Question: What do conservatives think of Obama's national security initiatives?
Answer: On this issue, perhaps more than any other, conservatives are extremely worried.
From Obama's irresponsible pledge to meet with US enemies anywhere at any time without preconditions to his vow to withdraw US troops from Iraq regardless of their progress has shown conservatives that he is simply not ready to protect the country. Let's not forget, either, that conservatives have not been the only ones to feel this way. Vice President Joe Biden, a former rival of Obama's during the primary, also condemned him for being unready to lead.
The Link Between Foreign Policy & National Security
To the relief of many conservatives, Obama has since backed away from the comments he made during a televised debate in 2007, and now maintains what he actually meant to say was that he would make sure preconditions were met and that he wouldn't meet with US enemies any time or anywhere. As inconsistent, and frankly eyebrow-raising, as this turn of events might be, it at least shows that someone with some experience is giving him good advice.
It's one thing to accommodate US allies to ensure the nation's best interests are being kept close at heart by America's international partners. It's quite another to accommodate US enemies in an interest to foster the same kind of good will. Most of America's enemies are fundamentally opposed to Western culture as opposed to specific policies (although they oppose many of those, as well). It's difficult to hold a rational conversation with someone who loudly proclaims the Holocaust never happened, and in many cases, American allies share America's enemies, which means merely agreeing to talks without preconditions threatens relationships with those very important friends.
Obama seems to have gotten the message loud and clear, but it will be interesting to see how he goes about improving the tense relationships with America's enemies without jeopardizing it's other, more friendly, relationships. For the moment at least, he seems to understand that the way the president deals with America's enemies and friends directly affects its security.
The Link Between Iraq & National Security
Obama has not, however, backed off his promise to pull troops from Iraq. Neverhtheless, he has very subtly removed the words "bring them home" from his speeches and web sites. This is more calculated than it at first would appear, because instead of bringing them home, Obama is actually planning to redeploy them to Afghanistan. This move, while laudable, must be done with extreme caution. By announcing his Iraq agenda over and over during the campaign, Obama has given the leaders of al Queda ample opportunity to plan for the withdrawal. He's also made known his thoughts on Afghanistan, which means Osama bin Laden and his cronies will now have the opportunity to move their bases of operations from Afghanistan to Iraq. If done improperly, this could actually strengthen al Queda's stronghold on the region. If that happens, it will spell bad news for America.
Although the decision to invade Iraq was a misguided reaction to 9/11 and was based on faulty intelligence, the country has now become the main battlefield in the war on terror. Until Obama understands the connection between worldwide terrorism and the need to stabilize Iraq, conservatives will remain uncomfortable with his national security policies.
The Team
Obama's national security cabinet includes
Obama's national security team will work on striking a balance between protecting the nation from another terrorist attack (one area where the Bush administration was successful -- regardless of what liberals have to say) and repairing the damage done to civil liberties under that same administration. It's no easy task, but the cabinet's balance between extreme liberals like Clinton and hard-nosed military men like Gates and Jones should ensure that Obama is as well-informed as possible before drafting his national security proposals.
FAQ Index to Conservatives & Barack Obama's Policies
From Obama's irresponsible pledge to meet with US enemies anywhere at any time without preconditions to his vow to withdraw US troops from Iraq regardless of their progress has shown conservatives that he is simply not ready to protect the country. Let's not forget, either, that conservatives have not been the only ones to feel this way. Vice President Joe Biden, a former rival of Obama's during the primary, also condemned him for being unready to lead.
The Link Between Foreign Policy & National Security
To the relief of many conservatives, Obama has since backed away from the comments he made during a televised debate in 2007, and now maintains what he actually meant to say was that he would make sure preconditions were met and that he wouldn't meet with US enemies any time or anywhere. As inconsistent, and frankly eyebrow-raising, as this turn of events might be, it at least shows that someone with some experience is giving him good advice.
It's one thing to accommodate US allies to ensure the nation's best interests are being kept close at heart by America's international partners. It's quite another to accommodate US enemies in an interest to foster the same kind of good will. Most of America's enemies are fundamentally opposed to Western culture as opposed to specific policies (although they oppose many of those, as well). It's difficult to hold a rational conversation with someone who loudly proclaims the Holocaust never happened, and in many cases, American allies share America's enemies, which means merely agreeing to talks without preconditions threatens relationships with those very important friends.
Obama seems to have gotten the message loud and clear, but it will be interesting to see how he goes about improving the tense relationships with America's enemies without jeopardizing it's other, more friendly, relationships. For the moment at least, he seems to understand that the way the president deals with America's enemies and friends directly affects its security.
The Link Between Iraq & National Security
Obama has not, however, backed off his promise to pull troops from Iraq. Neverhtheless, he has very subtly removed the words "bring them home" from his speeches and web sites. This is more calculated than it at first would appear, because instead of bringing them home, Obama is actually planning to redeploy them to Afghanistan. This move, while laudable, must be done with extreme caution. By announcing his Iraq agenda over and over during the campaign, Obama has given the leaders of al Queda ample opportunity to plan for the withdrawal. He's also made known his thoughts on Afghanistan, which means Osama bin Laden and his cronies will now have the opportunity to move their bases of operations from Afghanistan to Iraq. If done improperly, this could actually strengthen al Queda's stronghold on the region. If that happens, it will spell bad news for America.
Although the decision to invade Iraq was a misguided reaction to 9/11 and was based on faulty intelligence, the country has now become the main battlefield in the war on terror. Until Obama understands the connection between worldwide terrorism and the need to stabilize Iraq, conservatives will remain uncomfortable with his national security policies.
The Team
Obama's national security cabinet includes
- National Security Adviser: James L. Jones
- Secretary of State: Hillary Clinton
- Attorney General: Eric Holder
- United Nations Ambassador: Susan Rice
- Homeland Security Secretary: Janet Napolitano
- Defense Secretary: Robert Gates
Obama's national security team will work on striking a balance between protecting the nation from another terrorist attack (one area where the Bush administration was successful -- regardless of what liberals have to say) and repairing the damage done to civil liberties under that same administration. It's no easy task, but the cabinet's balance between extreme liberals like Clinton and hard-nosed military men like Gates and Jones should ensure that Obama is as well-informed as possible before drafting his national security proposals.
FAQ Index to Conservatives & Barack Obama's Policies
- Conservatives & Obama's Economy Initiatives
- Conservatives & Obama's Health Care Initiatives
- Conservatives & Obama's Immigration Initiatives
- Conservatives & Obama's Education Initiatives
- Conservatives & Obama's National Security Initiatives
