The question comes up a lot these days, "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" But, the question is almost always asked in a personal economic context. Jed Babbin, a former deputy undersecretary of defense and widely published author, analyzed the "Are you better off…" question from a foreign policy/national security perspective. His conclusion: "America's enemies are, not our allies."
Given the dismal state of the U.S. economy, it is understandable that voters are overwhelmingly fixated on what impacts their personal life most significantly – the "kitchen table issues." But, particularly on this anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, it's important that we never loose cite of the fact that America has many adversaries.
Along with Obama's other epic failures, we agree with Babbin's assessment. America is not more secure than we were four years ago, and the world is a more dangerous place. "Our nation's enemies are grateful to the Obama Administration," as Babbin concludes.
Babbin's thoughtful analysis appeared in The American Spectator, on Sept. 10, 2012 in his regular column, "Loose Canons." Below are the introductory paragraphs and a link to the entire article:
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In his debate with Jimmy Carter on October 28, 1980, Ronald Reagan looked at the television cameras and said, "Ask yourself, 'Are you better off now than you were four years ago?'" It's always a good political question, but it's too often not asked outside the context of our domestic issues.
The question is equally important if it's focused outward: who among our enemies and allies are better off now than they were on the day President Obama was inaugurated? The answers are a cacophony of bad news, as bad as the answer to the current domestic version of the question.
Let's go down the list. Since January 2009, how have Iran, Pakistan, North Korea, Afghanistan, Israel, and our European allies fared? Has Russia or China become less powerful or more aligned with America's interests? Read more
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