Rookie mistakes again: Obama owns appeasement

Hot Air ^ | May 16, 2008 | Ed Morrissey

[2ndDivisionVet]

George Bush seems to have really rattled Barack Obama and the Democratic Party with his speech yesterday in the Israeli Knesset. Rather than ignoring Bush’s argument against appeasement, or adopting it, Barack Obama has declared that Bush intended his denunciation of appeasement as an attack on his campaign, even though Bush never even mentioned the nationality of modern appeasers in his speech. Obama lashed out in a speech today, calling Bush’s rhetoric “appalling”: Barack Obama has called President Bush’s comments on appeasement “exactly the kind of appalling attack that’s divided our country and alienates us from the rest of the world.”

Obama criticized Republican rival John McCain and President Bush for “dishonest and divisive” attacks in hinting that the Democratic presidential candidate would appease terrorists.

Obama strongly responded Friday to the comments Bush made in Israel on Thursday and McCain’s subsequent words. Obama told a town hall meeting, “That’s the kind of hypocrisy that we’ve been seeing in our foreign policy, the kind of fear-peddling, fear mongering that has prevented us from actually making us safer.” … Yesterday, Obama accused President Bush of “a false political attack” after Bush warned in Israel against appeasing terrorists — early salvos in a general election campaign that’s already blazing even as the Democratic front-runner tries to sew up his party’s nomination.

But Bush never mentioned any specific person in his speech today, and didn’t even specify that he was referring to Americans. Newsbusters has the full transcript, with this relevant part of the speech. Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along. We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: “Lord, if I could only have talked to Hitler, all this might have been avoided.”

We have an obligation to call this what it is — the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history.

Some people suggest if the United States would just break ties with Israel, all our problems in the Middle East would go away. This is a tired argument that buys into the propaganda of the enemies of peace, and America utterly rejects it. Israel’s population may be just over 7 million. But when you confront terror and evil, you are 307 million strong, because the United States of America stands with you.

No one in the US who runs for public office has suggested that the US break with Israel to appease terrorists. Obama certainly hasn’t suggested that, and perhaps apart from the really lunatic fringes of both Left and Right, that notion doesn’t get any oxygen at all here. Obviously, Bush wasn’t referring to American politicians in this passage, but instead politicians in Europe and elsewhere who have either an animus towards Israel or appreciation for dhimmitude. Nothing — and I mean nothing — in this speech points to any candidate or the Democratic Party, unless they identify themselves as the reference.

Obama and his surrogates drew those connections themselves. Instead of acknowledging the historical truth of appeasement’s failures, they chose to argue with it. Obama could have taken the smart route and embraced it to explain how he understands the lessons of appeasement, which is why his talks with Iran would not result in it. Instead, he got volcanically defensive, which suggests that even Obama sees the parallels between his everything’s-on-the-table approach and the Chamberlain diplomacy which resulted in dismantling Czechoslovakia.

And if Obama considers discussion of foreign policy “divisive”, then he should hie himself right back to Academia. Guess what, Senator? Presidential elections focus on foreign-policy principles, and if you can’t defend yours, then you have no business running for office.

Update: Newt Gingrich calls this a study in guilt: (VIDEO)

Update II: Marc Ambinder reports that Bush meant to scold Jimmy Carter for his recent visit with Hamas, as Ed Gillespie explained to reporters in Saudi Arabia: “We did not anticipate that it would be taken that way, because its kind of hard to take it that way when you look at the actual words. … There was some anticipation that someone might say you know its an expression of rebuke to former President Carter for having met with Hamas. that was something that was anticipated but no one wrote about it or raised it.”

And if one actually reads what Bush said, that interpretation looks a lot more likely than a supposed attack on Obama. Carter had just hugged Khaled Mashaal in Damascus and insisted that the US should open a dialogue with Hamas.

Barack Obama, meanwhile, continues to embarrass himself today at a presser on an attack that never was.

[elhombrelibre]

It's his wife's treatise declaring, as it does:

"Earlier in my college career, there was no doubt in my mind that as a member of the Black community I was somehow obligated to this community and would use all of my present and future resources to benefit this community first and foremost. My experiences at Princeton have made me more aware of my “Blackness” than ever before.

In short, she is a black chauvinist, and he's an elitist twit given to haughty pontificating on the rural rubes if he thinks no one is listening but his Leftwing choir.

[TheWasteLand]

In short, she is a black chauvinist, and he's an elitist twit given to haughty pontificating on the rural rubes if he thinks no one is listening but his Leftwing choir.

Good summary ;)

To me, one of the most surprising things about Obama is that it appears he may be genuinely stupid. One can only have so many rookie mistakes and inexperienced gaffs after all. One could blame it on a tin ear as a result of his effete elitism, but I'm beginning to think there is a simpler answer - he's simply a stupid man.

[Jeff F]

One of Obama's greatest strengths is talent for turning his glaring weaknesses into his opponents' problems. He has been quite effective in being able to take a number issues, such as his minister, his wife, his name, his Islamic background, his liberalism, and removing these from the list of allowed criticisms.

This business about appearing to overreact to Bush's mild comments is not so much about being overly paranoid or sensitive. Instead it is a three part strategy:

1) Show that he tough enough to fight back anything the Republicans throw his way. Obama supporters have worried that he does not have a killer instinct. After all, he has not been able to fight dirty with Hillary for fear of alienating her voters. Now he is trying to show he can be even tougher than McCain. He is aided by McCain's strategy of kid gloving his criticisms of Obama out of fear of being thought a racist;

2) He is maneuvering to take this issue and his general foreign policy weakness off the table of allowed criticisms. He has a good deal of help from the press in this effort;

3) Most importantly, Obama is trying to turn his core weakness of being seen as an appeaser and poor defender of America into Bush's, and most of all McCain's, problem. The country is broadly tired of the war and generally blames Bush for it. Obama is trying to generalize the dislike for Bush redirecting this anger against all conservative approaches to problems both foreign and domestic. In a classic Obama Jujitsu maneuver, he is seeking to turn his opponent's greatest strengths (foreign policy expertise, war experience, and manly approach to defending America), into McCain's core weaknesses. If McCain pulls a Bush and refuses to attack this stratagem head on, then he will likely be toast.

[Enterprise]

“Appeasement in our time” - Neville Carbama, assuring the American public after a conference with Imawackonutjob.”

[Enterprise]

Barry and Michelle

Each is a twit

They're stupid as hell

and they're both full of ....!

[Jabba the Nutt]

"...an American senator declared: “Lord, if I could only have talked to Hitler, all this might have been avoided.”"

With the politics of that day, this Senator was probably a Republican. It was during this period that the Democrat Liberals set up the House Un-American Activities Committee to investigate isolationist Republicans for their connections to the Nazis. Republicans later used HUAC to look into the Democrat's connections to the communists, another foreign totalitarian ideology. Then, of course, HUAC became evil, McCarthyite, etc., etc., etc.

[cajungirl]

Humble narcissism? Good phrase.

I call it the vanity of humility.

That is exactly what Obama is using,,he thinks it is moral to denigrate the US strength.

This man is a fool of academic liberalism. And will kill you if you get in the way.

[Jabba the Nutt]

Your analysis of McCain is correct, but you miss what he defends. McCain defends his fellow Senators, who are in the club. McCain attacked the SwiftBoat Vets to defend his friend John Kerry. Keep an eye out on what McCain finds off limits, it’ll be attacks on Senators and that’s it.

[CaspersGh0sts]

“I’ve gone through the Bob Dole campaign once in my life...I don’t need to see it again.”

Sadly, we lost our two best zingers in Fred Thompson and Mitt Romney. One thing that impressed me about both of those guys is that they came out swinging at the Democrats and were generally true to their targets.

We shall see. McCain’s spokesman actually delivered a pretty good line himself in this piece.

[elhombrelibre]

Thanks. Obama is crass in the same way that Jimmy Carter is. They'd both rather be loved and admired by those who hate America than make what is for them the unseemly and jingoistic gesture of putting American interests ahead of dictators and religious bigots.

[Eye On The Left]

Obama Pledges Cuts in Missile Defense, Space, and Nuclear Weapons Programs

February 29, 2008 :: News
MissileThreat.com

A video has surfaced of Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama talking on his plans for strategic issues such as nuclear weapons and missile defense.

The full text from the video, as released, reads as follows:

Thanks so much for the Caucus4Priorities, for the great work you've been doing. As president, I will end misguided defense policies and stand with Caucus4Priorities in fighting special interests in Washington.

First, I'll stop spending $9 billion a month in Iraq. I'm the only major candidate who opposed this war from the beginning. And as president I will end it.[i.e. not win it]

Second, I will cut tens of billions of dollars in wasteful spending.

I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems.

I will not weaponize space.

I will slow our development of future combat systems.

And I will institute an independent "Defense Priorities Board" to ensure that the Quadrennial Defense Review is not used to justify unnecessary spending.

Third, I will set a goal of a world without nuclear weapons. To seek that goal, I will not develop new nuclear weapons; I will seek a global ban on the production of fissile material; and I will negotiate with Russia to take our ICBMs off hair-trigger alert, and to achieve deep cuts in our nuclear arsenals.

You know where I stand. I've fought for open, ethical and accountable government my entire public life. I don't switch positions or make promises that can't be kept. I don't posture on defense policy and I don't take money from federal lobbyists for powerful defense contractors. As president, my sole priority for defense spending will be protecting the American people. Thanks so much.

Article: Obama Pledges Cuts in Missile Defense, Space, and Nuclear Weapons Programs:
http://missilethreat.com/archives/id.7086/detail.asp

"MissileThreat.com is a project of The Claremont Institute devoted to understanding and promoting the requirements for the strategic defense of the United States."

_____________________________________________________________

Obama Promises to Dismantle Our Armed Forces
by Robert Maginnis
Posted 04/10/2008 ET

(Mr. Maginnis is a retired Army lieutenant colonel, a national security and foreign affairs analyst for radio and television and a senior strategist with the U.S. Army)

YouTube has an undated 52-second clip of Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barrack Obama outlining his plans for America’s national defense. Obama’s presentation demonstrates either total naivete about important national security programs or he is just pandering for votes among the extreme left.
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?print=yes&id=25942

Note: Although I sent Human Events the ORIGINAL youtube video several weeks ago (original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o84PE871BE ) and asked that they replace the copy they refer to (copy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl32Y7wDVDs ), they still have not yet done so. The original comes directly from the Obama camp itself and so is a lot more credible (some people (mostly liberals) have accused it (the copy) of being a fake). In any case, Col Maginnis does an excellent in-depth must read analysis of Obama's proposed defense policies (see: http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?print=yes&id=25942).

___________________________________________________________

From "45 Communist Goals":
Congressional Record--Appendix, pp. A34-A35
January 10, 1963:

1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament [by] the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

'Goals' 4-45 can be found here or at many other sites through a web search for "45 goals":
http://www.uhuh.com/nwo/communism/comgoals.htm

___________________________________________________________

From the Sino-Russian Joint Statement of April 23, 1997:
"The two sides [China and Russia] shall, in the spirit of partnership, strive to promote the multipolarization of the world and the establishment of a new international order." http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/HI29Ag01.html

From the Russian News and Information Agency:
"'I am determined to expand relations with Russia,' Chavez, known as an outspoken critic of what he calls the United States' unilateralism, told the Russian leader, adding that his determination stemmed from their shared vision of the global order.":
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20060727/51913498.html

From National Public Radio (NPR):
"Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has been visiting countries such as China, Iran and Russia as part of an effort to build a 'strategic alliance' of interests not beholden to the United States. He considers the United States his arch enemy.":
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5729764

Russia, China flex muscles in joint war games
Reuters: Aug 17, 2007

CHEBARKUL, Russia (Reuters) - Russia and China staged their biggest joint exercises on Friday but denied this show of military prowess could lead to the formation of a counterweight to NATO.

"Today's exercises are another step towards strengthening the relations between our countries, a step towards strengthening international peace and security, and first and foremost, the security of our peoples," Putin said.

Fighter jets swooped overhead, commandos jumped from helicopters on to rooftops and the boom of artillery shells shook the firing range in Russia's Ural mountains as two of the largest armies in the world were put through their paces.

The exercises take place against a backdrop of mounting rivalry between the West, and Russia and China for influence over Central Asia, a strategic region that has huge oil, gas and mineral resources.

Russia's growing assertiveness is also causing jitters in the West. Putin announced at the firing range that Russia was resuming Soviet-era sorties by its strategic bomber aircraft near NATO airspace.
http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-29030120070817?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

U.S. Navy Intercepts Russian Bombers Flying Near Ships
Monday, February 11, 2008
WASHINGTON (Associated Press) U.S. fighter planes intercepted two Russian bombers flying unusually close to an American aircraft carrier in the western Pacific during the weekend, The Associated Press has learned.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,330362,00.html

"the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century" -Russian leader Vladimir Putin on the collapse of the Soviet Union...
"World democratic opinion has yet to realize the alarming implications of President Vladimir Putin's State of the Union speech on April 25, 2005, in which he said that the collapse of the Soviet Union represented the 'greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century.'
http://www.hooverdigest.org/053/beichman.html

New Pentagon Report: China's Growing Military Space Power
By Leonard David
Special Correspondent, SPACE.com
March 6, 2008

GOLDEN, Colorado — A just-released Pentagon report spotlights a growing U.S. military concern that China is developing a multi- dimensional program to limit or prevent the use of space-based assets by its potential adversaries during times of crisis or conflict.

Furthermore, last year's successful test by China of a direct-ascent, anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon to destroy its own defunct weather satellite, the report adds, underscores that country's expansion from the land, air, and sea dimensions of the traditional battlefield into the space and cyber-space domains.

Although China's commercial space program has utility for non- military research, that capability demonstrates space launch and control know-how that have direct military application. Even the Chang'e 1 — the Chinese lunar probe now circling the Moon — is flagged in the report as showcasing China's ability "to conduct complicated space maneuvers — a capability which has broad implications for military counterspace operations."

To read the entire publication [29.67MB/pdf], go to (U.S. Dept of Defense) :
http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/pdfs/China_Military_Report_08.pdf

[Old Sarge]

Israel’s population may be just over 7 million. But when you confront terror and evil, you are 307 million strong, because the United States of America stands with you.

No, you are only 9 million strong - the US military has 2 million. The rest of the country could care less, because American Idol is on.

America's military went to war - the rest of America went to the mall.

[iopscusa]

The IA audio clips I heard after the appeasement kerfuffle show the true Obama. He umm’s and ahh’s and stumbles through his defense and makes no sense in trying to prove the negative. IMO he cannot take a punch and keeping him angry anf off balance will take a toll.

[FunkyZero]

"He admitted he owns appeasement by wearing the shoe" This is the part that really cracks me up. Reminds me of being on the bus in grade school and yelling "hey dummy" to see who would turn around and respond.

This is one arrogant sob... he really believes it's all about him.

[GeorgiaDawg32]

it’s satire..

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

“Ouch! Sounds like Obama has an Achilles Heel that McCain should take advantage of.

Hey, Obama, you also have big ears!

[SilvieWaldorfMD]

ENGLISH:

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0508/Obama_He_Understands_Us.html

SPANISH:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/pr_nosentiende_ad/

[cricket]

Wow. . .could have fooled me. . .;^)