Bush (43) is to __________, as Obama is to ____________.
a) Reagan; Eisenhower
b) Nixon; Truman
c) Truman; Nixon
d) Eisenhower; Hoover
Show your work.
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c) Truman; Nixon
Yes, this is meant to turn an eyebrow or two, but just hear me out. There are essentially two different world views: Realism/Pragmatism and Progressiveism/Liberalism. Realists essentially believe that a nation's power (economic, military, & soft) should be the main concern in foreign policy, whereas Progressives believe that ideals - human rights, freedom, democracy, et cetera - should be the main concern in foreign policy.
Too often, we get tied up in party politics, and are mislead into believing that if the Democratic President does something then it must liberal, and if a Republican president does something then it must be conservative. When we look exclusively at foreign policy, we can say with certainty that this is not the case. George W. Bush's foreign policy was often called "Neo-Conservative," but don't let the name fool you it as "Neo-Conservatism" is essentially classic Progressivism/Liberalism; it was just re-branded so that it would be more palatable for conservative voters. "Transforming the Middle East, and spreading American values, through regime change in Iraq" is textbook Liberalism (CSMonitor, 2003) which closely mirror's Truman's ideological views in the lead up to and beginning of the Cold War (for more on Truman and the beginning of the Cold War email me for a copy of my Master's thesis).
On the other hand, saying to Iran "If countries like Iran are willing to unclench their fist, they will find an extended hand from us," is a textbook example of pragmatism - the kind of diplomacy Nixon used when opening up relations with Communist China during the Cold War (State Department, 2009).
Which do you prefer? If a country we dislike has something we want, should we work with them or against them? Bear in mind the costs of war (IRWatch: Are Wars Good for the Economy?, On Deficits and Stimulus).
1 comment:
You know, as a child, I grew up in a post cold war society. Russia had fallen apart, and was all but a punchline, and nobody really talked about "Red China." Mostly because they were still a threat. The first Bush had a state visit there, and that was supposed to help relations, and it did, but we have always been like an old married couple staring at each other over dinner. We don't really like each other, we keep talk to a minimum, and we hope the other one dies first.
But as far as the American psyche goes, whatever they can do, we can do better. They make the toys, we make the electronics. Then they made the electronics, but we made the software. Hell, we went to the Olympics in China, and won record amounts of gold metals on their home soil. (Yes, I said we, like I had something to do with Ryan Phelps training. It's called a national identity.)
Flying in the face of this perception for years, was the economies of our countries. We have a debting economy, and they have a lending economy, it was just how it was. Then our economy went in the tank, and thus began the world financial crisis. Currently, we are in a recession, as is every other industrial power in the world, including China.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/stephanieflanders/This is a blog about China's recent efforts to right their economy, and by proxy, ours. Zhou Xiaochuan is Asia's answer to Alan Greenspan, and he has managed to kick start their economy in a manner that Obama can only dream about. With their surplus, they are certainly in a better position to right their economy faster than we are, and if they can fix their economy, it will drag ours out of the basement with it.
Oh really, we're going to be helped by the Chinese? By a communist government. A government that has a terrible record of human rights, oppressing freedom of the press, and subjugating a region twice the size of Texas. Oh really?
Granted, the average citizen will not think that China was responsible. They will think we picked ourselves up by the bootstraps, and by golly, worked our way out of this recession. When, in fact what happened was that china pumped money into our economy so we'd start buying their shit again. I know that my feelings on this matter are years of American arrogance that we're better than everybody else. I do. And I know I am reacting emotionally to a situation that needs to be worked through in a logical and calculating manner. I do. But that does not change the fact that allowing the Chinese economy to recover first, and take our economy with it seems to lend credence that their government handled their economy better than we did. That their government is better than ours.
What the hell America? At the end of the day we are being beaten in a race that is far more important than the race to the moon, or any finish line set up in Beijing. Let us get our heads out of our collective asses (Ben Bernanke), and start making money. Buy that Mercedes. Invest in your own home. Pay for you child's education. Give that hooker $20 for a hand job. Because at the end of the day, it's Patriotic!
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