Judea and Samaria.
Another no-risk move is to support former Soviet satellite states that are now members of NATO. Here, too, the US would be taking an action that is clear and involves no risk. Russia would have few options for opposing such a move. And the US could go a long way toward rebuilding its tattered reputation.
Low risk moves include supporting minorities that do not have a history of violent anti-Americanism and are, in general, opposed to Islamic fascism.
Such groups include the Kurds. In Syria, Iraq, Turkey and Iran, the Kurds represent a national group that has proven its ability to self-govern and to oppose tyranny. With certain, easily identified exceptions, the stronger the Kurds are, the weaker anti-American forces become.
Then there are the Christians. The plight of the Christians in the Islamic world is one of the most depressing chapters in the recent history of the region. In country after country, previously large and relatively peaceful, if discriminated against, Christian minorities are being slaughtered and forced to flee.
The US has done next to nothing to defend them.
Strong, forthright statements of support for Christian communities and condemnations of persecution, including rape, forced conversions, massacre, extortion and destruction of church and private Christian-owned property from Egypt to Indonesia to Pakistan to the Palestinian Authority would make a difference in the lives of millions of people.
It would also go some way toward rehabilitating the USs reputation as a champion of human rights, after Obamas embrace of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Under Obama, America has made itself worse than irrelevant. In country after country, it has become dangerous to be a US ally. The world as a whole is a much more dangerous place as a consequence.
Nothing short of a fundamental transformation of US foreign policy will suffice to begin to repair the damage.
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Syria is not our problem. If Israel is so concerned let them do something about it. I’m tired of the US carrying Israel’s water.
Obama hasn’t got a clue.
It isn’t bad enough that America voted in a thing that was incompetent, racist, pro-Homo and stupid.
Then this failure started appointing his Cabinet. What did he appoint? People who were incompetent , racist, and Pro-homo.
No person can be successful when he appoints people who cannot make him look good. Success in a job as important and large as the Presidency is dependent on good advice, good performance in those under you and competence of subordinates.
Obama is a failure because he has an administration of his own making who cannot cut the mustard.
He fired all of the good military leadership and replaced them with brown nosers, His Agencies are filled with Brown nosers, and liberals, and the Congress is totally inept, but we cannot blame that on Obama, we picked them.
Superb piece — made my public bookmarks.
Thanks for the post.
“Never since Americas establishment has the US appeared so untrustworthy, destructive, irrelevant and impotent.”
The big question: was this intentional or not? (Evil or stupid.)
“.......his remaining three years in power”
Don’t take for granted that this is true. Other than his laziness, I see nothing in 0 to make me believe that he will leave power willingly. I see nothing in the current opposition party or media that tells me they’ll force him out.
What IS required are the maintenance of (what is called) the “qualitative edge” which eroded once Egypt and Saudi Arabia got F-15s and F-16s...
Israel has proven many times and during this current Islamic Winter in the Mid-East that she is America's ONLY, RELIABLE, STABLE, PRO-WESTERN, DEMOCRATIC, PLURALISTIC, FREE THINKING ally of the US in the entire region.
What she does ask for is advanced weapons, and an American President who can support her, in deeds and promises.
The most recent pressuring of Israel to APOLOGIZE to Turkey for her supporting the Jihadist Flotilla to Gaza has once again, proven to be a sham with Erdogan stepping up the anti-Israel rhetoric. Obama promised Bibi Netanyahu that by apologizing, the Turks would normalize relations with Israel - friggin’ liars!
Israel will probably have to take on Iran alone as no other power is willing to take a stand against Iran. Mind you, once Iran gets the bomb, you won't be safe anywhere on the planet and they will strangle/blackmail the USA. The Iranians are already taunting Obama, imagine what they WILL do once they join the Nuke Club!
Very good article. Thanks for posting. Representatives unconnected to the founding principles of the republic, have forced us into the most effed-up foreign and domestic quagmires in our nation’s history.
...and the Congress is totally inept, but we cannot blame that on Obama, we picked them.
Some of us did not make poor electoral selections but we are a minority.
Too bad this can’t be more widespread. Nobody wants to wake from the slumber...thanks.
Then they should quit their year long campaign of begging us to intervene in Syria and do it themselves.
This situation is far worse than what we faced during the Carter years, as our enemies are many in number and multi-faceted. The most distressing part of it all is, unlike in 1980, American voters don’t understand the peril the nation faces if it continues down this distructive road.
I think the only real “begging” they’ve (the Israelis) done is regarding Iran which is a direct and clear threat to US interests. It’s coming, the bomb is almost here.
The only people asking Obama to intervene in Syria is the Arab world, UN and Europe. They do expect America to take the lead but have learned that this President is unreliable.
The world is watching how we react with Syria. This will be the sign of what we (won't) do regarding Iran and THAT is not a game-changer, that is a planet-changer and Barakeh Obama refuses to step up to the plate.
He is in the on-deck circle, with a heavy doughnut on his bat on his shoulders (the Presidency) and instead of following the game, he's looking up into the sun, the pigeons on the stadium roof saying, “Gosh, look at ail those birds”.
Great article and completely on target. Thank you!
I mourn for my beautiful America....we have become a 3rd world country in such a few nightmarish years! :(
Everyone was saying the same thing about clinton and the sink-meister left when told.
Can we make it back?
Can we propel ourselves into our former selves and abilities?
Is this it?
Are we finished?
What can be done to restore the luster, pride and “Can do” attitude?
I do not know. All I see is a society obsessed with the Kardishan family and trivial things (as pointed out by the distinguished Professor Victor David Hanson).
Are we too in debt, too burdened down? Will electing a Conservative in 2016 help at all?
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