http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hqkjNHWd0rWEo9grv82CtNFFa6nwD92GV4M00

I'm sure you must have heard about this by now, but I think this guy does summarize what a lot of people are drawn to WRT Obama's foreign policy:

Quote :

""There's a distinction between trumpeting issues and realistically looking at effectiveness," Leach said. "I have never known a time period where the American brand has been in less repair." He said most voters instinctively want the U.S. to work with allies, rejecting the go-it-alone approach that has marked the Bush administration. "If you ask Americans of any political persuasion — conservative, liberal or moderate — whether they'd rather see us lead the world with allies or alone, most people instinctively say we're better off with allies," Leach said. "The public does understand that something is not right about our policies today.""

My gut tells me that if McCain gets in office, he'd do a 180 WRT negotiating with our adversaries, but Bush really has done a lot of harm to the "American brand" as Leach calls it, that McCain hasn't been talking about fixing. And considering the global nature of the economy, as well as the nature of fighting terrorism, this is a fairly important problem to address.

8/12/2008 6:07:53 PM

Quote :

"He said most voters instinctively want the U.S. to work with allies, rejecting the go-it-alone approach that has marked the Bush administration."

seems like we tried to get lots of allies when we went before the UN before the Iraq Invasion in 03, but only a few were willing to sign on...we even tried to get France on board after 9/11...don't you remember the reason French Fries are called Freedom Fries (even though nobody really seriously uses that term)?

8/12/2008 6:20:59 PM

Quote :

"Former republican congressman supporters Obama"

8/12/2008 6:49:25 PM

aren't other countries already doing this, and not really gaining any ground?

8/12/2008 7:04:22 PM

^yes. Im curious what sentence Obama can form that will make Iran and others lose thier nuclear interests.


lead with power, not appeasement.

Moron, are you saying that foreign policy is one of obama's strengths?

8/12/2008 7:40:10 PM

Look, maybe it's the cynic in me, as someone who once lived adjacent to Leach's district, his endorsement comes with about all the shock of, "NEWSFLASH: Water wet."

He represented the most liberal district in Iowa (including Iowa City), and was generally left-wing on foreign policy issues. So, I wonder... which candidate is generally more like Leach - hm...

8/12/2008 8:31:18 PM

Quote :

"seems like we tried to get lots of allies when we went before the UN before the Iraq Invasion in 03, but only a few were willing to sign on...we even tried to get France on board after 9/11...don't you remember the reason French Fries are called Freedom Fries (even though nobody really seriously uses that term)?"

after 9/11 the entire world was behind us, it was an opportunity to take the reins as the leader of the free world but we ruined it by hijacking it as an excuse to go into iraq

8/13/2008 7:56:46 AM

Quote :

"seems like we tried to get lots of allies when we went before the UN before the Iraq Invasion in 03, but only a few were willing to sign on..."

How dare they not go along with our painstakingly crafted house of lies. THE NERVE OF THESE PEOPLE.

8/13/2008 10:24:29 AM

Quote :

"Im curious what sentence Obama can form that will make Iran and others lose thier nuclear interests. "

What seems so odd to me about this general position statement is that it at least appears that many right-leaning pundits are saying that diplomacy is not effective in advancing national interests.

Lets forget about the general peace vs. war conflict that seem to under gird much of the liberal / conservative divide.

Do you deny that diplomacy is effective in pursuing imperialistic objectives? That is suppose that our true ambitions were to conquer Iran and enslave its people. Are you saying diplomacy wouldn't help? It seems to have been effective in the past.

8/13/2008 3:31:20 PM

^^well they fooled the entire united states with their lies, you'd think they'd be able to fool some other countries

and that doesnt ^^,^^^ explain France after 9/11 for example...but fuck France anyway

8/13/2008 3:39:12 PM