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Article Obama's renewing American leadershipBy John Gaylord
Building up to the 2008 election, Foreign Affairs ran a series of essays by then front-running presidential contenders. As part of the series, the journal published "Renewing American Leadership," by Barack Obama.
Like the essays by other candidates, Obama's entry was heavier in prose than in detail. It read like a speech, and turning back to it now one can't help hearing him deliver it in that measured style he has.
But the most noticeable familiarities are in its content, not its flow. The essay was published in July of 2007, as Obama's grand vision for American diplomacy. And if he released it this week, it'd sound current.
"Renewing American Leadership" stressed cooperative international relationships, and in many ways suggested a more peaceful foreign policy. But for all its gentle aspirations, it left plenty of room for aggressive military action.
Obama warned he would not hesitate to use unilateral force in defense of America, or of its vital interests.
But he didn't stop there. Military force would be an option, he insisted, "to support friends, participate in stability and reconstruction operations, or confront mass atrocities."
It'd be hard to take a more permissive stance than that. Obama's emphasis on "building just, secure, democratic societies" was reminiscent of President George W. Bush; both men believe stable democracies abroad keep us safe at home.
Obama's given many speeches since the summer of 2007, and changed his stance on many issues. But when he spoke Monday night about American action in Libya, the president and the candidate were in perfect agreement.
As "the world's most powerful nation," he told us Monday, America must sometimes act alone in defense of the world's "common humanity." Obama loves that line about our common humanity, and we've heard it many times since 2007.
Back then he said military action should be clearly limited, ahead of time. And that's been strongly emphasized in Libya. Where the Iraq war taught some leaders not to meddle, it taught Obama just to think ahead when doing so.
Candidate Obama worried about the power of international institutions, including NATO and the U.N. Human Rights Council. President Obama has used Libya to strengthen both.
When it comes right down to it, every step taken in Libya has been predictable. He told us four years ago that this was what he'd do.
That doesn't mean he's right, or that we have to agree with his decisions. In many ways, the observation may be cause for concern - candidate Obama pondered military action in Iran.
But it certainly says something about the drama, and hypocrisy, of our political debate - because this is the Obama we elected.
Tunisia's revolution was too sudden and Egypt's too peaceful for American intervention. But there's probably an example out there somewhere: a Libya Obama didn't bomb.
And that's the choice we should be questioning, because that's the inconsistency. We can't ignore today's atrocities just because we missed one yesterday.
Obama hasn't always chosen intervention, but we shouldn't be surprised when he does. He said he would.
Questions
1. To renew American leadership in the world, what is the first thing America must do?
2. What painful truth must we acknowledge about Iraq?
3. Why is revitalizing our military important to renew American leadership in the world?
4. According to Obama, military forces should not only be used in self-defense, where else should it be used?
5. According to Obama, what is the most effective way to prevent terrorists from acquiring a nuclear bomb?
6. To combat terrorism, where should the United States refocus efforts?
7. To renew American leadership, Obama seeks to build new alliances and partnerships.
What are the four newly emerging powers that need to be given a stake in upholding international order?
8. To invest in a common humanity, American must strengthen the pillars of a just society.
What does this "just society" look like?
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