Posted on 07/14/2014 12:07:06 PM PDT by rickmichaels
Foreign policy is like gardening, former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz, more than once remarked. And it begins, he pointed out, by making sure that relations with America’s neighbors, key allies, and friends remain regularly and well-tended. It is an axiom of foreign policy that the Obama administration is ignoring to its own detriment.
There has been abundant criticism about the way the United States has handled its relations with Russia, China, and an unfolding succession of crises in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and now Israel-Palestine – much of its justified. But there is also a major, growing problem in America’s relations with its key allies, where it is not only losing friends but also its capacity for influence.
U.S. relations with Germany – Europe’s economic and political juggernaut – have sunk to an all-time low. Edward Snowden’s revelations that U.S. intelligence operatives were conducting widespread operations in Germany, including tapping German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cellphone, enraged Germans. Memories of East Germany’s Ministry of State Security (Stasi) major intrusion into the private lives of ordinary citizens during the Cold War are still raw, and U.S. insensitivity to Germans’ strongly held belief in the last right to privacy has cost relations dearly.
(Excerpt) Read more at theglobeandmail.com ...
He doesn’t care about anything but himself..
Our new “friends” are now Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Ecuador and Mexico. They love us for allowing them to dump their poverty on the US taxpayers not to mention all of the dollars that will be sent “home” from here.
I do not for one moment believe that our evesdropping on Germany began on January 21, 2009. Having said that, the damage to our relationship should have been repairable and would have been had we had a competent Secretary of State and a competent administration in the White House.
We've never had but two or three REAL friends and of course the firat thing 0bama did was insult the Brits and turn his back on Israel. Looks like Canada is stuck with us. Anyone else just wants foreign aid.
Looking fab at 93!
Australia’s been a pretty good friend.
Correct! and probably where I'll have to seek asylum.
Philippines too. Singapore.
It is not to the administration's detriment. All this is leading to some major crisis which will give the Obama administration the excuse it needs to deepen its control over the American people.
It is to America's detriment.
I believe that our eavesdropping on Germany began sometime in the 1930’s and has never stopped.
We will take you in. Freepmail me.
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