CNN does an interesting commentary for the first time in 6 months!
source: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/21/bacevich.obama.foreign/index.html
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- catchiecoo
- added this
For the last year and a half, CNN has bored this American to tears. I stumbled across this commentary on CNNpolitics.com by Andrew Bracevich, a professor of history and international relations and was pleasantly shocked by it's thoughtfulness.
Bracevich argues that Obama's stance as a pragmatist, as opposed to being an idealouge like Bush, doesn't constitute a world vision. As I have often argued, people can't live with out ideologies to frame their thinking, but I never considered Obama in ideological terms. What is his ideology of the world and America's place in it? Clearly we are going through a huge shift in world economics and politics, and Bracevich brings up a good point: being the anti-Bush doesn't give us a way of thinking about about these issues.
Bracevich ultimately links the concept of vision and ideology to actual military strategy (I think he's a recovering army brat) and strategic international relations. Most criticisms of President Obama thus far, have been for the most part partisan; this one actually brings up some good talking points next time you get in an argument about US politics.
Bracevich argues that Obama's stance as a pragmatist, as opposed to being an idealouge like Bush, doesn't constitute a world vision. As I have often argued, people can't live with out ideologies to frame their thinking, but I never considered Obama in ideological terms. What is his ideology of the world and America's place in it? Clearly we are going through a huge shift in world economics and politics, and Bracevich brings up a good point: being the anti-Bush doesn't give us a way of thinking about about these issues.
Bracevich ultimately links the concept of vision and ideology to actual military strategy (I think he's a recovering army brat) and strategic international relations. Most criticisms of President Obama thus far, have been for the most part partisan; this one actually brings up some good talking points next time you get in an argument about US politics.
