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talkpoliticsThe American puppet in Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, recently assured Pakistanis that he would side with Pakistan if they found themselves in a hot conflict with the US. (He quickly retracted the position when dealing with Americans.) Although this seems like an anti-American posture, it actually serves to bolster Karzai's image as independent of his puppet strings. This bodes well for American interests because it allows for back-channel string pulling. It also provides a way for Pakistan to come to terms with Washington without appearing to lose face.
In order to understand what is really going on in that part of the world we must separate US policy into esoteric and exoteric domains. The exoteric domain involves the overt policy pronouncements that are released officially or through leaks to the outside world. (The only people who actually believe these policy statements are those with no understanding of the vicious machinations of the American government.) For example, Washington announces that it opposes terrorism publicly, but everything that it does promotes terrorism. More terrorists were spawned by the War on Terror than were neutralized. This is not mere ineptitude, but a logical consequence of a tradition of promoting terror including support for Islamist extremists.
Obama may buy into the idea of fighting terrorism, but he got himself into an office with a long and hallowed tradition of standing up despotic actors around the globe. Without an insight into the engine of his own subordinate beast, he is doomed to fail in affecting the esoteric aspects of US foreign policy. That policy has been strengthened by his actions to date. Assassinating respected Islamists has simply increased their martyrdom cachet. Obama has been putting out fire with gasoline, albeit differently than his predecessor. He tried to turn the clock back to the Clinton days, but he has only pushed the machine further in a Bushite direction.
What are your impressions of Obama's Afghan/Pakistan policies to date? What do you think McCain would have done differently?
In order to understand what is really going on in that part of the world we must separate US policy into esoteric and exoteric domains. The exoteric domain involves the overt policy pronouncements that are released officially or through leaks to the outside world. (The only people who actually believe these policy statements are those with no understanding of the vicious machinations of the American government.) For example, Washington announces that it opposes terrorism publicly, but everything that it does promotes terrorism. More terrorists were spawned by the War on Terror than were neutralized. This is not mere ineptitude, but a logical consequence of a tradition of promoting terror including support for Islamist extremists.
Obama may buy into the idea of fighting terrorism, but he got himself into an office with a long and hallowed tradition of standing up despotic actors around the globe. Without an insight into the engine of his own subordinate beast, he is doomed to fail in affecting the esoteric aspects of US foreign policy. That policy has been strengthened by his actions to date. Assassinating respected Islamists has simply increased their martyrdom cachet. Obama has been putting out fire with gasoline, albeit differently than his predecessor. He tried to turn the clock back to the Clinton days, but he has only pushed the machine further in a Bushite direction.
What are your impressions of Obama's Afghan/Pakistan policies to date? What do you think McCain would have done differently?
(no subject)
Date: 1/11/11 16:50 (UTC)Stability...
Date: 1/11/11 17:10 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 1/11/11 16:52 (UTC)Don't you mean...
Date: 1/11/11 17:12 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 1/11/11 20:19 (UTC)They like their money, I don't see them giving that up.
The best I can figure for us is we're playing an earth-sized game of Risk - not sure anyone else is playing, but deals like this give us an edge if anyone ever jumps in.
Obviously...
Date: 2/11/11 16:12 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2/11/11 01:41 (UTC)Those of us...
Date: 2/11/11 16:14 (UTC)