America’s Enemies Are Colorblind
Investigators cannot yet tell whether the bombings at the Boston marathon, which so far have killed three and wounded more than 170, are the product of domestic or foreign terrorist(s). But whether foreign or domestic, America’s enemies are colorblind. In supporting President Barack Obama’s re-election, The New York Times editorialized about how his smarter, more respectful foreign policy helped to re-brand America in the eyes of the world: “(Obama) introduced a measure of military restraint after the Bush years and helped repair America’s badly damaged reputation in many countries from the low levels to which it had sunk by 2008.” Our enemies don’t care.
Investigators cannot yet tell whether the bombings at the Boston marathon, which so far have killed three and wounded more than 170, are the product of domestic or foreign terrorist(s).
But whether foreign or domestic, America’s enemies are colorblind.
In supporting President Barack Obama’s re-election, The New York Times editorialized about how his smarter, more respectful foreign policy helped to re-brand America in the eyes of the world: “(Obama) introduced a measure of military restraint after the Bush years and helped repair America’s badly damaged reputation in many countries from the low levels to which it had sunk by 2008.”
Our enemies don’t care.
They don’t care that then Sen. Barack Obama called the Iraq War a “dumb war.”
They don’t care that the new Obama administration refused to use the term “war on terror.”
They don’t care that former Clinton Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said most of the international community thought the U.S. had “lost our minds” because of Bush’s supposedly reckless foreign policy. Or that Albright asserted that George W. Bush had made “a big mistake” for labeling Iran, Iraq and North Korea the “axis of evil.”
They don’t care that Obama’s first interview as President was with Al Arabiya, a pan-Arab channel, and that the new President promised “an extended hand” to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, if only his country would “unclench their fist.”
They don’t care that Obama doubled-crossed our allies Poland and the Czech Republic by abandoning his predecessor’s promise to install a missile defense shield as protection against attacks by Iran and North Korea. The motive? To enlist Russia, which adamantly opposed the defense installations, to help us deter Iran from acquiring the ability to build a nuclear bomb.
They don’t care that presidential candidate Obama said, “Nobody is suffering more than the Palestinian people.” Or that the new President angered Israel by publicly opposing the building of so-called settlements: “I think that additional settlement building does not contribute to Israel’s security. I think it makes it harder for them to make peace with their neighbors. I think it embitters the Palestinians in a way that could end up being very dangerous.” Or that Obama insulted the “intransigent” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by leaving him standing in the West Wing for more than an hour when he abruptly exited their meeting to have dinner with the first lady and his girls.
They don’t care that Obama calls waterboarding “torture” and promised to end the practice (after Bush already promised to do so). Or that one of presidential candidate Obama’s many “I’m-not-Bush” promises included a commitment to swiftly close Guantanamo Bay.
They don’t care that Obama embarked on what some called an “apology tour,” during which he said: “There have been times where America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive,” or that in some cases “fear and anger” after 9/11 “led us to act contrary to our traditions and our ideals.”
They don’t care that then Massachusetts Sen. and current Secretary of State John Kerry charged that President Bush “intentionally misled the country into war,” or that Kerry said he regretted his vote for the Iraq War resolution because he failed to realize how badly Bush would “f—” it up.
They don’t care that Obama literally bowed in greeting foreign leaders in an attempt to show the world that America has a new, more humble foreign policy, where, as Obama put it, in the past we too often “dictated” to other nations.
Our enemies don’t care that President-elect Obama blamed Bush for failing to improve our relationship with North Korea. On his president-elect transition website, Obama said: “And if America is willing to come to the table, the world will be more willing to rally behind American leadership to deal with challenges like confronting terrorism and Iran and North Korea’s nuclear programs.”
They don’t care that the American left hated Bush. Just before Obama’s election in 2008, The New York Times editorialized: “The United States is battered and drifting after eight years of President Bush’s failed leadership. He is saddling his successor with two wars, a scarred global image and a government systematically stripped of its ability to protect and help its citizens.”
They don’t care whether our commander in chief is a swaggering, ignorant cowboy incapable of pronouncing the word “nuclear” – or whether he or she is an articulate, urbane Ivy League-educated lawyer.
Obama’s former pastor and self-described “spiritual adviser” knows how our enemies feel. The Sunday after 9/11, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright said from the pulpit: “We are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back into our own front yards. America’s chickens are coming home to roost.” Osama bin Laden or Timothy McVeigh couldn’t have put it better.
Today, in parts of the Muslim and Arab world, America’s favorability numbers are even lower than under the “divisive” Bush. Iran still insists on pursuing its nuclear program, with tension between the U.S. and North Korea worse than at any time since the Korean War.
Americans may argue and scrap over issues like minority “underrepresentation” and whether this justifies race-based preferences. But Boston reminds us: America’s enemies are colorblind.
COPYRIGHT 2013 LAURENCE A. ELDER
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