Country can’t afford more years of chaos
August 28, 2011
Tribune Chronicle
TribToday.com

DEAR EDITOR:

"It's the economy, stupid!" was the battle cry of the Clinton campaign in 1992. Economic issues will be at the forefront of the upcoming election, but ignoring our foreign policy problems could be catastrophic.

We are in the midst of what has been one of the bloodiest months in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Neither war has any realistic sign of a peaceful exit or transition, and each continues to cost this country not only economically, but also in the far too repeated loss of life. What is the Obama administration's plan beyond our "timed withdrawal?" What happens as we draw down but violence continues? Do we have al-Qaida under control? What exactly is the plan, and did we win?

Israel has been our closest ally and the only effective democracy in the Middle East, yet this administration has been at best offensive in its treatment of Prime Minister Netanyahu, naive in its assessment of Israel's safety, ignorant in its assertion that Israel return to pre-war boundaries, and mendacious in its evaluation of the repetitive violence in the region.

If this president is successful in his bid for reelection, he may well preside over the beginnings of the reunification of the Old Soviet Block. Russia continues to flex its power over former satellite states by dabbling in illegal border pushes, presiding over "secretive" meetings with tyrannical and thuggish "presidents" who have overstayed term limits, and lending out KGB power to shut down social media in these states still seeking freedom.

Mexico is on fire, and we are providing the firepower, yet this administration is loathe to address U.S. government involvement in weapons sales to the cartels that are butchering innocents on both sides of the border. Attorney General Holder lied about his knowledge and involvement of the ''fast and furious'' smuggling operation that provided weapons responsible for the deaths of two border patrol agents.

Illegal immigration is a problem that costs billions of dollars a year and the acceptance, protection and welfare-style servicing of illegals is a slap in the face to every citizen. This administration has seen fit to sue states such as Arizona who have thrown their hands up and cried "if the feds will not protect the border we will.''

North Korea and Iran continue to saber rattle with the Iranians setting up Venezuelan training camps just south of the border. Both states have lunatic war mongering leaders who openly threaten their neighbors, and the United States.

"Arab spring" has become a disastrous Islamification project with Egypt on the brink of theocracy, Libya a mess, and Syria a slaughterhouse. The president and his administration have no clear policy on who we bomb, aid or ignore and lack the intelligence data to even know which groups are involved in the rebellions in these states.

This president has offended allies and coddled enemy states. He is over his head in dangerous wave moving across every region of the globe. He is incapable of taking responsibility for any policy but rather blames earthquakes, Arab spring and House Republicans. His economic policies are either inept or intentionally dangerous, and rather than being a vehicle for compromise a la Bill Clinton, he has been derisive of the right and immediately dismissive of every budget plan put forth by the House Republicans.

The upcoming election will be quite possibly the most important in our lives. It is incumbent upon us as voters to pay close attention to the candidates and put a capable and effective leader in office. We cannot afford four more years of this chaos.

Amy Jones

Williamsfield

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