Obama is making headlines at the Summit of the Americas (among other places). It's nice to move away from that stale old dogma of the past and move forward based on mutual interest.

Castro says he's willing to talk about everything - from human rights, freedom of the press, political prisoners.

President Chavez expressed his hope that relations between the two countries would change.

It's not supprising how receptive people are when you don't threaten them all the time.

I found the whole article inspirational ...

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/17/obama.latinamerica/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

Flame away ....

4/17/2009 10:17:26 PM

Didnt Chavez call Obama an ignoramous

4/17/2009 10:23:08 PM

sigh... i sure am glad to know that instantly everything changed the moment dubya walked out the door

4/17/2009 10:35:51 PM

^ In truth, a lot has changed. Bush/Cheney were no statesman. They had no interest in consensus, or anything but unilateral decisions. Certainly the U.S.'s tone has changed, from theatening bully to at least willingness to listen, and work toward mutual interest.

I find it refreshing ...

4/17/2009 10:50:57 PM

no, our tone has changed from someone who stands up for themselves to someone who will let any one walk all over them. ":Hey, Iran, please don't nuke us. We're sorry..."

4/17/2009 10:54:33 PM

Obama sure let those pirates walk all over the US

4/17/2009 11:11:32 PM

he sure didn't finish them off quickly, either.

4/17/2009 11:13:17 PM

Quote :

"President Chavez expressed his hope that relations between the two countries would change."

Why not...Obama is trying to change our country's gov't to Venezuela's

4/17/2009 11:13:43 PM

3 guys stuck in a lifeboat against a US Navy ship and the Seals is hardly indicative of Obama's foreign policy

4/17/2009 11:14:22 PM

oh, haha - earthdogg compared obama's America to a mad-man's communist hell, but he put a *wink* after it, so it all cute and ok!!

4/17/2009 11:14:53 PM

I don't think the fact that you are willing to talk and listen means that you will let people walk over you. The hardcores can say so, but they haven't provided a shred of evidence.

Certainly he doesn't pull his punches:

Quote :

"Every one of our nations has a right to follow its own path. But we all have a responsibility to see that the people of the Americas have the ability to pursue their own dreams in democratic societies. Toward that end, the United States seeks a new beginning with Cuba."

In fairness to Chavez, the U.S. does have a history of treating South American countries like national resources, with more benefit going North than South. At least Obama is willing to see them as sovereign nations, with interests of their own.

4/17/2009 11:40:09 PM

Glad to see we're back to the 20's

4/18/2009 12:03:35 AM

4/18/2009 3:48:42 PM

Quote :

"Castro says he's willing to talk about everything - from human rights, freedom of the press, political prisoners. President Chavez expressed his hope that relations between the two countries would change."

I would rather people like Castro and Chavez hate us honestly.

4/18/2009 5:39:00 PM

4/18/2009 5:44:38 PM

Quote :

"I would rather people like Castro and Chavez hate us honestly."

Aren't enough words in the dictionary to describe how stupid people who believe in "pure evil" are.

4/18/2009 6:01:15 PM

chavez really is a dick though, a lot of liberals miss that and i think it hurts the cause

oh and OMG DID YOU SEE ON FOX NEWS, OBAMA SHOOK HIS HAND

THIS IS IMPORTANT NEWS PEOPLE

[Edited on April 18, 2009 at 6:54 PM. Reason : .]

4/18/2009 6:54:13 PM

Quote :

"I would rather people like Castro and Chavez hate us honestly. "

They do hate us.

But they know they need us. I also am hoping Castro means he's willing to accept democracy, but it's unclear from his new found affection.

4/18/2009 6:57:12 PM

Thats how the cycle works. We have a guy who's foreign policy consists of tough talk, saber rattling and military intervention. Then we have a guy who's foreign policy consists of shaking hands and reconcilation with everybody who's been alienated.

It's neat at the start of a new cycle, but by the end of it we'll either be calling the guy a douchebag or a pussy.

4/18/2009 7:55:27 PM

except i'd call bush a douchebag AND a pussy

4/18/2009 8:09:54 PM

Quote :

"I would rather people like Castro and Chavez hate us honestly."

Why? What's the point? How do the citizens of the United States/Cuba/Venezuela benefit from having hostile relations?

4/18/2009 8:29:06 PM

^ hates freedom, loves communism

4/18/2009 9:18:18 PM

My fear is that those foreign leaders and terrorists who wish us ill are sizing up our young president as a weak, indecisive, light-weight...and that is pretty tempting for them..and very dangerous for us.

If we are attacked, will the Obama nation hold him accountable in any way for his conciliatory treatment of those who hate us? Or does he get a pass because he was at least trying to offer an olive branch?

Perhaps Castro is ready to swing wide the doors of his little stalag nation to liberty. Although with the ton of foreign aid Obama would probably want to ship over, we may not be able to afford our new friendship with the Cuban dictator.

4/18/2009 11:20:12 PM

What President Obama has done so far is, in many ways, much more in line with the way I think we should be dealing with some of these nations/leaders.

That said, if they misread our gestures and decide to test us, I think that our responses should be severe. Offer the carrot--the chance for everyone to do things the easy, mutually beneficial way. If they are determined to fuck around and cause trouble for us anyway, hit them with long arm of American hegemony.

Contrary to what some of you believe, I do not think that President Obama will be limp-wristed in his foreign policy. My only concern is that he might be overly hesitant to move unilaterally, even if the situation calls for it.





Basically, Speak softly and carry a big stick...

although that stick doesn't always have to be the military, and neither part can be overemphasized. The nuanced approach only works when the other side knows that any sort of hardball is a perilous option. Conversely, overplaying your hand is almost a certainty when you default to any form of big stick before exhausting all of the speak-softly options.

[Edited on April 18, 2009 at 11:33 PM. Reason : ]

4/18/2009 11:32:16 PM

Quote :

"If we are attacked, will the Obama nation hold him accountable in any way for his conciliatory treatment of those who hate us? Or does he get a pass because he was at least trying to offer an olive branch?"

Giving away Poland is conciliation worthy of punishment. Shaking hands with anyone, even hitler, is not worthy of even mention. Trying to stop being enemies with anyone is what the President should be doing. I have seen nothing to suggest either Castro or Chavez are targetting U.S. citizens for anything more dangerous than a charity drive. As such, making complete peace with them is the right thing to do.

Not even a terrorist organization would be a stretch, as long as he denounced them as soon as they resumed hostilities or refused to turn over convicted fellons.

4/19/2009 12:35:07 AM

4/19/2009 1:59:13 AM

Quote :

"Aren't enough words in the dictionary to describe how stupid people who believe in "pure evil" are."

Who said anything about pure evil? Castro is a has been dictator who led his country into ruin and his people into poverty. Chavez is a pompous populist buffoon, who only stayed in power through coercion, class/race warfare, and the insane oil revenues of the past decade. Sorry, but I would rather people like that hate us, because I think that says good things about us.

It takes two to tango (obligatory bad cliche). Their are reasons why relations are sour between us and some countries, and they aren't all our fault, which some seem to imply. Honestly, I could care less about Cuba, and I only care about Venezuela because of the oil. I will almost gaurentee that Chavez will continue yapping like a little dog about evil America, because he has based ALL international cred on being that guy. Really, Obama is doing something smart (hopefully), by either disarming Chavez or making him look like what he really is.

4/19/2009 8:54:12 AM

i gaurentee it

4/19/2009 9:01:05 AM

i like the kid's outfit w/ the high socks, shorts, jacket

4/19/2009 12:17:15 PM

My position statement:

I am in strong support of Obama's diplomatic job. With the exception of N. Korea, we seem to be making progress on almost all fronts beyond where we were before. I actually support the premise of this thread. Electing Obama has accomplished the purpose of changing our stand internationally as expected.

However, I still don't approve of the president's job due to his energy policy and the details of the stimulus act.

Still, getting 1 out of 3 issues right is better than Bush ever did

4/19/2009 12:46:20 PM

DAVEEEYYYY DAVEYY CROCKETT

KIND OF THE WILD FRONTIERRRRR

4/19/2009 12:57:49 PM

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aun_fNO0161g

at least it paints a different pic than yahoo

4/19/2009 1:57:26 PM

Quote :

"Regional leaders “cannot let ourselves be prisoners of past disagreements,” Obama said. “You can’t blame the U.S. for every problem in this hemisphere,” Obama said. “I am very grateful that President Ortega didn’t blame me for things that happened when I was three months old."

I was thinking this the whole time I was reading the article.

4/19/2009 2:20:02 PM

^^ From the story:

Quote :

"Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who last month called Obama an “ignoramus” when it comes to Latin America, today gave Obama a Spanish-language copy of Uruguayan historian Eduardo Galeano’s book “Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent.” ... Ortega, who said he was upset that he was forced to wait for three hours on the tarmac after landing, spoke for 45 minutes. His speech included a reference to invasion by “Yankee troops.”"

Is it just me, or do some of these guys kind of sound like petulant children? I realize Obama's job is to deal with these people with patience and good grace, which so far he seems to be doing a decent job.

But really. Bitching about waiting for three hours? Yeah, this really makes us want to take your grievances seriously.

4/19/2009 2:28:43 PM

^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoGYx35ypus

4/19/2009 2:37:43 PM

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/18/khalid-sheikh-mohammed-was-waterboarded-183-times-in-one-month/

haha damn

4/20/2009 3:08:05 AM

Quote :

"I only care about Venezuela because of the oil"

Hey, at least you are honest about your intentions, something that never could be said about that fucking buffoon Bush and that fucking evil tyrant Cheney.

They would never admit that their foreign policy towards any country had anything to do with oil. For example:

Our relationship with the SODDIES is based on shared goals and values."

(Soddies = Saudis, i.e., Saudi Arabia)

4/20/2009 6:15:39 AM

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/19/AR2009041901994.html

I don't agree with everything in his opinion, but it does put a different perspective on it. We've restored the status quo of how diplomacy should have been done in the first place as theDuke866 mentioned, but that doesn't mean any of the major diplomatic headaches we have (North Korea, Iran, Russia) are going to get any better as a result. Nevertheless, I think the current administration is a step in the right direction from the handling of state-to-state relations by the previous administration.

4/20/2009 2:25:58 PM

http://realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/04/21/new_vid_shows_less_friendly_obama_encounter_with_chavez_.html

attn tdub lipreaders...what are they saying?

4/21/2009 11:57:45 PM

awesome link moron. Funny and true.

4/22/2009 12:07:25 AM

"OK ... I'll go, I'll go." ....

[Edited on April 22, 2009 at 1:27 PM. Reason : Oops ... posted in wrong topic ...]

4/22/2009 1:26:30 PM

Chavez looks like a child getting scolded for stealing a cookie

4/22/2009 1:55:11 PM

hehe^

4/22/2009 11:37:11 PM

Apparently Fidel Castro is trying to reneg on some of his brother's promises to talk about certain issues.

Of course, at this point Fidel is a frail old man who looks like he has both feet in the grave, and the only thing that prevents him from lying down in it is his arthritis.

4/23/2009 1:00:39 AM

As a professional lip reader, I make it out as...

Chavez is asking Obama "Where can I get one of those Portuguese Dogs of the Water?"

4/23/2009 1:15:14 AM

And that's why every time a Spanish-speaker walked into the store, you asked me to talk to them.

[Edited on April 23, 2009 at 1:20 AM. Reason : to say nothing of the time you thought the Libyan family was Mexican]

4/23/2009 1:18:25 AM

Quote :

"Still, getting 1 out of 3 issues right is better than Bush ever did "

Yeah, he didn't keep us safe or anything by preventing further terrorist attacks.



sigh.

4/23/2009 1:35:15 PM

Quote :

"“By your logic, I could claim that this rock keeps tigers away.” Homer is confused: “Hmm; how does it work?” Lisa: “It doesn’t work; it’s just a stupid rock!” Homer: “Uh-huh.” Lisa: “… but I don’t see any tigers around, do you?” Homer, after a moment’s thought: “Lisa, I want to buy your rock…”"

4/23/2009 1:53:01 PM

Quote :

"Yeah, he didn't keep us safe or anything by preventing further terrorist attacks. sigh."

Nader would have dropped a bomb on those caves in Afghanistan. Get serious.

4/23/2009 1:56:32 PM

Would Nader have thwarted the attacks on LA or the terrorists trying to collapse the Brooklyn Bridge? Or would he have pussed out and not waterboarded the suspects we apprehended that gave up that information?

4/23/2009 2:01:55 PM