On the Fox News Channel, correspondent Major Garrett predicted that foreign policy would come at the “tail end” of Obama’s speech. No kidding. If this had been a real State of the Union address, you might be pardoned for thinking that this Union was not just the first but also the only nation in the world, and that the foremost force of evil in today’s world is not its dictators but America’s banks, CEOs, and oil companies.
The most immediately striking thing about the speech was that it dealt with foreign policy almost solely in terms of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Both are vital, and Obama said what he was expected to say: withdraw responsibly in Iraq and refuse to allow Al Qaeda to triumph in Afghanistan. On Iraq, with the situation having been stabilized by the surge that Obama opposed, his lack of commitment is less glaring and shameful that it would have been a year ago. On Afghanistan, his promise to forge a new and comprehensive strategy with America’s friends and allies — none of whom were dignified with a mention by name — promised conclusions soon but gave little away.
But a hint did emerge. What was most striking about Obama’s remarks on Afghanistan — and Pakistan — was that he defined the problem as defeating Al Qaeda and combating extremism. The latter may, certainly, be a code word for the Taliban. But, equally, by failing to mention the Taliban, Obama has laid the foundations for an attempt to redefine the challenge as one posed by Al Qaeda alone. Continue reading…
