Obama on the Use of Force

There were heartening echoes of the words and thoughts of several of our most distinguished presidents in President Obama's Inaugural address today. One I found most interesting was Obama's reference to "earlier generations" of Americans who faced down fascism and communism "not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions." Obama added: "They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please."

This last remark is similar to the statement which President Harry Truman made on the occasion of his speech concluding the 1945 San Francisco Conference which had just drafted the UN Charter. There Truman said: "We all have to recognize -- no matter how great our strength -- that we must deny ourselves the license to do always as we please."

Truman was speaking about the lessons of world war 2; Obama was making reference to America's unilateral invasion of Iraq. Imagine Obama's immediate predecessor even uttering such words. What a dramatic change: Obama is renewing the great internationalist traditions of Wilson, FDR, Truman, JFK and Clinton for our own time.

Comments

[SolarPowerGuy]

A pity that neither Obama's Secretary of State nor his Secretary of Defense have shown much enthusiasm for reviving international diplomacy. We have yet to see how well they help the President accomplish his stated aims.

Given that when politicians stumble, they always seem to fall to the right -- I'll be watching warily.

[freddiefreeloader]

You want to talk about the United Nations, Lets talk about it than.
Kofi Annan -thur sept 16,2004, I have indicated it, the U.S. invasion of Iraq was not in conformity with the U.N. charter, from our point of view and from the charter point of view it was illegal.
Benjamin Ferencz, former chief prosecutor of the Nuremberg trials, Regarding Iraq, the last security council resolution essentially said " look, send the weapons inspectors out to Iraq, have them come back and tell us what they've found-then we'll figure out what were going to do.The U.S. was impatient,and decided to invade Iraq- which was all pre-arranged of course. So, the U.S.. went to war, in violation of the charter"
International law expert Mark Littman, The treatened war against Iraq will be a breach of the U.N. charter and hence of international law unless it is authorized by a new and unambiguous resolution of the security council. the charter is clear, no such war is permitted unless it is in self- defence or authorized by the security council.--------

[Berettasskeeter]

Again? Fourth time.
Imagine, indeed, President Bush uttering those wholly unnecessary words. Bush, and the UN, gave Saddam multiple opportunities to cease his behavior, to unconditionally open Iraq to examinations, and generally sought peaceful conclusion. You folks need to refresh your memories.
Further, a coalition of nations does not qualify for the word unilateral. Perhaps you should all return to your high school English class and open a dictionary, for once.
Semper fi

[kimleehan]

Its called arrogance. Most American's think the U.S. is the center of the universe, Americans think their immune from prosecution, Thats why Bush and his administration can commit war crimes and human rights abuses, they know they can do it and get away with it.

[questioneveryone2]

An agenda of diplomacy and compassion are exactly what the world has been waiting for. Thank you Barrack for putting our country on a new course, a course that was set in motion by our founding fathers but somehow completely oblivious to the W reign. I think many of us feel tonight that a weight has been taken off our collective shoulders with Bush leaving our government. We can all thank him for his efforts as our president, but efforts that were so warped by a group of ideologues that were completely out of touch with the values of our country and countries around the world.

[Berettasskeeter]

I presume you are bemoaning the lack of compassion shown by President Bush in interjecting the U.S. into the African AIDS epidemic, to the end that he has been praised by African leaders for doing more for Africa than any before?
Semper fi

[freddiefreeloader]

No, I don't think that what he ment at all, I think he was saying that Bush's unprovoked and illegal war of aggression on a sovereign country made possibles the horrors of Abu Ghraib, the distruction of Fallouja, the tens of thousands of Iraqi deaths, the civilian massacres in Haditha, torture (waterboarding) just to mention a few of Bush's crimes.

[davism97]

As a sidenote to my comment below: I would think a mastery of American history would be a huge requirement for anyone who even thinks of stepping foot in the oval office. All presidential candidates in the future should be drilled to the bone on their knowledge of our countries history.

[davism97]

This is the difference between a qualified president and a drastically unqualified president. President Obama has studied (and understands) American history. W may have studied history at Yale, but he has no grasp of it. It's a good feeling to have someone with wisdom and knowledge in that office finally.

[overd0g1]

Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.

- George Washington

[Ergon]

America was the most respected when it hewed to those Internationalistic ideals.

[SiberianRat]

Hallelujah!

[DinkSinger]

Add George H. W. Bush to your list of internationalists.