There are a cluster of foreign problems in the news right now. I have a comment or two on each of them, and then a collective conclusion.
Afghanistan-
Karzai is stalling while waiting for the next election. The Taliban have significant power and support in the country. They hate him, we hate them. They hate us. The friend of my enemy is my enemy. OK, who are we friends with? Who are they friends with? Why does anyone care? No one has controlled Afghanistan, which is likely a dialectical version of 'leave me the hell alone', for hundreds and thousands of years. Alexander, Persia, Britain, Russia, US. No one. I say call out Karzai and let them all go to hell. And if the Taliban support al Qaeda, use drones to destroy them. Get out now. Why do I care at all what happens in Afghanistan? The longer we stay the more pathetic we appear.
Syria-
Poison gas has been used! We said it was a red line. We didn't say 'Simon says'. We look like impotent fools, because we are. Walk softly and carry a big stick has devolved into tread heavily but be unarmed. While I decry our self-imposed humiliation, I have no interest at all in what happens in Syria. Assad's enemies include al Qaeda. So I'm supposed to depose a tyrant who in turn opposes and kills the people who have sworn to destroy me? Why? Assad is doing our work! We will get no better reputation in the Arab world for any efforts in Syria, and it will cost us people and money. I just don't care. Let them all kill each other. So much less expensive and less labeling than us killing anyone.
Ukraine-
There is a long history here. Ukraine was once a large kingdom, larger than the Rus. Ukraine was brutally repressed by the Soviets, then raped by the Nazis, then the Soviets all over again. Upon independence they suddenly found out they had no government, no tradition of self-rule in living memory, and economic dependence on their immediate past oppressor, Russia. Sequential incompetent rulers have been variously pro- or anti-Russia. And none of it makes any difference. Russia controls their gas supply, and Ukraine controls Russia's food. Ukraine has no natural borders. Russia is going to absorb Ukraine, whether fast or slow. None of this directly affects me. I am delighted to have Putin busy at his borders, and anyway we sure as hell can't intervene. We do not have the will, the money or the muscle to 'defend' Ukraine from Russia. And Putin knows it. We again stand by impotent.
There is a common thread here. None of these places has any importance to us, and we have insufficient will and strength to intervene anyway. We have cut our air force and navy such that we cannot project force over any distance without using an aircraft carrier, and there is no naval base near Ukraine or Afghanistan. There is one near Syria, but there are other objections to being directly involved there. We also do not have the available money or will to get aggressive in any of these settings.
Our 'President' makes loud noises about 'consequences' and 'red lines', but has done nothing. And everyone sees that, especially Putin. Until we stand firm against Putin we are going to lose every time, a friend as long as you have greater force, and a manipulator when you don't.
Obama is the worst President, worse than Carter by far, who was at least moralizing and working covertly to do something. Obama has done worse than nothing by threatening 'something'. And we are no better, a people who elected a manifestly inadequate man to the Presidency, a people unwilling to pay for the services we desire or the power and security we enjoyed.
The common thread is our impotency, and our self-absorption.
Ted
Afghanistan-
Karzai is stalling while waiting for the next election. The Taliban have significant power and support in the country. They hate him, we hate them. They hate us. The friend of my enemy is my enemy. OK, who are we friends with? Who are they friends with? Why does anyone care? No one has controlled Afghanistan, which is likely a dialectical version of 'leave me the hell alone', for hundreds and thousands of years. Alexander, Persia, Britain, Russia, US. No one. I say call out Karzai and let them all go to hell. And if the Taliban support al Qaeda, use drones to destroy them. Get out now. Why do I care at all what happens in Afghanistan? The longer we stay the more pathetic we appear.
Syria-
Poison gas has been used! We said it was a red line. We didn't say 'Simon says'. We look like impotent fools, because we are. Walk softly and carry a big stick has devolved into tread heavily but be unarmed. While I decry our self-imposed humiliation, I have no interest at all in what happens in Syria. Assad's enemies include al Qaeda. So I'm supposed to depose a tyrant who in turn opposes and kills the people who have sworn to destroy me? Why? Assad is doing our work! We will get no better reputation in the Arab world for any efforts in Syria, and it will cost us people and money. I just don't care. Let them all kill each other. So much less expensive and less labeling than us killing anyone.
Ukraine-
There is a long history here. Ukraine was once a large kingdom, larger than the Rus. Ukraine was brutally repressed by the Soviets, then raped by the Nazis, then the Soviets all over again. Upon independence they suddenly found out they had no government, no tradition of self-rule in living memory, and economic dependence on their immediate past oppressor, Russia. Sequential incompetent rulers have been variously pro- or anti-Russia. And none of it makes any difference. Russia controls their gas supply, and Ukraine controls Russia's food. Ukraine has no natural borders. Russia is going to absorb Ukraine, whether fast or slow. None of this directly affects me. I am delighted to have Putin busy at his borders, and anyway we sure as hell can't intervene. We do not have the will, the money or the muscle to 'defend' Ukraine from Russia. And Putin knows it. We again stand by impotent.
There is a common thread here. None of these places has any importance to us, and we have insufficient will and strength to intervene anyway. We have cut our air force and navy such that we cannot project force over any distance without using an aircraft carrier, and there is no naval base near Ukraine or Afghanistan. There is one near Syria, but there are other objections to being directly involved there. We also do not have the available money or will to get aggressive in any of these settings.
Our 'President' makes loud noises about 'consequences' and 'red lines', but has done nothing. And everyone sees that, especially Putin. Until we stand firm against Putin we are going to lose every time, a friend as long as you have greater force, and a manipulator when you don't.
Obama is the worst President, worse than Carter by far, who was at least moralizing and working covertly to do something. Obama has done worse than nothing by threatening 'something'. And we are no better, a people who elected a manifestly inadequate man to the Presidency, a people unwilling to pay for the services we desire or the power and security we enjoyed.
The common thread is our impotency, and our self-absorption.
Ted
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