No more superpowers? Obama
Photo: MCT
Isolationism will backfire
Op-ed: In second term, Obama allowing himself to implement policies that are dangerous to America and the entire world
The dissolution of the Soviet Union left the world with one superpower, the United States. President Barack Obama's second term may leave the world with no superpower at all. Ahead of his inauguration on January 21, Obama is undermining the very foundation of his country's favored status in the international arena. He knows there won’t be a third term, so he is allowing himself to realize all of the basic ideas that drive him; ideas that are dangerous to America and the entire world.
The nomination of Chuck Hagel as defense secretary despite the wall-to-wall criticism should prove to people who are usually calm that there is a major problem at hand. Obama's decision to nominate Hagel does not stem from a desire to take revenge on Netanyahu, but from something much deeper.
Hagel Nomination
Eitan Haber
Op-ed: By picking Hagel, President Obama telling Israel he will not allow it to launch solo attack on Iran
Obama wants an isolated, just America - a pseudo-just America. To his second cabinet he is appointing people with post-traumatic stress disorder from the Vietnam War to make certain that no American soldier will be sent to fight in wars overseas. The next defense secretary, CIA director and secretary of state are all staunch supporters of American forgiveness toward the violent provocations in the Middle East.
If it were up to them, Tehran would be able to continue advancing its nuclear program without any interruption; and until recently they sought Bashar Assad's friendship.
Obama believes that Hagel, John Brennan and John Kerry will also save the economy. A week ago he thwarted the Republican plan to cut his irresponsible welfare budget, but now he is willing to cut the defense budget with the help of Hagel and Co. Obama is under the impression that if he leaves Afghanistan and ignores Iran he will be able to make do with a cheap army.
On paper its sounds reasonable, but the president is not taking into account that such an isolationist policy would be very tempting to the crazy division of the Muslim world, which is constantly expanding and will try to seep into every corner America vacates. It already attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in the past, and it will have no qualms about attacking much larger targets in the future. An America that is weaker economically and militarily will have a hard time fighting it.
