It took a full 24 hours before I was able to put my finger on exactly what I had found disconcerting about Senator Obama's comment that:
"If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and [Pakistani] President Musharraf won't act, we will."
I eventually determined that what I did find troubling was the underlying reason Obama made the comments in the first place.
Obama the policymaker clearly recognizes that the U.S. is suffering from a diplomacy deficient, and his past speeches on Pakistan have focused on the need for a shift in the U.S. approach. This most recent speech was, for the most part, consistent with these broad brush strokes. To his credit Obama sought to highlight the importance of diplomatic collaboration with a range of countries in the fight against Al Qaeda.
Unfortunately someone close to Obama the politician likely urged the candidate to include a paragraph showcasing his toughness. That paragraph was designed, in part, to combat the Clinton campaign's efforts to create a narrative that Obama is naive and weak. In rebutting a rival's political frame, Obama strayed away from a really important task. He was not able to use this opportunity to message to the American public that it is time to embrace diplomacy and alliance building if the U.S. is to get itself out of the hole it currently finds itself in.
Instead of garnering attention for his core position, Obama created a situation where rival candidate Gov. Bill Richardson could make clear that negotiation and diplomacy were clear priorities and that force was an absolute last resort:
"My international experience tells me that we should address this problem with tough diplomacy with General Musharraf first, leaving the military as a last resort. It is important to reach out to moderate Muslim states and allies to ensure we do not unnecessarily inflame the
Muslim world." (
http://www.richardsonforpresident.com/newsroom/ pressreleases?id=0202)
Obama recognizes that radical change is needed; he should not seek to avoid barbs from other candidates by looking to be hawkish on these issues. He, and the country, will be better served by sticking to the substance and outlining a vision for addressing challenges facing our interconnected world.
# posted by Raj @ 8/06/2007 07:36:00 AM
