Moving closer to our Allies

During the Bush Administration, the Democrats consistently criticized that administration for not working more closely with our allies. Democrats claimed that they would certainly act in a more multilateral way than a cowboy like Bush.

Today we have been treated to headlines in the Financial Times and other European papers in which lack of progress in combatting global warming is blamed upon a widening rift between the USA and the EU. since our principal allies are almost all part of the EU, we should be acting very closely in concert with them if the Obamacrats actually were able to conceive of a multilateral foreign policy. According to the europeans, however, the Obama Administration does not even seem to have the time to pay attention to matters of foreign policy.

Previously we learned that only 4% of the people in Israel, our closest ally in the Middle East, now consider Obama to be a friend of Israel. So, in merely 8 months, Obama has managed to estrange the population of our only close friend in that region.

The recent Japanese elections bounced out the government that advocated close ties with the USA for one that wants Japan to keep its distance from the USA. Again, the conduct of the Obama Administration towards Japan was a big issue in that election. It seems that Japan does not matter to the Obamacrats either.

In Latin America, the US has been supporting the ousted former president of Honduras, even though he was removed from office by that country's Supreme Court and Legislature for a clear violation of that country's Constitution. All of our allies in the area are dismayed by this position with only Chavez and Castro acting in full support. Here too, Obama has alienated our allies and reached out to our enemies.

At least there is one area where Obama has not alienated US allies. So far, no one in Antarctica has complained about treatment from Washington. Of course, there are no countries on that continent, but it is nice to know that there is one area to which Obama can point to success in not alienating allies.

It is going to be a long four years.