Comment # 24

A blast from the past as an accompaniment

24. wretchard

"The administration is close to destroying its chosen foreign policy tool: diplomacy. Who'll believe them now? They don't mean what they say or say what they mean. They can't even keep the agreements they are working to renege upon a secret. They've debased the coin of political speech almost as much as the coin of the realm.

"If President Obama has shown himself to be disappointing, Hillary has not exactly covered herself in glory. But it is the contrast between their previous bluster and the present result which is so ludicrous. Here was the team that was going to restore America's standing among allies; going to "end things where they began in Afghanistan"; begin a new era of engagement in the Middle East; prosecute terrorists in court to show moral superiority; create "a world without nuclear weapons", dismantle "unproven missile defenses"; make the oceans fall; bring prosperity to America and solve health care. And to do this they had the smartest woman in the world at State; huge majorities in the Senate and House.

"And all they have to show for it are a few ripped up tickets, some smudged receipts and a few giveaways from a box of crackerjacks. That and pie in their face.

"Now the Republic's enemies must be asking themselves: where is the bottom to these people's incompetence? Can they do anything at all? How safe is it to rush ahead? Why don't we try?

"And if they do, what tools will President Obama have left? Diplomacy? Economic incentives or sanctions? Moral authority? Maybe the military. Yes that's it. But his competence at war is predicted by his incompetence in peace. One would hope he'd have the sense to stay away from truly dangerous tools and that probably means he doesn't know better.

"A political crisis is engulfing the Obama administration. The variance in every risk calculation has gotten very large. The Joker's Wild, "the game where incompetence is king and lady luck is queen". 2011, if we get there, will be a very interesting year." -- Belmont Club » Helplessly Hoping

Posted by Vanderleun at November 29, 2010 5:02 PM