Lastly, American economic weakness undercuts U.S. leadership abroad.
Other countries sense our weakness and wonder about our purported
decline. If this perception becomes more widespread, and the case that
we are in decline becomes more persuasive, countries will begin to take
actions that reflect their skepticism about America's future. Allies and
friends will doubt our commitment and may pursue nuclear weapons for
their own security, for example; adversaries will sense opportunity and
be less restrained in throwing around their weight in their own
neighborhoods. The crucial Persian Gulf and Western Pacific regions will
likely become less stable. Major war will become more likely.
When running for president last time, Obama eloquently articulated big
foreign policy visions: healing America's breach with the Muslim world,
controlling global climate change, dramatically curbing global poverty
through development aid, moving toward a world free of nuclear weapons.
These were, and remain, worthy if elusive goals. However, for Obama or
his successor, there is now a much more urgent big-picture issue:
restoring U.S. economic strength. Nothing else is really possible if
that fundamental prerequisite to effective foreign policy is not
reestablished
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-ohanlon-fiscal-refo
rm-20120703,0,1409615.story
As America become more fiscally hamstrung by entitlements and other spending absurdities, we will be come less relevant on the world stage. Maybe not a bad thing, but hardly what most Americans wish for.
Other countries sense our weakness and wonder about our purported
decline. If this perception becomes more widespread, and the case that
we are in decline becomes more persuasive, countries will begin to take
actions that reflect their skepticism about America's future. Allies and
friends will doubt our commitment and may pursue nuclear weapons for
their own security, for example; adversaries will sense opportunity and
be less restrained in throwing around their weight in their own
neighborhoods. The crucial Persian Gulf and Western Pacific regions will
likely become less stable. Major war will become more likely.
When running for president last time, Obama eloquently articulated big
foreign policy visions: healing America's breach with the Muslim world,
controlling global climate change, dramatically curbing global poverty
through development aid, moving toward a world free of nuclear weapons.
These were, and remain, worthy if elusive goals. However, for Obama or
his successor, there is now a much more urgent big-picture issue:
restoring U.S. economic strength. Nothing else is really possible if
that fundamental prerequisite to effective foreign policy is not
reestablished
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-ohanlon-fiscal-refo
rm-20120703,0,1409615.story
As America become more fiscally hamstrung by entitlements and other spending absurdities, we will be come less relevant on the world stage. Maybe not a bad thing, but hardly what most Americans wish for.
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