In previous commentaries I have lamented the fact that, on the world stage, President Obama is looking far too much like George W. Bush. In fact, despite his transformative rhetoric, Obama is not only continuing but actually expanding far too many of Bush’s foreign policy tactics.
One glaring example of course is his recent decision to escalate the war in Afghanistan, exacerbating Bush’s folly of keeping American soldiers deployed there to do little more than prop up a hopelessly corrupt government and serve as target practice for Taliban insurgents.
And who would’ve thought that Obama would order more Predator drone missile strikes in Pakistan in one year than Bush ordered in eight? For even though reports are that these unmanned aircrafts have been used to kill hundreds of senior al-Qaeda leaders, one third of those killed have been civilians. Not to mention that many legal scholars consider these attacks an even greater violation of international law than the abuses committed at Abu Ghraib.
Closer to home, however, I’ve been dismayed by the way Obama is aping Bush in his dealings throughout the Americas.
One glaring example of course is his stay-the-course refusal to lift the Cuban embargo. After all, Obama enforcing this embargo against Cuba is every bit as “crazy” as Bush refusing to talk to Iran.
More to the point, though, who would’ve thought that Obama’s Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, would be channeling Bush’s secretary, Condoleezza Rice, by hurling hollow threats at leaders throughout the region who dare to court relationships with Iran? Never mind the contradiction, if not hypocrisy, inherent in the fact that Obama himself has been courting Iran pursuant to his foreign policy agenda.
Here, in part, is how she attempted to reassert America’s sphere of influence throughout the Western Hemisphere in a policy speech on Friday:
I think if people want to flirt with Iran, they should take a look at what the consequences might well be for them. And we hope that they will think twice and we will support them if they do … it is a very bad idea for the countries involved.
Unfortunately, where Obama seems content to have Hillary hurl Condi-light threats from Washington, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been taking substantive steps on the ground to enhance Iran’s economic and political influence in America’s back yard.
Moreover, nothing demonstrates the futility of hurling hollow threats quite like the way Bush warned of dire consequences if countries throughout the region turned to Venezuela instead of the US as their sugar daddy. After all, many of them did, and Bush did absolutely nothing.
There is no doubt, however, that this Agreement has significant geopolitical implications. Indeed, for many CARICOM leaders, PetroCaribe is merely a fringe benefit of the political alliance they forged with Chávez earlier this year when they abandoned their presumptive deference to the United States and supported his candidate for president of the Organisation of American States (OAS).
[CARICOM and Venezuela consolidating ties, TIJ, September 6, 2005]
It is not surprising therefore that, despite initially wooing Obama with pedantic gifts and faint praise, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is fast becoming as much a pain in the ass for Obama as he was or Bush:
Mrs Clinton’s statements (are) like a threat above all against Venezuela and Bolivia… They are the clear signs of an imperial offensive seeking to stop the advancement of progressive forces, and regain its back yard… It’s ridiculous … we aren’t afraid of her.
Plus ça change… .
Related commentaries:
Obama governing just like Bush
Obama escalates war in Afghanistan…
Chavez tries to resuscitate Cold War tensions
CARICOM and Venezuela consolidating ties
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