For eight years under president Obama, the world kept hearing about "hope and change" which Obama was supposedly bringing to the fore. In foreign affairs, "hope and change" consisted mainly of abandoning old allies (like Israel or Egypt) and embracing a new open and close relationship with enemies like Iran. Obama and his cronies thought that an open hand extended to Iran or Cuba would bring peace and joy in the world, not to mention goodwill towards men. What we got instead was to watch the Iranians grab whatever they could out of Obama's open hand while continuing to fight everything that America wanted. Obama tried to befriend Iran; in response, Iran just chanted "death to America" a bit louder.
Now that the Age of Obama is finally (and mercifully) over, we are seeing a new American foreign policy emerge. It is causing apoplexy in some quarters around the globe. The believers in the merits of unilateral disarmament or endless negotiation cannot seem to accept that America's new president is of the view that actions are more important than words. Speeches may be nice on the TV, but it is deeds, not words that truly matter.
A good example of this is the response to the current confrontation between Qatar and its Arab neighbors. Through all of the Obama years, Qatar was a principal state financial supporter of radical Sunni Islamic terrorism. Qatar shoveled millions and millions in cash to Hamas, as Qaeda, and even ISIS. Qatar also formed a close working relationship with Iran, so close that Qatar sent cash to Hazbollah, the group of Shiite terrorists controlled by Iran. After President Trump spoke to the Muslim nations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, some of those nations took action. The cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and closed down the border. For once, the world witnessed Arab countries acting strongly to fight against radical Islamic terrorism.
After the Arab nations acted against Qater, President Trump (gasp!) put the USA on the side of those fighting terrorism rather than on the side of those (Qatar) who fund the terrorists.
Now, the liberals who prioritize speeches over actions are horrified at the prospect of America supporting anti-terror actions in the Middle East. Today, I read an article in The Economist which calls the US support for the Arab group against Qatar a horrible mistake. The Economist wanted the USA to come forward with support for Qatar and to wring our hands if we were ignored. The Economist even points out that there is a large American air base in Qatar and that in the past this would have guaranteed Qatar American protection.
It amazes me that after eight years of hearing about change that never seemed to arrive, we have actual change in which the USA supports activities designed to reduce the ability of the Islamic terrorists from carrying out their attacks, and the response from the liberals is horror. How dare the USA assert its national interests! How dare the USA depart from liberal orthodoxy which says that whatever Obama did was the correct course to choose. How dare President Trump act in a day or two rather than spending months deciding on the proper nuanced response.
We now have truly radical change, namely that the USA will no longer fight Islamic terror in name only. Moving forward, ISIS and all the other terrorists are going to feel the full force of the USA. Moving forward, President Trump's promise to eradicate ISIS is going to come to pass. It will still be a difficult fight; there can be no doubt of that. What will no longer be acceptable, however, is for the USA to talk about what needs to be done while never actually doing it.
Now that the Age of Obama is finally (and mercifully) over, we are seeing a new American foreign policy emerge. It is causing apoplexy in some quarters around the globe. The believers in the merits of unilateral disarmament or endless negotiation cannot seem to accept that America's new president is of the view that actions are more important than words. Speeches may be nice on the TV, but it is deeds, not words that truly matter.
A good example of this is the response to the current confrontation between Qatar and its Arab neighbors. Through all of the Obama years, Qatar was a principal state financial supporter of radical Sunni Islamic terrorism. Qatar shoveled millions and millions in cash to Hamas, as Qaeda, and even ISIS. Qatar also formed a close working relationship with Iran, so close that Qatar sent cash to Hazbollah, the group of Shiite terrorists controlled by Iran. After President Trump spoke to the Muslim nations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, some of those nations took action. The cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and closed down the border. For once, the world witnessed Arab countries acting strongly to fight against radical Islamic terrorism.
After the Arab nations acted against Qater, President Trump (gasp!) put the USA on the side of those fighting terrorism rather than on the side of those (Qatar) who fund the terrorists.
Now, the liberals who prioritize speeches over actions are horrified at the prospect of America supporting anti-terror actions in the Middle East. Today, I read an article in The Economist which calls the US support for the Arab group against Qatar a horrible mistake. The Economist wanted the USA to come forward with support for Qatar and to wring our hands if we were ignored. The Economist even points out that there is a large American air base in Qatar and that in the past this would have guaranteed Qatar American protection.
It amazes me that after eight years of hearing about change that never seemed to arrive, we have actual change in which the USA supports activities designed to reduce the ability of the Islamic terrorists from carrying out their attacks, and the response from the liberals is horror. How dare the USA assert its national interests! How dare the USA depart from liberal orthodoxy which says that whatever Obama did was the correct course to choose. How dare President Trump act in a day or two rather than spending months deciding on the proper nuanced response.
We now have truly radical change, namely that the USA will no longer fight Islamic terror in name only. Moving forward, ISIS and all the other terrorists are going to feel the full force of the USA. Moving forward, President Trump's promise to eradicate ISIS is going to come to pass. It will still be a difficult fight; there can be no doubt of that. What will no longer be acceptable, however, is for the USA to talk about what needs to be done while never actually doing it.
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