The world is dissatisfied with American leadership. Shocked and frightened after September 11, 2001, we put forward an angry face to the globe, not one that reflected the more traditional American values of hope and optimism, tolerance and opportunity.This is another way of saying...GET OVER IT, AMERICA
Mr. Gates as documented in hard facts elsewhere in this blog has for years made plain he believes in engagment with our enemies, exactly that same policy which many, when voiced by Mr. Obama, have called NAIVE. In short, he like Jim Baker and many others believes that striving to create democracies in a world filled with Palestinian Authorities, Muammar Qadaffis, Saddam Husseins, Hugo Chavez's et al, is quixotic and stupid. Rather, we should give the some or all of what they want, as reasonable mature men and women should do, and avoid useless, profitless, and tasteless loss of life.
This fearful approach has hurt the United States' ability to bring allies to its cause, but it is not too late to change. The nation should embrace a smarter strategy that blends our "hard" and "soft" power - our ability to attract and persuade, as well as our ability to use economic and military might.
Lest anyone think that this approach is weak or naive, remember that Defense Secretary Robert Gates used a major speech on November 26 "to make the case for strengthening our capacity to use 'soft' power and for better integrating it with 'hard' power".
Since September 11, the war on terrorism has shaped this isolating outlook, becoming the central focus of US engagement with the world.....neither can we remain stuck in a narrow post-September 11 mindset that alienates much of the world.