On Sunday at a stop in Oregon, Sen. Obama was dismissive of the threats posed by Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba and Syria. That's the same Iran whose Quds Force is arming and training insurgents and illegal militias in Iraq to kill American soldiers; that is supporting Hezbollah and Hamas in violent attacks on Lebanon and Israel; and that is racing to develop a nuclear weapon while threatening the "annihilation" of Israel.
Look. Especially for those who feel inexperienced or inadequate when dealing with foreign policy, it's tempting to seek to downplay the world's threats in order to be able to redirect one's attention to domestic matters, where politicians can feel more of a sense of control -- or can make promises that voters figure the president has at least some chance of delivering.
But everyone knows where that got us during the Clinton Administration. Holidays from history, where foreign threats are ignored, dismissed, or minimized can carry a heavy, lethal cost when the bill comes due. We learned that on 9/11.
That isn't fear-mongering. It's common sense. And as much as we wish that the world were safe and stable enough that we could simply devote ourselves to the many pressing issues at home, that's simply not the case. The last thing we need is a president who doesn't realize it.
"Ill-Informed" on Foreign Policy
