Korea's Missiles, Obama's Maneuvers and Neocons' Mad-libs

On Saturday, while the rest of the country is celebrating the 4th of July, the President's national security team will be camped out in the White House situation room. President Obama and his team will be monitoring a North Korean missile test, launched in the direction of Hawaii. We can all celebrate in peace though, assured that the administration's response to the launch will be in line with the new, multi-tooled Smart Power philosophy the Administration has employed for its first half year in office. It is a strategy that has begun to make us and the world safer.

Of course, the president won't be the only one watching the missile launch. So too will former Vice President Dick Cheney and other leading neoconservatives. Unlike President Obama, they feel the appropriate response to every national security issue is "shoot first and ask questions later" with no regard for how non-military tools could be used more effectively. After eight years of bungling virtually every foreign policy dilemma, sowing instability and mistrust across the globe, Mr. Cheney and others now sit back and heckle the president like those two cranky old guys on the balcony of the Muppet Show.

These broadsides are so devoid of any responsible and reasonable analysis, they have become like Mad Libs. Try it out: Just fill in the country or the issue, declare that President Obama is (adjective defining weakness and femininity) and then say that Obama's actions will (destroy, undermine, harm, ruin) America. The problem with these polemics is that they not only sound like rants, they are rants, and they are not constructive. These attacks are disingenuous because when the Bush Administration was in office there was never any sort of military action against the North Koreans despite the fact the North launched multiple missiles tests during their tenure. Ironically, considering all of the neoconservatives' bluster, the Bush administration's reactions to these tests of withdrawing completely from negotiations were both counterproductive and significantly weaker than Obama administration policies. In response, Pyongyang moved forward with its nuclear weapons program.

The truth is that North Korea's missile test, while unwelcome, poses minimal danger. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has stated the maximum distance these missiles could reach is 4,000 miles, or at least five hundred miles short of any Hawaiian Island. North Korea's missile arsenal may be intimidating on the surface, but its practical capabilities are flimsy.

President Obama will use a broad array of options to confront the threat. Anticipating the missile launch, the president vowed last week that America's "extended" nuclear umbrella covered South Korea. Also, the Chinese are beginning to see North Korea's provocations as a direct affront to Beijing. The president and his team noted this development and recently convinced the Chinese to support the strongest UN sanctions ever imposed on North Korea, forbidding them to export arms or import any weapons larger than rifles. The combination of Chinese endorsement of these stringent sanctions and America's nuclear pledge to South Korea is by far the strongest action ever taken by a US president since the end of the Korean War.

It is important to note however, that this tough response is also smart, explicitly trying to avoid military escalation unless absolutely necessary. Force is still always an option for the Obama administration. But it is a last resort. That is the hallmark of the Obama Smart Power approach: use all the instruments of national power to achieve your goals, not just the military.

We can see this unfolding in the Korea conflict and around the world. One striking example is the recent shift towards stronger diplomatic engagement, military collaboration and expanded humanitarian aid in Pakistan, an effort that has helped the Pakistani government do more to combat Islamist extremist groups like al Qaeda and the Taliban in the last five months than in the past five years.

In early June, perhaps the leading neoconservative pundit Bill Kristol called for air strikes against North Korea, exemplifying the reckless personalities that controlled the White House during the Bush years. Thankfully we have a new president, one who understands that the Smart Power tools: Diplomacy, Defense and Development are all at his disposal to protect our country, and he is willing to use every one of them when needed.

Comments

[ThatOneDemocrat]

The fundamental problem with neoconservatives, which pervades every approach they take to every international problem, is that deep down, they don't think that military action carries an inherent risk. They truly believe that the United States can never be defeated. At the same time, they want the public to be afraid...to a certain level.

[Hastings1066]

How many times does Kim Jong Il have to say "I don't want to talk" before people him?? Does anyone believe that Iran is interested in dialogue? - N. Korea has been in talks for years - all they have done is advance their nuclear program - The UN imposes sanctions and China and Russia fail to enforce them - The sanctions are meaningless - N. Korea knows this - and time is a wasting - We couldn't even board the N. Korean ship for crying out loud.

[JaxJM]

I find it interesting that the author says nothing about what Secretary Gates' real assurance was: That the MISSLE DEFENSE SYSTEM could protect Hawaii from any incoming missles. Yes, HuffPost fans, the same Missle Defense System that was initiated under Ronald Reagan, the one mocked by lefties as "Star Wars," and the one that Obama is looking to slash. So nice that a liberal administration can slough off worries about an effective attack on Hawaii because of measures that were put in place by conservatives, that these same liberals have been decrying from day one.

[Steggy321]

No, actually, it wasnt. The ones mocked by lefties as "star wars" were the space based ICBM defense plans, from the Cold War era. Its also not the program Obama is looking to slash. There has been more than one type of missle defense system in developement in this country.

I also love how you imply that some how Liberals don't want to keep the country safe... since, as we all know, the only way to keep this country safe is for Bin Laden to launch a major attack.. right? It was liberals that said that... right?

[JanP]

You accuse Neocons, cheney and Bush of shotoing at every threat.

If this is so, how come Iran's amd N. Korea's nuclear facilities are intact?

How come we haven't heard of this "Smart Power Philosophy"? How smart is it to reduce missile defense in the face of N. Korea and Iran? How smart is it to try and end F-22 fighter production in the face of Cuba, Venezuela, Mongolia, Viet Nam, China, Syria, Venezuela and other "friendly" coutnries getting modern Russian aircraft? (And if it is so useless, why don;t we build and sell 200 of them to Japan as Japan wants?)

As to non-Military tools - Just what are they? The French are unhappy with Obama's snub of Sarkozy. THe Birts aren't terribly happy with him. The Israelis are afraid of him. Hugo chavez isn't afraid of Obama while he imposes his dictatorship. Hunduran's whate a president who followed their constitution wiht a two term limit but Obama doesn't think their consititution should be obey. (How about ours?)

I don't see Syria, Iran or N. Korea showing the slightest positive response to Obama.

[Steggy321]

To answer your question... its very smart

Missle defense has been reduced by cutting programs that show no results. Those that do still have funding. The F-22 is over-priced, over-designed, and UNUSED in modern combat. They're an Air Superiority fighter. Hardly useful in fighting militia's and terrorists. The F-35's are much more versitle, as they can be used as air support, bombers, AND air superiority. Silly Gates, cutting costs by removing programs that are useless. The term "modern Russian aircraft" is funny.. thats like saying "modern horse-drawn cart". There isn't an airforce on earth that can match the US airforce at any level.

[S1m0n]

..Or, Obama could finally agree to the non-aggression pact that North Korea has been asking for since at least the Clinton administration. The Korean War ended in a ceasefire, not a surrender or a peace agreement. The two nations are still officially at war.

And frankly, the US demand that North Korea give up it's nuclear program while refusing to end the state of war is insultingly ridiculous. Would you agree to something like that?

[harveyr2]

Another ridiculous liberal smear of "neocons." Military force is not the first tool used by any foreign policy philosophy.

[lyta]

Here is a pretty well written piece with 6 comments, have a look at the Sarah Palin comments. 56 pages for someone who should not matter to anyone except the hardline extremist fundies who are 5% of the 20% GOP.

[JanP]

If Sarah Palin doesn't matter, how come so muh effort was made to smear her? Why 13 or 15 or whatever charges of corruption against her from the left, all false and costing her family $500,000?

I think you are afraid of her. You are afraid of the things she accomplished in office. You are afraid that the voters will be impressed.

[JudiBug]

It's true, they have gone mad, but isn't it nice to think how Cheney can only watch and suffer because he can't run the show anymore. I have mixed feelings about Obama but I do feel safer with him being the commander-in-chief.

[LMPE]

Come on, Barack! Crush North Korea! So what if their nuclear capability is nowhere near what they would need to attack us? As long as we act like a tough guy, it's good even if we plunge the whole world into war and alienate our allies. It worked with Iraq.

[BearPAPABEAR1]

Why are we surprised when the "Christian-right conservative kill at any cost" gang like Cheney, Kristol, O'Rieley gang of thugs come out of the woodworks? We all know they only hope for the destruction of this country so they can tell the devil they were right when they get to hell.

[GOODREASON]

PRESIDENT OBAMA and Hilary need to sit down and talk face to face with North Korea as they said they would during their roadshows, to difuse this desperate matter.

[JanP]

There have been years and years of talks with North Korea and Iran. And what has been accomplished? Well, they advanced their nuclear plans.

Did not Jimmy Carter make a deal with North Korea at the behest of Billly Clinton? Yes he did.

And the N. Koreans said they didn't honor the deal of 1 day even though the U.S. honored its side of the bargain.,

Do you really think that every coutnry in the world thinks liek Obama and wants peace?

[SeeJaneRunning]

Fortunately, Barack has Anti-Ballistice Missile defenses as tools he can deploy. Gosh, those darn neo-cons were against those programs from day one, or did I get that wrong? Well, at least Obama isn't pushing to cut those programs, or did I get that wrong.

[Carpevinum]

Hey Jane, I travel around the world with the Navy and let me set you straight right now....you got it ALL wrong.

[SeeJaneRunning]

How does "traveling" with the Navy make you an expert on BO's and Democrats' positions on ABMD? Here's a nickel... buy yourself a clue.

[SeeJaneRunning]

Oooooh, I stand correct. Since you "travel" with the Navy then you must be some kind of expert on ABM defense.

[elbzee]

I agree. It amazes me. Bizarre IS the word!

Although, I admit, saying, "Wow! We are so lucky to have a level headed intelligent, thinking president!" isn't nearly as tittilating as "the only way to save America is if Bin Laden attacks." Sad and sick.

[carolr51]

It's such a relief to have a level-headed President.

The noise from the other side is so bizarre and contentious that it's hard to hear. (of course, sometimes it is even funny) We've got a guy on Fox saying that the only way to save America is if Bin Laden attacks, so we will finally respond with as much violence as necessary. What is wrong with these people? Why are they so afraid of a peaceful solution, they just want to go in with guns blazing, no questions asked. They put a small price on human life.

[JackStark]

The Neo-Cons don't want to go in with guns blazing, they want to sent our young men and women in our military in with guns blazing. These blow-hards don't want to be anywhere in range of blazing guns. To paraphrase John Locke "Leaders must lead from the front and put themselves in harms way". I say give Cheney, Rowe and the rest of them M16s and send them to Afghanistan. Forget the flac jackets, just like they did for our troops in Iraqi!

[lyta]

And then said "so?"