Obama admits America isn't the most important country in the world, and we should stop being dicks

**Terminator** · 04-05-09, 03:49 PM

The United States is still the same country it was a year ago, give or take about 6 million jobs. But its international branding campaign, as led by the new President, Barack Obama, is so different that the rest of the world might be forgiven if it has to do a double take.
Most of the hallmarks of the foreign policy of George W. Bush are gone. The old conservative idea of "American exceptionalism," which placed the U.S. on a plane above the rest of the world as a unique beacon of democracy and financial might, has been rejected. At almost every stop, Obama has made clear that the U.S. is but one actor in a global community. Talk of American economic supremacy has been replaced by a call from Obama for more growth in developing countries. Claims of American military supremacy have been replaced with heavy emphasis on cooperation and diplomatic hard labor. (Read "Obama in Europe: Facing Four Big Challenges.")
The tone was set from Obama's first public remarks in London on Wednesday, at a press conference with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, where the American President said he had come "to listen, not to lecture." At a joint appearance with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Baden-Baden on Friday, a German reporter asked Obama about his "grand designs" for NATO. "I don't come bearing grand designs," Obama said, scrapping the leadership role the U.S. maintained through the Cold War. "I'm here to listen, to share ideas and to jointly, as one of many NATO allies, help shape our vision for the future."
On Thursday night, after the G-20 summit ended, Obama took so many questions from the foreign press, including British, Indian and Chinese reporters, that a group of them applauded when he left the stage. Two American reporters asked Obama for his response to the claim by Brown that the "Washington consensus is over." Obama all but agreed with Brown, noting that the phrase had its roots in a significant set of economic policies that had shown itself to be imperfect. He went on to talk about the benefits of increasing economic competition with the U.S. "That's not a loss for America," he said of the economic rise of other powers. "It's an appreciation that Europe is now rebuilt and a powerhouse. Japan is rebuilt, is a powerhouse. China, India — these are all countries on the move. And that's good."
At a town hall in Strasbourg, France, Obama stood before an audience of mostly French and German youth and admitted that the U.S. should have a greater respect for Europe. "In America, there's a failure to appreciate Europe's leading role in the world," he said before offering other European critical views of his country. "There have been times where America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive."
The contrast is striking. Only four years ago, George W. Bush, in his second Inaugural Address, described what he called America's "considerable" influence, saying, "We will use it confidently in freedom's cause." Bush's vision of American power was combative and aggressive. He said the U.S. would "seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture." He continued, "We go forward with complete confidence in the eventual triumph of freedom."
Obama, by contrast, is looking for collaboration. He is looking to build a collective vision, not to impose an American one. And the response has been notable, from the endless flashbulbs that fired off at his town hall to the cheers of spectators who lined his motorcade routes and gathered outside his events in London. At the end of Obama's Friday press conference, French President Nicolas Sarkozy addressed the issue directly, speaking through an interpreter. "It feels really good to be able to work with a U.S. President who wants to change the world and who understands that the world does not boil down to simply American frontiers and borders," he said. "And that is a hell of a good piece of news for 2009."

**MacLean** · 04-05-09, 04:10 PM

The United States of America better be the most important country in the world to Barrack, or he'll be looking for a job.

If that guy actually gives up Supreme Allied Commander to a Euro state, we are done as a military power as far as the Russians are concerned.

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

**pgg** · 04-05-09, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by maclean

The United States of America better be the most important country in the world to Barrack, or he'll be looking for a job.

If that guy actually gives up Supreme Allied Commander to a Euro state, we are done as a military power as far as the Russians are concerned.

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

I agree, though the more I see Obama open his mouth and his admin actions the more I think they want to bow down to Europe, China, etc. I think he wants to see this country brought down.

**TXCharlie** · 04-05-09, 06:18 PM

I noticed that he's pushing Missile Defense now - FOR EUROPE.

**sgtbear111** · 04-05-09, 09:48 PM

Obama is not on our side. We better wake up to the fact he iis a "Manchurian Candidate". He has not proven he is qualified to hold the office i.e. birth certificate. For all we know he may be an Arab prince.

His bowing to an Arab king was simply Pavolv's Conditioned Response. A young man schooled in a Miuslim Madross learns to bow to his betters, or else. The bowing carries the same message as iseen in the Manchurian Candidate: immediate obedience to the mental re-grammers; submission "You own me, I obey"

Where did he really come frrom? There are too many empty spots in his history that are waved off with vague "sideways" responses. Sideways don't cut it - Decepton Indicated.

**Retdetsgt** · 04-05-09, 10:06 PM

Sounds more and more like Jimmy Carter everyday. Hopefully he'll serve only as long as Carter did.

**TXCharlie** · 04-06-09, 04:19 PM

I heard today that DESPITE the Korean missile test Obama has instructed the Defense Department to kill the missile defense program, including airborne LASER development and space-borne missile defense options. This will make Hawaii, Alaska, and the West Coast vulnerable to Korean missiles when they perfect them - and they will.

Yet he's still for missile defense for Europe!!!.

The guy is getting very close to the edge, and I hope he falls off before he does any real damage other than outrageous spending

**countybear** · 04-06-09, 04:53 PM

Everytime he makes an 'apology' for America I want to vomit.

This guy is so far 'off the reservation' I am wondering if America will ever recover from damage that will be done.

**Caveman** · 04-06-09, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by TXCharlie

The guy is getting very close to the edge, and I hope he falls off before he does any real damage other than outrageous spending

Not as long as 88% of his liberal minions continue to stand by him no matter what he does.
I guess they like seeing their chosen one bow before a Saudi king.

**armsmaster270** · 04-06-09, 05:37 PM

Were Screwed

**TXCharlie** · 04-06-09, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by Caveman

I guess they like seeing their chosen one bow before a Saudi king.

Yeah wasn't that a dumb spectical! - Leaders don't normally bow to each other because they're SUPPOSED to be equals.

**Retdetsgt** · 04-06-09, 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by TXCharlie

I heard today that DESPITE the Korean missile test Obama has instructed the Defense Department to kill the missile defense program, including airborne LASER development and space-borne missile defense options. This will make Hawaii, Alaska, and the West Coast vulnerable to Korean missiles when they perfect them - and they will.

Yet he's still for missile defense for Europe!!!.

The guy is getting very close to the edge, and I hope he falls off before he does any real damage other than outrageous spending

Actually, I just heard on the news that McCain agrees with those cuts. On that subject, I guess we wouldn't have been any better off.

**mg32** · 04-06-09, 10:49 PM

"In America, there's a failure to appreciate Europe's leading role in the world," he said before offering other European critical views of his country. "There have been times where America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive."

Mabey that's becouse we have had to pull then out of the fire several times already. It's nice that he is critical of the US. I don't have any problem with him staying in Europe with his cronies and letting the country run itself. It won't be run any worse. My biggest fear is that we will end up with a second term of this. I think that in that term he will try to pass all the legislation that he wont this time due to the fact aht he has to be re-elected.

**CTR man** · 04-06-09, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by mg32

Maybe that's because we have had to pull then out of the fire several times already. It's nice that he is critical of the US. I don't have any problem with him staying in Europe with his cronies and letting the country run itself. It won't be run any worse. My biggest fear is that we will end up with a second term of this. I think that in that term he will try to pass all the legislation that he wont this time due to the fact aht he has to be re-elected.

Hmmm, I wonder how he might like to stay in France or the Netherlands.

**MacLean** · 04-06-09, 11:52 PM

The President of the United States is not supposed to bow to a King - even the King or Queen of Britain.

That is protocol, since we uh, won - and stuff.

**TXCharlie** · 04-07-09, 12:39 AM

More bad news... They're cutting the F-22 fighter program at 187 planes I believe they said.

That should put 50,000 people out of work, but of course those are just defense workers. They don't count.

**MacLean** · 04-07-09, 12:43 AM

Originally Posted by TXCharlie

More bad news... They're cutting the F-22 fighter program at 187 planes I believe they said.

That should put 50,000 people out of work, but of course those are just defense workers. They don't count.

I can understand the F-22.

Nobody can beat the fourth gen fighters we already fly.

Pushing out too many of the fifth gen fighters is not money well spent.

**Retdetsgt** · 04-07-09, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by maclean

I can understand the F-22.

Nobody can beat the fourth gen fighters we already fly.

Pushing out too many of the fifth gen fighters is not money well spent.

First he has to get all those cuts through Congress. Even the anti-defense liberals have a lot of constituents who work in the the defense industry. And workers in that industry are scattered all over the country.

I would suggest spending money for a small army of auditors and overseers watching how the government spends the money ( and publicize it) and we'll end up with about 3X more bang for the buck. I've worked for the government just about my whole adult life. The bigger the entity, the more they waste.