Friday, October 31, 2008
McCain: superior on foreign affairs
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Alan Fabrycky
Fabrycky is a computer consultant in Montgomery County.
John McCain has exhibited real leadership in the current financial crisis while Barack Obama has merely articulated principles that most of Congress, including McCain, already supported. Home prices, declining from overinflated levels, have reduced the value of home mortgage assets held by financial institutions, forcing them to curtail lending to avoid bankruptcy. House prices must stop deflating, or the $700 billion financial rescue package will be insufficient to right the economy. McCain proposes to stop deflation by using part of the $700 billion to buy underwater home mortgages.
Obama promises a tax cut, but he also promises far larger tax increases. The taxes he would impose on business, especially, will reduce the competitiveness, productivity and wealth of the American economy. These taxes will result in higher prices paid by all Americans. So Obama will give a tax cut with one hand and take it back with the other. McCain promises no tax increases and wants lower business taxes.
Obama is brimming with big government ideas and will accelerate the failed Bush policy of excessive spending. Over many years, McCain has worked effectively with politicians and bureaucracies to reduce spending.
Neither Obama nor Joe Biden has executive experience except for running political campaigns. They have no executive records that can be evaluated or criticized. Sarah Palin does, and her critics attack her on various points of style, magnify isolated mistakes and use innuendo to distract attention from her successful record as an entrepreneur, mayor, energy commission member and governor.
If Obama's foreign policy had been followed during the last eight years, the outcome might have been as follows:
The president decided not to depose Saddam Hussein in Iraq since thorough inspections found no weapons of mass destruction. He focused on Afghanistan, the source of the 9/11 attack. Iraq sanctions were causing needless suffering and international protests, so they were lifted. Subsequent intelligence gave hints that Iraq might be reconstituting its nuclear program, but similar hints were previously disproved.
However, Shiites in Iraq tipped Iran off, so Iran accelerated its nuclear program. Libya decided not to give up its nuclear weapons after all. Saudi Arabia and Egypt became fearful and developed their own nuclear programs. Venezuela joined the nuclear club, and then Colombia for self-defense. Development of alternative energy sources caused oil prices to crater, so formerly rich oil states began selling their nuclear technology to supplement their incomes.
Al-Qaida's foreign fighters came to Afghanistan instead of Iraq to eject the infidels from this holy Islamic land. They used not only asymmetrical warfare but also psychological warfare through videos of kidnappings, torture, beheadings, etc. Adding troops just increased the violence. America's allies couldn't stomach the situation and withdrew. Congress and the president agreed that the war was lost, so they also withdrew. The Taliban and al-Qaida returned to Afghanistan. On Sept. 11, 2008, a nuclear bomb exploded aboard a ship in New York Harbor, killing 3 million and obliterating Wall Street. Financial panic and a deep worldwide recession followed. The foregoing is hypothetical but plausible.
John McCain would clearly be more effective in foreign policy than either Bush or Obama:
McCain advocated a counterinsurgency program centered on increased troop levels in Iraq long before Bush adopted this successful policy. McCain championed the troop surge when it was unpopular, choosing to win the war even if it cost him the presidency. Obama made the popular choices of opposing the surge and voting to withdraw.
McCain's personal military service and grueling imprisonment give him profound respect for the gravity of a decision to go to war, and the fortitude to win. McCain has extensive knowledge of the international scene and its players.
McCain's ability to work with all sides to solve problems will engender full international cooperation and respect.
The McCain-Palin ticket has the breadth of experience needed to lead America. They have leadership records with many wins and few losses. Obama and Biden are eloquent, articulate Monday morning quarterbacks. However, Obama and Biden have not shown that they can produce a sustained winning record on the field. The McCain-Palin ticket is clearly superior.
