I got to wondering today which countries could now be counted as America's close friends and allies. There has been a major change in the answer; that is for certain.
Let's look at the list. When president Obama took office in 2009, the most important allies of the USA in the Eastern hemisphere would probably be listed in this order: the UK, Germany, Japan, France, Italy, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Most of the rest of Europe and East Asia would also have made the list. So would a few states in the Middle East like Iraq, Jordan and Turkey. In the Western hemisphere, the three most important allies would have been Canada, Mexico and Brazil.
Now let's update that list to today. Certain countries are no longer allies at all. I would include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq and Brazil on that list. Other countries are still allies by treaty, but they have opened substantial distance between themselves and Washington. That would include the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Israel, Turkey and Mexico. In fact, the only countries that are still as closely allied today to America as they were five years ago are Japan, Jordan, and Canada.
When you expand from allies to "friends" only, the toll is even worse. Distrust of Washington together with disappointment in the actions of the Obama administration have take a major toll on the structure of friendships that America built up over sixty eight years from 1940 to 2008.
The most amazing thing, however, is the list of countries that have grown closer to America during the last five years. There are none. Not a single country makes that list.
The truth is that Obama's foreign policy has been a bigger disaster than the Obamacare website rollout. There is just no other way to look at it.
Let's look at the list. When president Obama took office in 2009, the most important allies of the USA in the Eastern hemisphere would probably be listed in this order: the UK, Germany, Japan, France, Italy, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Most of the rest of Europe and East Asia would also have made the list. So would a few states in the Middle East like Iraq, Jordan and Turkey. In the Western hemisphere, the three most important allies would have been Canada, Mexico and Brazil.
Now let's update that list to today. Certain countries are no longer allies at all. I would include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq and Brazil on that list. Other countries are still allies by treaty, but they have opened substantial distance between themselves and Washington. That would include the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Israel, Turkey and Mexico. In fact, the only countries that are still as closely allied today to America as they were five years ago are Japan, Jordan, and Canada.
When you expand from allies to "friends" only, the toll is even worse. Distrust of Washington together with disappointment in the actions of the Obama administration have take a major toll on the structure of friendships that America built up over sixty eight years from 1940 to 2008.
The most amazing thing, however, is the list of countries that have grown closer to America during the last five years. There are none. Not a single country makes that list.
The truth is that Obama's foreign policy has been a bigger disaster than the Obamacare website rollout. There is just no other way to look at it.
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