Originally Posted by
lkfmdc
From the perspective of "strategic history" or "political history" we are in a period somewhat similar to two previous periods, ie the Johnson and the Carter administrations.
The similarities to Johnson shoudl be pretty obvious, a war that has gone badly, a public will that has desolved and a strong desire to get our troops out, a sitting president not running for re-election, etc.... also, more significantly, a clear deterioration of the American position across the globe
The Carter administration, failed foreign policy, failed domestic economic policy, errosion of American position across the globe
The fundamental, the HUGE difference between now and then, no USSR, nothing remotely similar to that situation in any way.
The foreign policy we require is fundamentally different. Yes, it requires winning back our allies, and making new "friends". Unlike the 1980's we can't do that by fear mongering to an "evil empire". In the 1980's teh USSR was it's own worst enemy, convincing many nations that the US was right!
We once again have a battle for the "hearts and minds" of a region. We aren't going to win that with bigger bombs, or with policy based in ignorance of language, culture and history. We need to change our approach
If you can't see that, then there isn't much to really talk about, we'll have to disagree