Political campaign watchers seem to agree that the election will be about the economy, and that Republicans probably won’t have much to say about Obama’s foreign policy (partly because it doesn’t much differ from what a Republican president might be doing).
The New York Times‘ Richard Oppel has a piece today headlined, “Republican Candidates Aim at Obama Foreign Policy.”
So what exactly is the Republican case against Obama’s foreign policy? That it’s too soft on the Hezbollah menace on our southern border.
Seriously.
Oppel writes:
A small but revealing episode unfolded in the closing minutes of the last Republican presidential debate. After the candidates were asked to name the national security issue they most worry about, which had not yet been discussed, Rick Santorum cited radical Islamists in Central and South America.
Mitt Romney agreed, saying that Hezbollah, a militant Shiite group in Lebanon that is backed by Iran and Syria, was working in Mexico, Venezuela and throughout Latin America, posing an “imminent threat.” Earlier in the night, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas warned that Hezbollah, as well as Hamas, the Palestinian militant organization that controls Gaza, also were working in Mexico.
That the candidates would cite the same threat–one denied by the Mexican government, and which seemed to contrast with a State Department report that there are no Hezbollah-related operational cells in this hemisphere–was not a coincidence.
Oppel adds that “a major thrust of the Republican foreign-policy argument” will include this kind of rhetoric about Obama being “too soft” on the likes of “Iran, Hezbollah and the Palestinians.”
If a journalist is looking to inform voters, it might help to give them a sense of whether what these candidates are saying is grounded in reality. PolitiFact judged Romney’s Hezbollah comments “Mostly False,” pointing out that the claim appears to come from a paper by former Bush assistant secretary of state Roger Noriega–and that the paper argues that most of the activity in Latin America is related to fundraising–criminal activity that funnels money back to Lebanon.
The Times judges the accuracy of the Republican charges in passing–the candidates’ claims “seemed to contrast with a State Department report.”` The piece is far more concerned with the political strategy at work, and how Republicans might be trying to appeal to some Jewish voters with a message about Obama being soft on Islamic terrorists. It’s a strategy that will likely be a lot more successful if reporters aren’t going to call them out.
Only a matter of time ’til they start with the “Al Qaeda working groups” within the Occupys?
The 1%’s most effective means of herd control is fear; the only thing they have to fear is the lack of a fearful citizenry itself.
Glenn, try discerning what is going on in Venezuela (training Hezbollah), Bolivia (Iran created a military academy to teach assymetric warfare, and Chavez has helped Hezbollah expand its operations even through Mexico. Joke about herd control – but dig into it and find out the truth. You will find enough in the open press to fill in gaps… but those gaps are already in the US. Don’t sweat it – stay uninformed and when you have sharia law – neither of us will be able to make the free comments we make today.
Hey Fred, pull yourself away from your ‘Red Dawn’ DVD and YOU try to find some truth. Start by looking at some of the basic size comparisons of militaries, weaponry, allies, even religious following (for all that’s good & bad about that) if you think that matters – – – get away from the ‘Faux Noise’ daily scream-a-thon or the Rush-rant-a-lot and develop a sense of proportionality about this stuff.
Hezbollah wouldn’t stand a chance in Mexico.
The All American (say USA right) COMMIE PARANOIA bares it’s ugly head AGAIN. How is it possible that ANYONE in this century could attempt to use this tactic in a presidential election?
“Only in the USA”
Fortunately we have the Net today, which may help some become more aware (if those game addicts would ever think to use it for it’s real purpose).
Yes, only in the U.S.A. We seem to have enemies everywhere. Who appointed us as keeper of the peace of the planet? What nation has ever been able to do this? At times, I feel we’re at war with the world.
There they are, lining up to see who can goad America into another act of blind rage. Forget about our fiscal condition, about endless debt, about a declining dollar, about continuing loss of manufacturing jobs, about dependency on the rest of the world for basic necessities, about the enormous economic hardships faced by too many Americans. It’s time to push for a new strike. We’ve been hijacked by ideologues and, only through “regime change” across the Islamic world, can we ever be secure again…..maybe.
Hezbollah and Hamas a threat to the United States? Are you serious?! These are local resistance movements, fighting back against Israeli aggression in/theft of their homelands: Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian territories. So what if some “non-aligned” countries are helping them out with training? (Are they really? Good for them – something is sorely needed to counter the $3bn the US gives Israel every year to maintain one of the largest and and perhaps the most aggressive armed forces in the world.)
If the people of the US knew just little more about the world â┚¬“ the real world out there â┚¬“ their paranoia would subside.
Fred, you’re cracking me up heah…
Jesus talk about taking a moment in time and running with it.The key words were”has not yet been talked about”.The reasoning here is clear.Our enemies shall in the future move against us in ways that will bring about the most in civilian deaths as possible.They are trying in all manner to get nuclear -bio,and chem weapons toward this aim.Experts say our boarders with Mexico are the most likely(but not only)entry point to these weapon systems.It has not been talked about much- though it is now raising on the warning systems radar.Richard Clarke, Clintons national security advisor and Bushes head of cyber warfare has written about this.It is a valid answer to the question.
As far as Obama being too soft.He has done better than I would of hoped.He has basically kept to the Bush disengagement and engagements blueprints concerning Afghanistan and Iraq.He has done poorly with Israel and Iran.Where he has done little or nothing,that seems to be his best performances.Of course the dangers endemic to such action(or inactions) usually crop up down the road.Hard to quantify doing nothing though.Or to argue the point
Fred, did you figure out all that shit on your own? I got news for you, and any other hapless trolls out there, and I got it straight from the horse’s mouth: Hezbollah’s got your number, so watch out. My next-door neighbor used to run with the ‘Bollah back in the ’90’s, and I got an earful from him when I showed him this blog. “You Yankees are the dumbest mother-fuckers on the planet,” he said, laughing. I took umbrage with his un-gentlemanly language, but he continued: “We know how to use computers, too, and we use them to crack cell-phones and the big companies’ data-bases. We know who’s watching us, and we’re watching them. All we have to do is wait for paranoid infidels to come up with the crazy shit they’re yammering about now, and while they’re all watching the right hand, the left hand goes into action.” I’m not sure what he meant by that, but take care, and beware, trolls.
He sounds a might “dislocated from his cerebellum”there TIM.If I were you I would have a heightened state of awareness around him.And if he make more tangible threats ,especially those tied to his past, report him to the proper authorities.My ability and yours to speak freely must not be curtailed by threats.He sounds like no friend to this country.Sorry he is so close to where you live.
Dad always said ” sun(sic)….. if you shoot for the stars, you may get the moon”
He also said getting hit in the head with a rock probably isn’t a good thing.Yak yak yak
Hello There. I discovered your weblog the use of msn. That is an extremely neatly written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and return to read extra of your helpful information. Thank you for the post. I’ll certainly comeback.
I believe that your web master or editor in chief needs to wake the !@#$ up!. ALL of the GOp canidates have plans to secure the boarders to fight the drug trafficing, illeagal immigration, and violence that is happening across the boarder of Mexico. To say that the Republicans would do the same thing as Obama is a joke. Obama is sueing the State of Arizona for trying to do what they can to control the violence and crime that is bleeding over into the United Staes of America. This was my first visit to your web site, and my last!!! You guys are no better than the left wing mainstream media with crap like this!1