Remedy By Magic Acorns

A recent article by T.G. Carpenter of the Cato Institute drew attention to the position that President Obama needs to reemphasise the importance of the Monroe Doctrine. This 170 year old American international affairs mandate demands that no European nation endeavor to establish a political or military client in the Western Hemisphere. It would appear that Russia has chosen to ignore this Doctrine.


Within the past week Venezuela and Russia announced that Hugo Chavez and his military will receive $2.2 Billion in military hardware. Additionally, Chavez has also indicated that Russia may assist his nation in developing a nuclear industry. There is no question that the $2.2 Billion assistance program is factual and all would hope that the nuclear claim is a typically untrue piece of Chavez propaganda. To counter this Monroe Doctrine violation, Carpenter states that Cuba must be seen as a historical exception to the Monroe Doctrine and that Obama must tell Medvedev/Putin that "Washington will not tolerate another exception". What an absolute waste of effort it is to consider that anything Obama states will be seriously considered by any nation much less Russia. The serious world leaders would have to chuckle out loud at even the insinuation that Obama would no longer "tolerate" something.



The reputation of our President is far from that of a powerful international force and unfortunately this weakness stigma has also attached to America. Reference only needs to be made to Obama's failures with Kim Jong-il of North Korea and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to confirm this impression. There is no way that Medvedev/Putin could be intimidated by any expression of concern raised by our President.

Obama just does not have the intestinal fortitude or even the real desire to confront any potential adversary of the ilk of Russia and has no possible leverage which could be employed. The Eastern European missile system promoted by Bush has already been scraped. It would seem that he is left only with the threat to throw "magic acorns" at those who continue to pursue those Obama identified intolerable goals.

Mr. Carpenter is theoretically correct in his approach but the available actors are limited and those who are available are talentless.