Truman and the Principles of U.S. Foreign Policy (more classic VDH dissection of the Messiah)

wsj ^ | 10/29/2009 | vdh

[milwguy]

Upon entering office, Barack Obama knew little about foreign policy. But then neither did Vice President Harry S. Truman when Franklin Delano Roosevelt died suddenly on April 12, 1945.

President Obama often invokes the supposed mess abroad—especially in Iraq and Afghanistan—left to him by George W. Bush. But Mr. Obama's inheritance is mild compared to the myriad crises that nearly overwhelmed the rookie President Truman.

All at once Truman had to finish the struggle against Hitler, occupy Europe, and deal with a nominally allied but increasingly bellicose and ascendant Soviet Union. Within months of taking office he had to make the awful decision to drop atomic bombs on Imperial Japan.

Will an inexperienced Barack Obama, in the fashion of Harry Truman, learn quickly that the world is chaotic and unstable—best dealt with through strength and unabashed confidence in America's historic role galvanizing democratic allies to confront illiberal aggressors?

Or will a sermonizing Mr. Obama follow the aberrant Democratic path of the sanctimonious Jimmy Carter: finger-wagging at allies, appeasing enemies, publicly faulting his less than perfect predecessors, and hectoring the American people to evolve beyond their supposed prejudices?

America awaits the president's choice. The world's safety hinges upon it.

[milwguy]

No writer in America today can so eloquently use history to show what we are facing with the Obama Presidency as VDH. His encyclopedic knowledge of history and his ability to make it relevant to events of today never ceases to amaze me.

I only wish Obama would read some VDH instead of the likes of Fareed Zakaria, et al. If Obama had any understanding of history at all, he would realize the path he is on only leads the country to failure, and the world to become even more unsafe. Alas, not only does Barry not know much history, he does not seem to want to learn any either.

[ClearCase_guy]

I’d like VDH is weigh in on the NEA claim that Obama is the greatest writer since Julius Caesar. He might have a thing or two to say on the subject.

[La Lydia]

One huge difference between Truman and BO is that Truman loved his country, was proud of his country, and respected American institutions and accomplishments. BO doesn’t. The fools in this country have elected a man who does not like this country, and is doing is damnedest to destroy it and everything it has created.

[freekitty]

Excuses, excuses and more excuses. That's what a liar does and Obama is most certainly that.