"Foreign policy credientials" - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

SeattleUte · 09-19-2008, 04:49 PM

Every time I hear this term applied to Obama or Palin, it sounds to me like an admissions policy for an all white men's club. Foreign policy is not rocket science. It can be learned like U.S. history can be learned. Truman is a classic example, and he of course was helped by a great cabinet. Either Obama or Palin would have a lot of help. I'm not sold on "lacks foreign policy credentials" as a meaningful critique of Obama or Palin.

Jeff Lebowski · 09-19-2008, 05:02 PM

Bullshit. How can you look at the disaster that is the GWB presidency and be so dismissive of the importance of foreign policy? Yes, Truman's lack of experience was offset by his good judgment and perhaps the best cabinet in history. But W has demonstrated just how badly things can go when we pick a nice guy and hope for on-the-job training.

Furthermore, this kind of hand-waiving can be applied to all types of experience. Hell, while not just randomly select someone and give them a shot?

SeattleUte · 09-19-2008, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

Bullshit. How can you look at the disaster that is the GWB presidency and be so dismissive of the importance of foreign policy? Yes, Truman's lack of experience was offset by his good judgment and perhaps the best cabinet in history. But W has demonstrated just how badly things can go when we pick a nice guy and hope for on-the-job training.

Furthermore, this kind of hand-waiving can be applied to all types of experience. Hell, while not just randomly select someone and give them a shot?

I don't think it was a lack of foreign policy experience on his administration's part. Did Powell, Rumsfeld, Cheney and Rice lack foreign policy experience? It was just bad decisions. Frankly, it might have been ideology run amok, but it's probably too early too tell exactly what was the Bush administration's mistake. Regardless, it was an ideologically driven foreign policy coupled with a lack of execution.

creekster · 09-19-2008, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

Frankly, it might have been ideology run amok, but it's probably too early too tell exactly what was the Bush administration's mistake. Regardless, it was an ideologically driven foreign policy coupled with a lack of execution.

Exactly. Vote for the known or likely ideology and then hope the experience allows competent execution. Bad ideology AND no experience is a recipe for problems.

exUte · 09-19-2008, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by creekster

Exactly. Vote for the known or likely ideology and then hope the experience allows competent execution. Bad ideology AND no experience is a recipe for problems.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhbama.

good point.

creekster · 09-19-2008, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exUte

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhbama.

good point.

Or Plain. I think it applies to both, except she is only VP.

Tex · 09-19-2008, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

Bullshit. How can you look at the disaster that is the GWB presidency and be so dismissive of the importance of foreign policy? Yes, Truman's lack of experience was offset by his good judgment and perhaps the best cabinet in history. But W has demonstrated just how badly things can go when we pick a nice guy and hope for on-the-job training.

Furthermore, this kind of hand-waiving can be applied to all types of experience. Hell, while not just randomly select someone and give them a shot?

It's funny people cite GWB's presidency so often as the quintessential "bad example" of foreign policy gone amok.

Do you have any presidential examples of anything that predates the year 2000, Leb, or is that when your political acumen begins for everything?

Personally, I think Jimmy Carter is the best example of a modern president who was a dunce at foreign policy. Thirty years later his failures still stand out.

Jeff Lebowski · 09-19-2008, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tex

Do you have any presidential examples of anything that predates the year 2000, Leb, or is that when your political acumen begins for everything?

Truman predates 2000, dumbass.

Tex · 09-19-2008, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

Truman predates 2000, dumbass.

I meant in the negative, "dumbass."

creekster · 09-19-2008, 05:10 PM

WHat did Truman do that stands out as a foregin Policy success, as opposed to a foreign war success?

09-19-2008, 04:49 PM	#1
SeattleUte fairlds.org Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 10,665	"Foreign policy credientials" Every time I hear this term applied to Obama or Palin, it sounds to me like an admissions policy for an all white men's club. Foreign policy is not rocket science. It can be learned like U.S. history can be learned. Truman is a classic example, and he of course was helped by a great cabinet. Either Obama or Palin would have a lot of help. I'm not sold on "lacks foreign policy credentials" as a meaningful critique of Obama or Palin. __________________ Interrupt all you like. We're involved in a complicated story here, and not everything is quite what it seems to be. —Paul Auster

09-19-2008, 05:02 PM	#2
Jeff Lebowski Charon Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the heart of darkness (Provo) Posts: 9,564	Bullshit. How can you look at the disaster that is the GWB presidency and be so dismissive of the importance of foreign policy? Yes, Truman's lack of experience was offset by his good judgment and perhaps the best cabinet in history. But W has demonstrated just how badly things can go when we pick a nice guy and hope for on-the-job training. Furthermore, this kind of hand-waiving can be applied to all types of experience. Hell, while not just randomly select someone and give them a shot? __________________ "... the arc of the universe is long but it bends toward justice." Martin Luther King, Jr.

09-19-2008, 05:10 PM	#10
creekster Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: the far corner of my mind Posts: 8,711	WHat did Truman do that stands out as a foregin Policy success, as opposed to a foreign war success? __________________ Sorry for th e tpyos.