Posted by Tina
Karl Rove has been doing political analysis for Fox News and a number of democrat pundits have expressed surprise at his fair-handed commentary. It doesnt surprise me hes a decent guy and very smart. Mr. Rove is also writing columns for the Wall Street Journal. The piece below offers some very good advice to Barack Obama whose performance on foreign policy matters of late have shown him to be a light weight in this area:
Obama’s Troubling Instincts, by Karl Rove
On Sunday at a stop in Oregon, Sen. Obama was dismissive of the threats posed by Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba and Syria. That’s the same Iran whose Quds Force is arming and training insurgents and illegal militias in Iraq to kill American soldiers; that is supporting Hezbollah and Hamas in violent attacks on Lebanon and Israel; and that is racing to develop a nuclear weapon while threatening the “annihilation” of Israel. ** By Monday in Montana, Mr. Obama recognized his error. He abruptly changed course, admitting that Iran represents a threat to the region and U.S. interests. ** Voters need to ask if Sunday’s comments, not Monday’s correction, aren’t the best evidence of his true thinking. ** I recommend that he read Henry Kissinger’s book, “The White House Years.” Mr. Obama would learn it took 134 private meetings between U.S. and Chinese diplomats before a breakthrough at a Jan. 20, 1970 meeting in Warsaw. It took 18 months of behind-the-scenes discussions before Mr. Kissinger secretly visited Beijing. And it took seven more months of hard work before Nixon went to China. The result was a new relationship, announced in a communiqu worked out over months of careful diplomacy. ** The Chinese didn’t change because of a presidential visit. In another book, “Diplomacy,” Mr. Kissinger writes that “China was induced to rejoin the community of nations less by the prospect of dialogue with the United States than by fear of being attacked by its ostensible ally, the Soviet Union.” Change came because the U.S. convinced Beijing it was in its interest to change. Then the president visited.
When it comes to foreign policy decisions Im not sure in these dangerous times that we can afford a learn as you go president. Now he’s saying his words have been distorted but making excuses by blaming others isn’t very presidential either.
I keep wondering why this talented, educated man didnt wait to run for president until he matured a little and had more experience. Time is on his sidehe could have spent the next four to eight years learning and building a more solid foundation for this important job. Perhaps the history making aspect of being the first was something he was afraid hed lose? Too late for now…he’d be wise to listen to Karl.