Foreign policy ooops?

[audtatious]

Seems Obama is off to a rocky start or are some people simply whiney and over sensitive?

http://www.realclearpolitics.c....html

Seems the has irritated the British (don't forget the wonderful gift of 25 DVD's), had Iran and Russia tell him to take a short walk on a long pier and lost an airbase in Kyrgyzstan.

Just bad luck?

[heliochrome85]

im pretty sure the reaction was premature. The Brits actually recanted their cries of mistreatment. I guess the Obama staff didnt realize that it seemed like they stiffed the British. Obama made a phone call before Brown left, and talked to him on the phone to smooth things over.

I personally think Obama has had much better success so far in his term than say, bush, or even clinton.

we are engaging, syria.we are engaging, iran.we are engaging north koreawe are working on Israel Palestine.

not a bad list of starts for a new presidency.

[audtatious]

im pretty sure the reaction was premature. The Brits actually recanted their cries of mistreatment. I guess the Obama staff didnt realize that it seemed like they stiffed the British. Obama made a phone call before Brown left, and talked to him on the phone to smooth things over.

Good to know.

I personally think Obama has had much better success so far in his term than say, bush, or even clinton.

we are engaging, syria.we are engaging, iran.we are engaging north koreawe are working on Israel Palestine.

not a bad list of starts for a new presidency.

I don't have a problem with somewhat engaging with Syria, Iran and NK although it seems to me that the door was always open for them to "come to the table" if they met our and/or UN requirements. Simply dropping those requirements is like giving a screaming kid a cookie to quiet them down enough to tell them why they could not have the cookie in the first place.

[Cold_Zero]

..lost an airbase in Kyrgyzstan.

Just bad luck?

The closing of Manas AFB has been a long time coming and I really don’t think you can blame Obama for the closing. Unless you are making the point that the promised "everyone (Internationally) will love us because we have Obama as our President now." Then you may have a point.

The closing of Manas has the same dynamic of K2 in Uzbekistan and Manta in Ecuador being closed down for the United States Air Force. Probably more close to Manta being closed down since Hugo Chavez had a lot to do with goading Ecuador to not renew the lease on the base. K2 was not shut down because of efforts by external countries or political leaders to oust the US out of Uzbekistan.bud

[Urabus GodofTraction]

"We get the point, sunshine. We're just one of many allies and you want fancy new friends. Well, the next time you need something doing, something which impinges on your national security, then try calling the French, the Japanese, or best of all the Germans."

Funny located!

I know ol' Dubya committed his share of foreign policy faux pas, but what really worries me is Russia's response to Obama. Russia is fully aware he's a big softy and when pushed will back down.

My only hope is that he overcompensates and become a hardass.

[audtatious]

No. It seems the Russians may be putting monetary pressure on Krygystan as their President announced in Feb that he was closing the airbase....right after agreeing to accept over 2 billion in aid from Russia. Then, they seem to have waited to see what Obama would do to keep the airbase open (money wise it seems). I believe Obama spoke with Russian to get their help in pressuring Krygystan and simply got nowhere.

I have yet found a direct "chain of events" but it seems this airbase is quite needed for him to continue the war in Afghanistan.

[Cold_Zero]

No. It seems the Russians may be putting monetary pressure on Krygystan as their President announced in Feb that he was closing the airbase....right after agreeing to accept over 2 billion in aid from Russia. Then, they seem to have waited to see what Obama would do to keep the airbase open (money wise it seems). I believe Obama spoke with Russian to get their help in pressuring Krygystan and simply got nowhere.

I have yet found a direct "chain of events" but it seems this airbase is quite needed for him to continue the war in Afghanistan.

I wouldnt count out the Chinese as well in lending political and monetary pressure to oust the US out of Central Asia. There is a very good link between the Russians and these base closings. Central Asia was a part of the Soviet Union and still remains in their sphere of influence.

An airbase to move supplies into Afghanistan is a must, since you sure as heck can't ship it in via the sea or train. Right now Iran, China, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are out of the question as hosting US bases. That leaves potentially Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan and India. I seem to remember there was a lot of fighting in Tajikistan, at least back in the late 1990's. So that option might be out. I think the US is going to have a problem trying to plant an Air Base in Central Asia since it is in Russia's backyard and sphere of influence and typically the peoples are not very western oriented and they typically distain Western Culture. Pakistan would be the obvious choice, but we are seeing that in some respects they do not have full control of their country. And I would think that if Pakistan was a great option, we would be using one of their airbases by now. With NATO fighting on Afghanistan and Obama asking for a greater European effort in Afghanistan, there may be the possibility that one of our NATO allies can help in the region.

I just don't see how the closure of Manas is Obama's fault.

[audtatious]

I just don't see how the closure of Manas is Obama's fault.

You're slacking.....Who's watch did it happen on?

[Cold_Zero]

9-11 was on Bush's watch, doesnt make him culpable for it.

[audtatious]

To the people with whom I target that comment it did

[themadscientist]

It is almost as if he doesn't have a clue how to do the job, like he has no real experience at actually running anything. If only someone had mentioned that maybe we would not be watching this amateur hour.

Obama is an oddity, a sideshow with no resume to be the most powerful man in the world.

Obama has no proof, no record he can do anything but talk real purty and you are going to hand him the most powerful job in the world.

[audtatious]

It didn't matter what experience he had or didn't have. He was pumped up to the status of a Pop Star and people simply didn't care.

I just hope he starts making better decisions as President......Yeah, I know, better for whom......

[WDRacing]

It is almost as if he doesn't have a clue how to do the job, like he has no real experience at actually running anything. If only someone had mentioned that maybe we would not be watching this amateur hour.

That was a LOL moment...

[Cold_Zero]

What is it that Andrew Wilkow says?

ANDREW WILKOW'S GUIDE TO MEDIA PERCEPTION

If you have spent time in Washington:Conservative - You are part of the problem.Liberal - You have experience.

If you don't have time in Washington: Conservative - You have no experience. Liberal - You represent change.

If you have wealth: Conservative - You are greedy and a cheat who had advantages in life.Liberal - You are successful and your life story is an inspiration.

If you don't have wealth: Conservative - You are low class. Liberal - You are disadvantaged.

If you went to college: Conservative - Your academic pedigree is scrutinized.Liberal - Your degree speaks for itself.

If you didn't go to college: Conservative - You are un-educated.Liberal - You are an artist/activist.

If you own a business: Conservative - You are a profiteer.Liberal - You provide jobs to the community.

If you are working class: Conservative - You're just a (insert job title or trade). Liberal - You are a proletariat who finds strength in numbers.

If you believe in the wisdom of the constitution: Conservative - You are narrow minded. Liberal - You are a civil libertarian.

If you believe in individual freedoms: Conservative - You have made peace with inequality.Liberal - You are for choice.

If you take to the streets to voice your opinions: Conservative - You are a thug.Liberal - You are a demonstrator.

If you are religious: Conservative - You are a fundamentalist. Liberal - You are spiritual.

If you are serving in the military: Conservative - You are a mindless killer.Liberal - You wear the uniform of your country.

If you are popular: Conservative - You have blind sheep followers.Liberal - You are leading a movement.

If you are attractive: Conservative - You are shallow and empty.Liberal - You are stunning and a trend setter.

If you are un-attractive: Conservative - You are just ugly.Liberal - You are too intellectual to be concerned with your appearance.

If you enjoy an outdoors lifestyle: Conservative - You are a hick.Liberal - You are earthy.

[audtatious]

I wish to retract this thread. Obama has planned this intentionally. We must have faith