The word that conservatives most associate with President Barack Obama is “socialism.” But moving up quickly should be “appeasement.” This description of the Obama Administration’s plans for China President Hu’s visit from the AP says it all:
“Chinese leader Hu Jintao is being feted in Washington this week with a lavish state banquet at the White House and other pomp usually reserved for close friends and allies–all intended to improve the tone of relations between a risen, more assertive and prosperous China and the U.S. superpower in a tenuous economic recovery.”
What makes this all the more pathetic is the fact that it comes in the face on a surging China. In addition to boldly testing a new stealth fighter on the eve of Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ recent visit to China, Hu has also declared that the dollar focused international currency system is a “product of the past.” So Obama is throwing them an extra special party.
How will the Chinese government see this? As a gesture of good will? Superb Obama hospitality? As a chance that on a substantive level relations are improving? No, Chinese leaders will see it for what it is: superficial appeasement. Superficial because parties and banquets mean squat in power politics. And appeasement because Obama is dealing from weakness–not from a position of strength.
Obama finds himself in this position of weakness because (1) America’s economy is heavily in debt and rely on the Chinese government to buy our debt.; and (2) Obama fundamentally lacks confidence in America and our purpose in the world.
The debt problem started awhile ago and Obama has certainly made it worse. But he got a head start on that one. It’s not all his fault. However when it comes to a lack of confidence in America, Obama can only blame himself. The simple fact is he doesn’t understand the power of freedom, the power of the America idea, the power of the American Dream. That’s why he doesn’t feel comfortable supporting revolutionary movements in Iran, verbally beating down the taunts of Hugo Chavez or, in this case, making it clear that America will lead the world….not China. He doesn’t feel comfortable because he doesn’t believe it.
I read today that Ron Reagan, Jr., looking to make money off his father’s legacy, has a book coming out in which he speculates that his father probably had Alzheimer’s while he was in the White House. ( I for one don’t believe it. Several years ago while researching my book Reagan’s War, I read the Russian transcripts of Reagan’s conversations with Mikhail Gorbachev. According to these, again, Russian transcriptions, Reagan was not Gorbachev’s equal. He was his superior in verbal and intellectual combat.) But assume for a moment that Ron Jr. is correct. Reagan won the cold war. And Obama has America in retreat. The simple fact is that Reagan with Alzheimer’s is a better Commander-in-Chief than Obama at full mental strength.
It begins with a core belief and confidence in America. And it is here that Obama is deeply deficient.