Guest editorial: Whither US foreign policy…?

by Alan Swinger

Since the Obama Administration has defaulted to a Foreign Policy of Disengagement, the United States is rapidly heading for the ash heap of irrelevance. Just look at some of the recent events that are indicative of this abrogation of our position of pre-eminence in the world:

–        Radical Islamist riots in Cairo targeting the US embassy beginning on 11 Sep, followed quickly by the Benghazi Libya riots that resulted in the death of our Ambassador and three other Americans.

–        The continuation of these riots plus anti-American riots around the world in other Muslim countries as well as Australia and England.

–        Refusal by China and Russia to support US proposals in the UN to assist anti-Assad Forces in Syria; so the result is US inaction to stop the slaughter.

–        Chinese leadership rebuff of SECSTATE—Clinton’s proposal for settlement of South China Sea multi-national claims on the Spratly Islands—resulting in continuing military confrontation among China, the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia. US follow-up is to announce a shift of more Navy/Marine forces to the Pacific, which is fiction since all are committed to the current war in Afghanistan and impending Defense budget cuts will reduce force levels…no spare assets.

–        The Obama administration has sent clear disengagement signals to the Muslim world:

• The US completely pulled-out all troops from Iraq, leaving no residual force to watch our investment.  An obvious result is Maliki’s refusal of a request by the US VP to halt Iranian over flights to Syria that are reinforcing Assad’s killing machine. Iraq has chosen to go with the Iranian Mullahs.
• We set a 2014 pull-out date in Afghanistan by which all US troops will be gone, and our remaining surge troops left the week of 9/17. So the Taliban can simply wait us out.
• Mr. Obama cut $400+B from current Dept. of Defense funding which has already had negative readiness effects. The impending Sequester, which Obama supports and has threatened to Veto any Congressional fix to Defense, will cut another ~$600B from Defense starting in 2013. This will reduce our military force structure in all the services to levels not seen since post World War II, and since WWI for the Navy – a fact noted by our enemies. Defense contractors have announced resultant employee layoffs of several Hundred-Thousand, which will only exacerbate the Obama administration’s 40+ months of an unemployment rate over 8%.
• Mr. Obama has been reluctant to find time to meet with Israeli PM Netanyahu during the UN conference in New York …another snub to our only real ally in the Mid-East.

This partial list of signals and actions makes it clear that the US is becoming a paper tiger in deeds and already is in Will Power…making us untrustworthy as an Ally. So, radical Islamists are rushing in to re-take and destabilize what US taxpayers and our military have paid for with mega-bucks and thousands of lives to stabilize! The result is that Mr. Obama has implemented negative “Change” to the US preeminent position on the World stage – probably more than any predecessor.

Also recently seen on TV was the Space Shuttle Endeavor’s last airborne trip to become a museum piece in Los Angeles without replacement. So now we must depend on the Russians for manned space flight, the very country the USA defeated in the Cold War. So, Mr. Obama, your “Change” has neutered our foreign policy, is working to dismantle our military capability, and has forfeited our lead in Space. Your “Forward” motto has proven to be a step backward and has signaled to the world a weak USA.  Then, there is the economy and continuing high unemployment…so the US needs a change in who is President;  one who will restore the nation’s leadership and preeminence!