Obama on Foreign Policy

I did appreciate Barack Obama's foreign policy speech (full transcript at the link) he gave yesterday, which shouldn't surprise me because the great Samantha Power is one of his top foreign policy advisors. I do agree that America has a responsibility to use its power in a hopeful. It's the manner in which we use it that matters. And who could argue with this:

We now know how badly this Administration squandered that opportunity. In 2002, I stated my opposition to the war in Iraq, not only because it was an unnecessary diversion from the struggle against the terrorists who attacked us on September 11th, but also because it was based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the threats that 9/11 brought to light. I believed then, and believe now, that it was based on old ideologies and outdated strategies – a determination to fight a 21st century struggle with a 20th century mindset.

Washington always seems to fight the last war, whether it's Republicans or Democrats. Invading a country that had nothing to do with 9-11 to impose democracy into a troubled region, as if a reverse domino effect would happen and democratic regimes would just bust out all over. Al Qaeda is not the Soviet Union. Invasions and spheres of influence (like the world is some Risk board) is not going to properly protect the nation. Here's what will:

We must lead by building a 21st century military to ensure the security of our people and advance the security of all people. We must lead by marshalling a global effort to stop the spread of the world’s most dangerous weapons. We must lead by building and strengthening the partnerships and alliances necessary to meet our common challenges and defeat our common threats.

And America must lead by reaching out to all those living disconnected lives of despair in the world’s forgotten corners – because while there will always be those who succumb to hate and strap bombs to their bodies, there are millions more who want to take another path – who want our beacon of hope to shine its light their way.

It wasn't that I ever had a problem with the soaring rhetoric of Bush's democracy promotion scheme, it's that I knew it was just a boondoggle, empty rhetoric that would be greeted with bombing and belligerence instead of hope and opportunity. A foreign policy based on nuclear nonproliferation, on strengthening alliances, and on eradicating global poverty is a great foundation.

It's a good speech, and we know that one thing Barack can do is give good speech. But it also sets a hopeful vision for the future, one where regional cooperation and lifting the disadvantaged up and helping stop the effects of global warming is as important to our national security as planes and missiles and battalions are. I am still undecided, but I have no doubt that Obama would pursue these goals and make a fine President. Certainly there'd be no comparison to the one we have now.