President Obama’s acceptance speech

December 10, 2009 — drsubrotoroy

From Facebook:

Subroto Roy found this an extraordinarily thoughtful and profound speech, which, apart from its reference to “climate change”, is likely to go down as historic — not least for its restoration of “just war” theory & the canons of international law in general. (His critics who questioned his religion might note the very Christian …thesis: “at the heart of every major religion is that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Adhering to this law of love has always been the core struggle of human nature.  We are fallible. We make mistakes, and fall victim to the temptations of pride, and power, and sometimes evil…”)… I hope his Republican critics will give the man a break….

Posted in American democracy, American history, Barack Obama, Just war, Life and death, Nobel Prizes, Obama Doctrine, USA Rule of Law, War, Woodrow Wilson. Leave a Comment »

Is the Obama Doctrine as simple as this?

November 17, 2009 — drsubrotoroy

From Facebook:

I wonder if the Obama Doctrine for US Foreign Policy is going to be as simple as this:

the United States has no permanent intrinsic (ideological) enemies or competitors — not in the Muslim world, not Communist Party China, not Russia, not in Latin America;

the United States has no specific best buddies among the nations of the world — not Britain, not Israel (well, Canada, yes, the exception to the rule);

the United States will be a cooperative partner in peace and progress with any country that seeks this;

the United States will define enemies by their adversarial behaviour, so, e.g. Somali pirates risk getting shot, and violent jihadists like Hasan, KSM get what’s due.

Postscript: I am not saying this is something I would have or have not approved if I had been an American voter, merely that this appears to be the doctrine that seems to be revealed from President Obama’s actions thus far.

Posted in America's military-industrial complex, American democracy, Barack Obama, Diplomacy, International diplomacy, International economics, International immigration, International Law, International politics, International trade, Obama Doctrine, US China policy, US Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, Espionage, US Pakistan policy, US-Iran relations, USA Rule of Law, USA, United States, War. Leave a Comment »