President Obama and French President Sarkozy heard national anthems while reviewing troops in Strasbourg last year. The two are set to meet again March 30. Jason Reed/ReutersFor Obama, No Buddies Abroad -- Christian Science Monitor
Other U.S. presidents have bonded with foreign leaders, but Obama so far has no such ties. Does that matter?
When French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni, sit down for dinner with the Obamas in the White House family dining room March 30, it will be a rare occasion for Barack Obama: a private, personal, perhaps even chatty evening with another world leader.
Fourteen months into the Obama presidency, one striking feature of an American president who took office to a swooning world is the absence of any strong personal ties – or even a go-to working relationship – with any other world leader.
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My Comment: When President Bush was President, I heard ad nausea from publications like the Christian Science Monitor that he was a unilateralist US President that was adopting cowboy diplomacy towarsd foreign policy with no regard to our allies .... even though he .... more than most Presidents in the past, devoted an enormous amount of time and was ultimately successful in assembling coalitions for both Iraq and Afghanistan as well as on numerous other foreign policies.
Now that we have a definite unilateralist as a President .... we are now told that this may not make a difference!?!?!?!?!
Sheeessshhh .... c'mon .... make up your mind.
What is my take .... personal relations for leaders are important during times of crisis. The entire purpose of meetings like the G8, G20, NATO and UN assemblies, etc. is to forge these relationships. Unfortunately for the US, this approach has been abdicated by this President to focus more on negotiating with foreign leaders on a one to one relationship over certain key issues.
For example .... with President Medvedev it is on nuclear arms agreements. With China it is economic and monetary issues. With Israel it is peace process. etc.
There are some benefits with such an approach, but again .... in the event of a crisis .... these same leaders will not be accommodating ....in fact .... they may just be indifferent. Why help someone who is not a friend when your interests are not at stake .... I know that I would not. But ..... if it is a friend or confident who is asking for your help .... even when your own self interests are not at stake .... to say no will be very difficult if not impossible.
5 comments:
ok that was just the most retarded comment I have read today.
Thank you Mark.
I was born and brought up in Europe and comments about European thinking from Americans "pundits" makes me scratch my head too.
Sorry, I hate to rant on low life monkey nuts with bad speeling. Try this, you all.
Are your heads in an editorial bag? I happen to respect the president of my country, despite my opposition to his party. However, I do not have similar feelings towards the leaders or voting public of europe (I'll give the Dutch and the Danes a pass, they seem to have things together. As do the military of the United Kingdom and the professional soldiers of Germany).
Step up to the plate or the wickets and show us what you have. If you want to let the side down so far as your daughters live under Shiate law, then be my guest.
Thank you Bigsoxfan for your comments.
As a Canadian (whose nationality is Russian) I look at the world through a non-US prism. I do not care if there is a Republican in the White House, or a Democrat. I do not care if the Democrats control the Congress ..... or the Republicans. I have zero loyalties to any of these groups, my loyalties are to Canada and to the incredible good life that I enjoy here. I also worship freedom, free markets, and a tax burden that will not destroy my financial freedom.
This blog is a commentary on war/military/political trends .... with the US being the number one focus of my attention for the simple reason being that they are involved in multiple conflicts, wars, and disputes. The US is the 800lb gorilla in the room .... and I do not ignore it.
As for President Obama .... I have lived long enough to have met his type (and the policies that they promote) in Europe and Canada. He is predictable .... and when he is finished (in 2012 or 2016) many people will be shaking their heads wondering how such a man was able to be elected and given a mandate by the people of the United States to do the things that he is doing now.
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