Obama rings the curtain on Pax Americana

[Ichingcarpenter]

Obama rings the curtain on Pax Americana
By M K Bhadrakumar

United States President Barack Obama scored a convincing "A" in the tortuous test that he was put to on the structuring of a new Afghan strategy.

It turned out to be a tough learning process and it bears testimony to Obama's extraordinary intellect and character that he grasped the essence of the problem, honestly assessed what went wrong, had the clarity of mind not to be distracted and showed the sincerity of purpose to adopt a whole new approach.

He threw out of the window altogether the entire baggage of "regional initiatives", international conferences and "grand bargains" and zeroed in on the heart of the matter, namely, that the Afghan people are starting to view the Americans as occupiers and it is time to consider an exit strategy.


SNIP................

However, the most profound part of the new Obama strategy is that it signals a conclusive farewell to the neo-conservative agenda for US foreign policy. As Obama put it, the nation-building project in Afghanistan "sets goals that are beyond what can be achieved at a reasonable cost, and what we need to achieve to secure our interests". He was brutally frank in admitting that America "can't simply afford to ignore the price of these wars".

I wish I could post more of the article but am limited to 4 paragraphs.


http://www.atimes.com/atimes%5C/South_Asia/KL04Df02.html

[Go2Peace]

1. agree or disagree with the surge, but this gives way too much credit. What cuts are being proposed?

leaving Afhganistan aside, what is really changing about our approach to our military role in the world? I hope we will see some changes in the near future, but this is *way* premature. Other than Iraq, how many of our close to 200 worldwide bases are being closed? Where are the strategic, yet serious, cuts to the military budgets? Where are the reorgs of the CIA and reductions there?

How in the world can you think anything fundamental has changed so far about our worldwide military strategy?

[Ichingcarpenter]

2. I didn't say that I agree with it... the 'you' attack

You should have said 'one' can think.

I did find it an interesting read though

[Cobalt-60]

3. I want the army out of there Yesterday!

[natrat]

4. is that article for real? must be satire,and everyone gets a pony and a lolipop

[silverweb]

5. K&R

How some others in the world see us, how Obama has changed the way many others in the world see us. I wouldn't discount its value.