The U.S. is being Tested

It might not be the start of another Cold War, but our two rivals in that historic confrontation, Russia and China, are testing the United States again.  And unfortunately, the Obama Administration is coming up short.

First, the Russians.  Ukraine was hostilely absorbed into the former Soviet Union back in 1922.  For nearly 70 years it was under the domination of the Soviet/Russian bear, until the disillusion of the Soviet Union in 1991 (God bless Ronald Reagan!), resulting in Ukraine becoming an independent nation that year.

It was believed that Ukraine was on the brink of aligning itself more closely with the West; specifically by signing a long-negotiated economic, political, and trading agreement with the European Union.  But Ukraine’s move towards the West was counter to Putin’s desire for the rebirth of an imperial Russia, with Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and perhaps more former Soviet Union vassal states to follow.

So Putin turned up the economic and political threats on Ukraine (I’ll cut off your oil and gas supplies and you’ll freeze.)  Ukraine’s President, Viktor Yanukovych, buckled under the pressure, and announced that rather than signing the long-negotiated agreements with the West, he was instead going to steer Ukraine into the loving arms of Mother Russia (Putin).

Hundreds of thousands of freedom-loving Ukrainians have taken to the streets, and the state is cracking down, hard.  What has the Obama Administration’s response been thus far?  He’s giving the democracy seekers in Ukraine the same support he gave to the hundreds of thousands of freedom seekers in 2009 in the Iranian Green Revolution – NONE.

The United States has always been the bastion of freedom-loving  peoples across the globe.  In Ronald Reagan’s words, it was “that shining city on the hill.”  Now Barack Obama is apparently unwilling to give even lip service to those seeking basic freedoms around the world.  Because we might offend those whom we’ve found it politically expedient to join with in other endeavors around the globe (Putin in Syria.)  It’s a sorry state of affairs.

Now, China.  The People’s Republic of China has recently seen fit to declare an “air-defense identification zone” over an area they have no right to do so.  It conveniently includes islands and reefs claimed not only by China, but by Japan and South Korea, both close allies of the United States.  This is particularly aggressive and belligerent unilateral behavior, even for China.

Why would China feel emboldened to take such provocative action at this time?  Because their analysis of the Obama Administration is that it is weak.  And unfortunately, I’m afraid they’re right.

The Obama Administration did fly two B-52 bombers through China’s self-proclaimed air-defense zone, without notifying China in advance as China is now demanding, but that’s not nearly enough.

We should look at China’s irresponsible aggression as an opportunity.  An opportunity to strengthen our alliances with our traditional allies in the region – Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines, whom China has been bullying.  And bring into an American alliance, a number of other countries who would like to stand up to Chinese aggression, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and potentially others.  This closer alliance could benefit these nations and the United States not just security-wise, but economically as well.  Closer relations could mean greater trading opportunities and job creation in the United States, and in the countries in the greater U.S. alliance.

The success of such an endeavor will take American leadership.  And not leading from behind.

 

Post Script:

I thought you’d appreciate this political cartoon concerning Obamacare.
Untitled1

And check out this page on the Obamacare website and their creative spelling of the word “immediate.”
Untitled

Like this post? Share with your friends:

You Might Also Be Interested In

Join the Campaign

Thank you for your support