Middle East In Chaos

According to Sheldon Alberts of CanWest News Service, the Prime Minister of Australia is “a leading international” figure. Mr. John Howard, Australia’s Prime Minister, is quoted as saying that a Barack Obama presidency would leave the Middle East in crisis.

Mr. Howard went on to state that Mr. Obama’s desire to withdraw all American troops from Iraq within one and a half years would only increase the bloodshed and induce total civil war in Iraq. I am sorry, but I think we are already there, sir.

It is also not surprising that William Kristol of the Weekly Standard labeled Mr. Obama “a dovish candidate”, and Republican presidential hopeful Duncan Hunter, used the criticism to exclaim Mr. Obama’s weakness in foreign policy.

A dovish candidate? Like that is such a bad thing. The next president should understand peace and how to bring it about, not through force and sacrificing the lives of others, but through tactfulness and diplomacy. The next president needs to understand the cultural values and beliefs of our foreign neighbors in all parts of the world, but especially in the Middle East.

Likewise unsurprising was Mr. Kristol’s plug for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton saying that Mrs. Clinton’s continued hawkishness will continue her lead over Mr. Obama. It has been clear now for at least a year and a half that the Republicans want to run a campaign against Mrs. Clinton.

I have nothing against Mrs. Clinton, but Karl Rove called for her campaign for president in August of 2005. I get a sense that the reason for this is to leave in her lap such a magnanimous problem that she (Republican nemesis since Mr. Nixon’s impeachment) goes down in defeat after one term in office. At which time, Jeb Bush will take the “right”ful place as president to extend the Bush Dynasty yet another eight years. Hypothetical, yes; probable, hmmm.

One thing is certain; whoever becomes the next president of the United States will face a Middle East in chaos. The last chance for saving Mr. Bush’s legacy requires leaving the Iraq situation to his successor and his administration is doing well in accomplishing this feat.