What a speech by Charles Krauthammer:
Nothing is inevitable. Nothing is written. For America today, decline is not a condition. Decline is a choice. Two decades into the unipolar world that came about with the fall of the Soviet Union, America is in the position of deciding whether to abdicate or retain its dominance. Decline–or continued ascendancy–is in our hands
~~~Facing the choice of whether to maintain our dominance or to gradually, deliberately, willingly, and indeed relievedly give it up, we are currently on a course towards the latter. The current liberal ascendancy in the United States–controlling the executive and both houses of Congress, dominating the media and elite culture–has set us on a course for decline. And this is true for both foreign and domestic policies. Indeed, they work synergistically to ensure that outcome.
The current foreign policy of the United States is an exercise in contraction. It begins with the demolition of the moral foundation of American dominance. In Strasbourg, President Obama was asked about American exceptionalism. His answer? “I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism.” Interesting response. Because if everyone is exceptional, no one is.
Indeed, as he made his hajj from Strasbourg to Prague to Ankara to Istanbul to Cairo and finally to the U.N. General Assembly, Obama drew the picture of an America quite exceptional–exceptional in moral culpability and heavy-handedness, exceptional in guilt for its treatment of other nations and peoples. With varying degrees of directness or obliqueness, Obama indicted his own country for arrogance, for dismissiveness and derisiveness (toward Europe), for maltreatment of natives, for torture, for Hiroshima, for Guantánamo, for unilateralism, and for insufficient respect for the Muslim world.
Quite an indictment, the fundamental consequence of which is to effectively undermine any moral claim that America might have to world leadership, as well as the moral confidence that any nation needs to have in order to justify to itself and to others its position of leadership.
~~~The liberal internationalism of today is different. It is not center-left, but left-liberal. And the new left-liberal internationalism goes far beyond its earlier Clintonian incarnation in its distrust of and distaste for American dominance. For what might be called the New Liberalism, the renunciation of power is rooted not in the fear that we are essentially good but subject to the corruptions of power–the old Clintonian view–but rooted in the conviction that America is so intrinsically flawed, so inherently and congenitally sinful that it cannot be trusted with, and does not merit, the possession of overarching world power.
For the New Liberalism, it is not just that power corrupts. It is that America itself is corrupt–in the sense of being deeply flawed, and with the history to prove it. An imperfect union, the theme of Obama’s famous Philadelphia race speech, has been carried to and amplified in his every major foreign-policy address, particularly those delivered on foreign soil. (Not surprisingly, since it earns greater applause over there.)
Short video of the speech while the whole thing can be viewed here.
He is completely on the mark here and it should scare the bejesus out of you.
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Obama indicted his own country for arrogance, for dismissiveness and derisiveness (toward Europe), for maltreatment of natives, for torture, for Hiroshima, for Guantánamo, for unilateralism, and for insufficient respect for the Muslim world.
Indeed! Obama has embraced liberal socialism as his goal for the United States. Now that the truth is coming out, and so many Americans are shocked at how the mullah in the White House
is trying to FORCE this conutry away from it’s foundation based on the Constitution, many, many Americans are saying no way, no how and letting their voices be heard. Obama and the current corrupt administration(Rangel, Geitner, Holder, Jennings and more) are the lowest example of lies, deceptions and stealing that this country may have ever had in office. The Bush years were not perfect but I would welcome that back in a heart beat compared to the filth that Obama and Pelosi are sticking us with. No, I did not agree with everything the last administration did BUT at the very least Bush and Cheney knew what it takes to keep America free and strong in the face of any adversary.”Peace through Superior Firepower” works for me and it has worked well for this country. The liberal policies that Krauthammer took to task are taking this country down, and rapidly. The USA has survived bad presidents and administrations before and we will again. The damge will take longer to repair this time because of liberal stupidity, cowardice and greed.
Patriot — you left out — Liberal TREASON
What puzzles me is why Obama wants to go to the table of the G8 or G20 with less clout. He is dumbing down the US but he is so arrogant and such a narcissist why would he want to lesson his power over the rest of the world. Why would he want to give up the title “leader of the free world”? I just can’t get a handle on this guy. He switches and swerves to what seems no purpose. Is he an idealist or just plain stupid? I wonder if the US will wake up before the avalanche. And what will it do if it does wake up?
I’d like Obama to point me to the perfect society, tell me who they were, where they were located and when they lived. If we have so many faults (in his eyes), there must be a government to compare us to, some people to emulate.
@ BackwardsBoy
Cuba. That’s what Obama wants. He’d be happy with Venezuela or Nicaragua though.
Why is it that are economy is losing out to the socialist countries ? Why are there cars better and cheaper ? Why do they live longer ? Why were people considered liberals in the past exalted but not in the present ? Do you think that the founding fathers or Lincoln were considered to be conservatives by their contemporaries ?
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ryan
Have you packed your bags and made airline reservations yet, or do you need help. I have a bunch of frequent flyer miles I’d be willing to donate. I’m betting that donations from FA alone could pay for you to move you, your belongings and family to the socialist country of your choice. Just say the word and I bet the donation link will be up in less than 10 minutes.
Barbara, I might be able to shed some ligt on ego 1.
You see, by emasculating America it shows what a good guy he is and how he isn’t Bush.
He thinks by weakening America it will prove his good intentions and his desire to talk. In his fantasy world this will get the other side/bad guys to listen and sincerely talk. After all, WE are the reason the bad guys behave the way they do. They are people too and they have hopes, fears, and dreams and they just need to be understood and listened to.
That help?
@BarbaraS
Could BHO want to weaken America on purpose…as a ploy in his quest to perhaps become Leader of the whole world?
With a weakened America — who could stop him?
I think his stint in leading the UN Security Council, 2 weeks ago, was his audition.
@BackwardsBoy
I agree with you. In discussing politics with liberal-minded acquaintances — when they complain about the lack of diversity in our present elected national leadership level — I ask them to point out another country in the entire world (Norway, Sweden included) that has more diversity (and growing) in elected national offices. Think about the governments of the Tyrant fraternity…where’s the diversity?
Maybe Nobama should run for President of the EU before his campaign for world leadership…he wants so badly to be a European elite — I say, go for it. I’m sure the EU would amend their rules for him.
@John ryan: One problem with your little screed: NONE OF IT IS TRUE!
And I won’t even start on your grammar. It suffices to say YOU ARE AN IDIOT!
I agree with Krauthammer that the course of decline was a choice, not a condition. In 2008 America chose to embrace a man who was an unknown quantity. This was very similar to the election of Jimmie Carter whose whole campaign pivoted on “trust me”. Again we have bought a pig in a poke and are left in amazement that we’ve contracted the equivilent of Constitutional swine flu.
America has chosen the path of the bi-polar and it’s going to take years of meds and therapy to recover from it.