Family Security Matters » Publications » Exclusive: Obama’s Foreign Policy Disaster

Family Security Matters » Publications » Exclusive: Obama’s Foreign Policy Disaster

All governmental departments – such as State, Commerce, Defense, et al – review Presidential speeches before they are delivered and make comments. When Ronald Reagan prepared to label the Soviet Union the "Evil Empire," every single department objected and said he must delete the phrase.


He overruled them and delivered a historic speech which helped win the cold war. Every media outlet, every pundit and most government officials were apoplectic. They said the nuclear clock was moved forward (indicating a greater chance of nuclear war), relations would never be the same, an unprecedented provocation had occurred, and so forth. In the real world however, the Soviets had to defend themselves, and since they really were an evil empire, they failed miserably. This hastened the fall of the Berlin Wall, and as is always the case when freedom triumphs, the world moved closer to peace and stability.

If the United States stands for anything, it stands for human rights and freedom. These values have guided us and served us throughout history. Because of this the most talented, brightest people in the world have always wanted to come here. We are indeed a shining city on the hill. Yes, there has been bitterness and anger directed towards us. But with the exception of the Arab countries, the anger primarily comes from the intellectual elite and their governments. Even the intellectual elite here at home, huge beneficiaries of the country's goodness, are as hateful towards us as their counterparts in Europe. Still, only a portion of the citizenry in most of the world has been convinced that we are the evil Satan; a large number admire and respect us. Iran is a perfect example. With all the hateful rhetoric coming from their leadership, the population overwhelmingly supports us and our ideals. Why then has President Obama completely abandoned them?

First he gave his speech in Egypt where he made absurd claims about the state of relations between the U.S. and Islam, followed by his deafening silence on the issue of terrorism. His failure to visit Israel sent out a clear message that the new U.S. policy has shifted towards the anti-Semitic European position, drawing a moral equivalence between the Israelis and the terrorists. This has been the radical left’s position for years and our State Department, although more moderate, has always lent a sympathetic ear. But whereas former Presidents overruled State and maintained a pro-Israeli, pro-democracy, pro-freedom, pro-human rights, anti-terrorism policy, this President has not just adopted State's position, he has become even more extreme to the left.

Not only does Israel hold the moral high ground in their dispute, but their existence is a vital part of our national defense, particularly in the war on terror. In the Middle East, Israeli intelligence is far superior to ours, and they share it with us. Their military would take the first hit if war broke out in the region, allowing our interests to be protected quickly and without the entire military burden falling on us. They are a strong, reliable American outpost. So whether we choose to be idealists, or practice realpolitik, Israel is our natural ally.

Second, Obama's response to the Iranian election is frightening. Once again he voted “present.” He tip-toed around, condemning the regime or saying that the election was stolen, in stark contrast to most every Western nation that clearly went on the record to condemn the regime. His apologists argue that he is preserving a semblance of normalcy with the Iranian government, but since when can relations between a freedom-loving democracy and a Sharia-loving theocracy be “normal”? After throwing Israel under the bus, he throws the Iranian demonstrators (the group that supports the United States) under the same bus, and hopes that the Supreme Council (Iran's ruling body which really does believe we are the Great Satan) decides to modify its attitude and moderate its behavior. It is a fantasy to believe they will change their attitude towards us, whom they believe – as a matter of their religious teachings and cultural practices – are inherently evil. So naturally, in spite of the President's gestures, the Supreme Council spewed as much vitriol towards us as they could muster, laying waste to the apologists’ theory.

What Obama is doing here is possibly the worst foreign policy decision in decades. He is squandering a rare opportunity to take a giant step towards peace and security. The situation in Iran gets more volatile daily. The opposition leader and election winner, Mir Hossein Mousavi, has said he will accept martyrdom. He is all in, and with luck, the demonstrators will soon be. Imagine what would happen if the regime topples. The world would become a far safer place. Iran's funding of terrorism, from Hezbollah to Hamas would decline and possibly stop. Their commitment to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, which is the single most likely spark for a nuclear war and even a world war, would be defused. Obama's middle-of-the-road comments come down - in a de facto way – on the side of the government. He is backing the wrong horse. God help us get past whatever is causing this insanity.

I will not speculate on why Obama is doing this, but I will say that radicals like Bill Ayres, Jeremiah Wright, Saul Alinsky and all his other extreme leftist mentors were not incidental acquaintances, as his supporters would like you to believe, but rather formative in, and consistent with, his ideas and ideals. This radical Left crowd has a history of anti-Semitism, anti-Israel and anti-United States, and they support every totalitarian regime that lines up against us. Does this help bring the new U.S. foreign policy into focus?

We knew all of this before the election. We have become the frog in the children's fable. When the snake turns to eat him, he says, "You knew I was a snake when you got onto my back."