GOP comes up short on FP | Alex Slater

The Egyptian crisis and Middle East protests have exposed the Republican party as lacking a clear foreign policy message As protests for democracy spread throughout the Middle East , one thing is clear: the White House is walking a tightrope. President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have been put in the uncomfortable position of addressing dictatorial regimes that are longtime American allies while urging peaceful and orderly protest and, potentially, democratic transition. But from the panoply of prospective Republican presidential candidates, many of whom have engaged in “fact-finding missions” in the Middle East before the Egyptian crisis (a transparent, if time-honoured, ploy to bolster foreign policy credentials), the silence is deafening. Rather than speaking out, they seem content to cede the upper ground to the White House, however difficult the task may be. Even Sarah Palin, who never misses an opportunity to criticise Obama, remained uncharacteristically silent for a period on the subject of Egypt and completely mute on the knockon effects in countries like Bahrain. This is ironic given the publication of her ghostwritten book, which attempts to burnish her weak ( “You can see Russia from here in Alaska” ) foreign policy credentials. Republican party leaders have unconvincingly ascribed the silence of Republican candidates to a need for America to speak as one on matters of foreign policy – an approach that is both novel and disingenuous. Rather, the calm in the midst of this storm underscores the inability of Republican candidates to draw meaningful lines between themselves and Obama on foreign policy (think Iraq in the last election). Some, like Mitt Romney and Haley Barbour, have offered mild rebukes to the president for not distancing himself from Mubarak earlier in the Egyptian revolution. Easy to say when a vital US strategic ally was in the middle of a very unstable situation. But compare this feeble political contrast being drawn to the red-meat attacks on the president over domestic policies, such as government spending or healthcare, which solicit almost daily Republicans beatings. A notable exception is Ambassador John Huntsman , who built real expertise as US envoy to China. His foreign policy credentials could hardly be more polished, and his recent hiring of influential strategists like Tim Miller, who specialise in the very type of social media outreach spurring the revolutions, underscores his savvy in this realm . Part of the overall silence may be the Tea Party effect. Calculating that Tea Party supporters and evangelical voters may be the deciding factor in next year’s Republican primaries, the presidential candidates have decided to “sit this one out”, in deference to the more pressing concerns of that voting bloc (spending, spending, spending). The absence of meaningful Republican debate on the crises unfolding in the Middle East – reinforced by anaemic coverage by traditional rightwing media outlets – underscores the failure of Republicans to build a “deep bench” when it comes to foreign policy. But if foreign policy concerns continue to occupy a high profile in the landscape of issues, such expertise – or even a willingness to engage – could prove critical in the general election. And the result on the left? For what it’s worth, it leaves President Obama as the sole proprietor of the foreign policy limelight . When he said in a press conference this week that, on Egypt, the administration had got it “about right” , who was to gainsay him? Any accusations of presidential mismanagement have been so muted that he has been able to seize the limelight and look authoritative and statesmanlike In fact, together with Hilary Clinton, the White House team – whatever you think of their specific take – has appeared calm and professional by comparison. In these testing and evolving times, that’s a contrast to revel in. US foreign policy Hillary Clinton Barack Obama Obama administration Republicans Mitt Romney Sarah Palin US politics United States Egypt Middle East US elections 2012 Alex Slater guardian.co.uk

Posted by on February 18, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry