Major Foreign Policy Blunders, By Roger Behra

SHORT COMMUNICATIONS 389

 

Major Foreign Policy Blunders

 

By

 

Roger Behra     

 

It is not a surprise that as of April 21, 2014, so many foreign policy blunders by America´s president have taken place, and Cold War victories won 40 years ago between communism and democracy, the Soviet Union and the United States have not been squandered because America´s president has failed to lead and may well go down as one of the worst foreign-policy presidents in America history.    

 

Russia is on the move again, and it looks like another Cold War is taking shape. Russia annexed Crimea and is causing trouble in the Ukraine. That could have been averted if Mr. Obama had a foreign policy in place to deal with Russia. Russia is emboldened now and merely shrugs off the United States secretary of state. That is a sign that Obama has lost geopolitical ground his White House predecessors worked so hard to wind. Mr. Obama is not match when dealing with Mr. Putin.     

 

In March, 2014 Mr. Obama met up with South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss the security threat posed by North Korea. Mr. Obama assured them that America has their backs if Pyongyang starts any trouble in East Asia.      

 

No sooner did Mr. Obama bid the South Korea and Japanese heads of state farewell than North Korea test-fired two Rodong missiles, which are capable of reaching not only Seoul, but also Tokyo, and which can be fitted with nuclear warheads. That was not enough of a provocation by North Korea who followed it up with the flight of a surveillance drone that flew over Geun-hye´s presidential place. I clearly was an act of provocative intent. Yet, Mr. Obama had little to say about Pyongyang´s provocations.      

 

Then there is the so-called Arab Spring debacle. A great moment of opportunity was lost for U. S. diplomacy. It has been a big failure for Obama´s foreign policy. Clearly, Mr. Obama got it wrong on the Arab Spring, especially in Libya, where Libyan Ambassador J. Christopher Stephens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty were killed in a 2012 terror attack in Benghazi. Mr. Obama promised to bring to justice those responsible for their deaths. As of April, 2014 the culprits remain at large.      

 

It is matter of record that all the gains made at the end of the first Cold War that ended a 40-year struggle, between the Soviet Union and United States, have been squandered by America´s president. And to make matters worse, Mr. Obama has no firm, fixed, and effective foreign policy in place to combat a possible new Cold War that Russia can start at any time. Obama thinks sanctions will do the trick but sanctions will not. Russia´s Mr. Putin is an unpredictable president and makes up his own agenda as he goes alone.  That became evident with the Ukraine situation which can easily begin a new Cold War. Putin shrugged off America´s secretary of state in the Ukraine situation. It seems Mr. Putin would enjoy a new Cold War. It is all Putin and Russia can offer along with their shaky economy and weapons that end up in terrorist´s hands.

 

R. B.

5-1-14



Kerry´s Futile Negotiations, By Roger Behra

SHORT COMMUNICATION 388

 

Kerry´s Futile Negotiations

 

By

 

Roger Behra    

 

John Kerry is the Secretary of State of the United States, and should not be. It was a mistake for America´s president to appoint him to that position. It is one of the many mistakes America´s president has made during his two terms as president. Kerry has been involved in so many disastrous and self-initiated negotiations against all advice and while he holds no cards for any success.   

 

To start his tenure as secretary of state, Kerry decides to get involved in the Syria conflict, against all advice while holding no cards, to supposedly remove Bashar al-Assad from power. That turned out to be a very bad move. The talks collapsed in very bad feeling among everyone and total confusion. Later, Kerry decided to try again, and it was not a surprise that the second conference ended in acrimony and confusion.    

 

Next, Kerry turns his attention toward Russia. As Russian forces are taking over Crimea, Kerry goes chasing after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Kerry chases after him first to Paris, then to Rome, then to London to offer a diplomatic solution. Lavrov shrugs him off, and Russia annexes Crimea.    

 

The greatest piece of diplomatic futility, however, was Kerry´s extremely hurried and not very organized effort to salvage the Arab-Israel negotiations, also against all odds and solid advice. Kerry made 12 trips to the region. His goal was to have a final Middle East peace within nine months. At nine months the talks were going nowhere, and no peace ever resulted. It was a fool´s errand from the very first day. There was never any chance of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas ever agreeing to a final peace, and Israel is tired of it all.    

 

John Kerry should be the secretary of state for the United States. He simply is not capable, and the Obama administration keeps propping him up hoping he will become more capable. That is not going to happen. Two legacies are being effected Kerry´s and Obama´s in a very negative way as a direct result.

 

R. B.

4-16-14  



Russia´s Pitiful President, By Roger Behra

SHORT COMMUNICATION 384

Russia´s Pitiful President

 

By

 

Roger Behra

 

People who do not live in Russia should thank their lucky stars every day of lives. It is the most depressing place to live because of the leaders and the awful climate, but mostly because of the ones who lead Russia and what Russia has to offer, which is practically nothing. Under Russia´s current president, Vladimir Putin, Russia is on the road to yesteryear. Russians deserve a much better fate.

 

The leaders of Russia have never forgotten that they Cold War over thirty years ago, and now under Putin, he would like to start another Cold War. You can hear the wheels beginning to turn, and Putin demands it´s done his way.

Under Putin Russia is now ignoring international law. That will certainly encourage Iran and North Korea to do the same. That is going to dampen any world sympathy for Russia. The United States and Europe have been cutting their defense budgets, but that is going to come to a halt. In the U. S. and Europe more spending will have to take place buying military hardware. Ignoring international law is a monumental and grave mistake by Putin.

 

Now Russia has to deal with sanctions, and that is going to badly effect Russia´s ability to do successful banking, which they heavily depend on. Russia does not offer much to the success of other countries. They only provide oil and weapons that end up in the hands of terrorists. So, banking is very important to Russia, and the sanctions will strongly be devoted to harming them.

 

Someone called Putin a dimwit. Well, that seems to be an accurate assessment. A dimwit is a stupid person, and Putin, who has been ignoring international law, has put himself in the dimwit category. Since becoming president of Russia, he has Cold War thinking rolling around in his head. Putin has been poking the U. S. in the eye with a mix of Cold War-style tactics. However, Putin´s ignoring of international law is serious, and any violation will bring consequences and jeopardize world peace. Putin is just the kind of person who would risk that.

 

There is strong doubt that Putin should even be Russia´s president. During the last election in Russia there was strong indication suspicion that the election was not honest and that Putin, somehow, was underhandedly declared the president.

 

Others countries are watching Russia´s behavior during the Ukraine situation. Now that Russia has ignored international law, other country will be inclined to do the same, and that will be a serious situation. All the blame would be attributed to Putin for his dimwitted thinking and actions, along with all the sanctions that he caused to be placed on Russia. Putin is an absolute disadvantage being Russia´s president. Putin is capable another Cold War. Everyone is waiting and watching to see if the sanctions lead to another Cold War.

 

R. B.

3-25-14

 



No Policy President

SHORT COMMUNICATION 380

No Policy President

 

By

 

Roger Behra

 

All the people who voted for America’s President Obama now realize that they have been bamboozled. It is sad that has happened in America at a crucial time in America history and the world situation. Many chickens are going to come home to roost because Obama has no policies to make things better. He has taken the road of appeasement to takes no action at all. It is absolutely justifiable to call Mr. Obama America’s no policy president.

 

What really irks the voters and especially the ones voted for him is shortly after he took office he began his 180° turn away from many of his campaign promises and words. As a result he has suffered the lowest percentage of approval of any president after only a short time in office. That has infuriated his Democratic voter-base and not helped America at all.

 

In matter of foreign relations with Russia and Iran, it has been a disaster. The New Start treaty Obama counted on has been largely ignored by Russia because Obama ruffled Russia’s feathers over missile defense. No help from Russia in Iranian matters are coming from Russia, either. In fact, the exact opposite is true. Moscow has thwarted America at every turn as they help Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Moscow has weakened or blocked resolution after resolution. Russia has declared it will oppose any new sanctions on Iran, also. Vladimir Putin is blaming America for being the secret power behind recent anti-government protests in Russia.

 

Even worse, is Obama’s approach to the situation with Iran? Years ago, when Obama began his presidency, he started by bowing, apologizing, and acknowledging the U. S. involvement in a coup that happened over 50 years ago. His bilateral negotiations failed miserably because of no firm policy. He adopted neutrality during the popular revolution in Iran in 2009 because he had no policy to put in place. That revolution was a golden opportunity to help the people foster a regime change, which cannot be possible now. Currently, Iran is diligently racing ahead in their weapons development program and their feverish goal to become a nuclear power. Iran has the help of Russia, China, and North Korea. No Obama policy is in place to counter act that.

 

Recently, Iran forced down a U. S. drone, and Obama asked Iran to give it back to the U. S. Iran completely ignored Obama, who took no action at all. That helped to confer legitimacy on a savage and terrorist regime. It’s a certain bet that China and Russia has benefited from information derived from the capture drone.

 

Iran hopes to someday complete the wish to wipe Israel and the U. S. off the face of the earth. Iran already has ballistic missiles that go 1,500 miles with a payload and drones with a range of 1,250 miles. They except to have a missile that can reach Israel and the U. S. shores by 2015. All of this progress puts Iran in the very troublesome category and should be monitored around the clock. Israel has a great intelligence system, and Obama must develop a policy that listens to Israel and supports them in matters of Iran’s weapons development and motives.

 

R. B.

3-5-14