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Andrew Cline has been editorial page editor of the New Hampshire Union Leader since October of 2001. His writing has appeared in more than 100 newspapers and magazines, including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and National Review.Pat Buchanan: Apologizing for America won't buy Obama anything
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By PAT BUCHANAN
Saturday, Apr. 25, 2009
For 50 minutes, Obama sat mute as a Marxist thug from Nicaragua delivered his diatribe, charging America with a century of terrorist aggression in Central America.
After Daniel Ortega finished spitting in our face, accusing us of inhumanity toward Fidel Castro's Cuba, Obama was asked his thoughts.
"I thought it was 50 minutes long. That's what I thought."
Hillary Clinton was asked to comment: "I thought the cultural performance was fascinating," she cooed.
Pressed again on Ortega's vitriol, Hillary replied: "To have those first-class Caribbean entertainers all on one stage and to see how much was done in such a small amount of space. I was overwhelmed."
Thus the nation that won the Cold War, contained the cancer of Castroism in Cuba, liberated Grenada, blocked communist takeovers of Guatemala and the Dominican Republic and poured scores of billions in aid into this region was left undefended by its own leaders at the Summit of the Americas.
Nor was this the only unanswered insult. Hugo Chavez, who has called Obama an "ignoramus" and Bush "El Diablo," walked over to a seated U.S. President and handed him the anti-American tract "Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent."
The book blames Latin America's failures on white Europeans. It opens, "Renaissance Europeans ventured across the oceans and buried their teeth in the throats of the Indian civilizations."
Civilizations? Before Pizarro and Cortez, the Inca and Aztec empires these conquistadors overthrew were into human sacrifice. Evo Morales, the Aymaran president of Bolivia who is using the race card against Bolivians of European descent, implied a U.S. role in an assassination plot against him.
Argentina's Cristina Kirchner, who allegedly received black-bag money from Chavez, ripped into America for its role in the 1980s. Under Reagan, America aided Britain in the Falklands War, after the Argentine junta invaded the islands, and assisted the Contras in their war of national liberation to oust Ortega's Sandinistas.
Again, Obama offered no defense of his country.
President Lula da Silva of Brazil, who blames the world financial crisis on "white, blue-eyed bankers," told Obama that any future Summit of the Americas without the Castro brothers was unacceptable.
Perhaps Obama believes in turn-the-other-cheek diplomacy, though it is hard to find much success in history for such a policy. Perhaps pacifism is in his DNA. Perhaps he shares the indictment of America that is part of the repertoire of every Latin demagogue.
Whatever his motive, in Trinidad, there were not two sides to the story. There were the trashers of America on the Latino left and a U.S. President who wailed plaintively, "I'm thankful that President Ortega did not blame me for things that happened when I was 3 months old."
But, the Bay of Pigs, had it succeeded, would have given Cubans 50 years of freedom instead of the brutal dictatorship they have had to endure. And it took place four months before Barack was born.
Obama's silence -- signifying, as it does, assent -- in the face of attacks on his country is of a piece with the "contrition tour" of his secretary of state.
"Clinton scores points by admitting past U.S. errors," was the headline over Saturday's New York Times story by Mark Landler:
"It has become a recurring theme of Hillary Rodham Clinton's early travels as the chief diplomat of the United States: She says that American policy on a given issue has failed, and her foreign listeners fall all over themselves in gratitude.
"On Friday, Mrs. Clinton said ... that the uncompromising policy of the Bush administration toward Cuba had not worked. ... The contrition tour goes beyond Latin America. In China, Mrs. Clinton told audiences that the United States must accept its responsibility as a leading emitter of greenhouse gases. In Indonesia, she said the American-backed policy of sanctions against Myanmar had not been effective. And in the Middle East, she pointed out that ostracizing the Iranian government had not persuaded it to give up its nuclear weapons ambitions."
Sandler wrote that Hillary brought to mind Bill Clinton:
"On a single trip to Africa in 1998 ... Bill Clinton apologized for American participation in slavery; American support of brutal African dictators; American 'neglect and ignorance' of Africa; American failure to intervene sooner in the Rwandan genocide of 1994; American 'complicity' in apartheid ... ."
Yet, as C.S. Lewis reminds us in "God in the Dock," "The first and fatal charm of national repentance is ... the encouragement it gives us to turn from the bitter task of repenting our own sins to the congenial one of bewailing -- but, first, of denouncing -- the conduct of others."
Bewailing the policies of Bush as failures and standing mute in the face of attacks on his country and predecessors may come back to bite Obama.
For when Jimmy Carter assumed a posture of moral superiority over LBJ and Richard Nixon, by declaring, "We have gotten over our inordinate fear of communism," it came back to bite him, good and hard.
Pat Buchanan is a former Republican and Reform Party candidate for President, adviser to two Presidents and a syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.
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YOUR COMMENTS
It is a treat to read comments from liberals to help me understand their warped sense of logic and hatred of the United States.
if you think the US is responsible for such horrible acts abroad, then certainly you would agree we should revervse our foregin policy: to include no more sending aid to foreign countries like kenya I(where obama has a brother and has only spent taxpayer money, not his own) cut off all assistance abroad.
Perhaps liberals also fail to realize that America is a better country when we can trade (i.e. sell for money) our goods abroad.
The other great feature of the United States which I am happy to share with liberals who hatre the US, the borders are open for you to leave and go to the country of your choosing. I am confident not one liberal will take me up on that offer, thus confirming we live in the best darn country in the world. No apologies are needed
- Michael Layon, Derry
It's amazing to me that there are folks that would nod in agreement to this far-right propaganda. The U.S. policy toward Latin America over the past 50 years has been atrocious, hypocritical, and deserves apology.
Some on the right fail to see the truth in our actions since they were implemented with "the best of intentions". Acknowledging prior mistakes in policy is not, by a long shot, trashing the U.S. or causing any harm to our national security or prosperity. It's time for the "sky is falling" crowd to grow up.
- Herb, Concord
But...we have perpetuated terrorism in Latin America. I'm sorry being a student of history isn't your strong suit.
- Hominidx, Atlanta, GA
The world has long hated the US for our freedom and prosperity. The fairytale "International Community" will only approve of an America that is on its knees, and the Obama administration is well on its way to making their dreams come true They will still take our foreign aid, of course.
- Mae, Plaistow
Instead of being offended, Pat B. should be honest and apologize to those central and south american countries that the USA "raped and pillaged" over the years in the name of USA 'interests". He is one of the typical right wing zealots in USA that are happily declining in numbers with the onset of a clear thinking, emotionally stable and forward looking President in Mr. Obama
- JIM GOLLERT, CALEDON ONTARIO
So PAT BUCHANAN, of all people, can't see a "history of much success" behind the Jesus' commandment to "turn the other cheek"? Well, at least Republicans are finally being honest. After years of trying to convince everyone that they're "Christians", they're finally coming clean and admitting that they actually don't believe a single thing the Bible says.
- Lucas Stults, Brentwood
Susie- You didn't answer the question, you just insulted the man. What exactly is making you think President Obama does not care about his country? He hasn't sent thousands of our youth to go to war for NO reason. That sure seems caring.
- Christopher, Epping
Joe H, Lowell, MA
Sounds like you need counseling! Of maybe you should cut down to one pack a day and lay off the cheap booze.
- Carey, Lebanon
Ruth of Bedford--the origins of female circumcision is not the point. That it is practiced today in many Muslim nations, inclusive of the Middle East, is the point. I believe the article and post to which you refer concern contemporary issues, do they not? Perhaps you should avoid confusing yourself with extraneous information that is entirely irrelevant. That in itself is "totally laughable." Incidentally, I grew up in Bedford. It has changed considerably.
- Susie Nickerson, Horseshoe Bay, TX (NH native)
FYI Ruth Bedford - the military, according to protocol, does not allow for any sort of political affiliation or approval of any sort, while in uniform (the military is apolitical). President Obama is their Commander and Chief, so they must follow his orders but they certainly don't have to approve of him or his policies.
- DM, Manchester
Every time I hear Obama's name, I throw up a little bit in my mouth. His 2012 slogan "I can't fix in 4 years what Bush did in 8" Smile for the camera!
- Joe H, Lowell, MA
Nickerson from Texas comes up with a ton of dense baloney but I don't think even she could fool a lie detector with this fantasy notion: "The bottom line is that our false leader cares little about our nation."
Really? You really think Barak Hussein Obama does not care about our nation? People from Lindsay Graham to John McCain think he does as do the military, industry, and well you name them. So what is it that you see, Susie? GOP losses for the next eight years maybe?
Totally laughable. I think your worse blathering lie was the other day when you listed female circumcision as a negative of Islam, when in fact it is not Islamic at all, it is an African cultural practice. Throw anything out there, see if it sticks yeehah for Texas!
- Ruth, Bedford
Obama is not president of America. He is the new hipster "Emperor of the World." To pay homage to our great nation--the one that blessed he and his wife with boundless opportunities--would be totally uncool. It's so much cooler to trash it. Ingrate
For a man who touted himself as the "forward-looking" paradigm of hope and inspiration, Bama seems tragically mired in the past. Does he seriously believe that guilt-tripping the people will heal and unify an ailing nation? Shaming is not healing.
The bottom line is that our false leader cares little about our nation. Like all other things, America (to Obama) is just a vehicle--to be used to promote his image as "Emperor of the World."
- Susie Nickerson, Horseshoe Bay, TX (NH native)
Brian W, the Boston Globe should hire you to write a column. You are just as bad as their columnists at a fraction of the price. You could save the Boston Globe from bankruptcy!
- Nick, Manchester
The Union Leader should hire Spike to write a column. He'd be just as bad as Buchanan at a fraction of the price. Now that would be conservative!
- Brian, W. Manch
Some people never learn from history. Jimmy Carter tried this once and it did not work. It's back to the 70s I'm afraid.
- Jay Collins, Laconia
If the President's supporters (Those of you who voted for hope and change) want to know how the policy of apologizing and appeasement work, all they have to do is look at Pakistan. They appeased the Taliban and are now being threatened.
Maybe we should think about our own sovereignty and stop worrying about our "popularity" in the world.
It's going to be a long 4 years. 1361 left to go...if we last.
- Melvin, Keene
Utter foolishness. All along every step of his travels Obama is indeed humble to open, but he makes it quite clear who the top dog is. Us, the USA.
In the real world, a word of polite respect is just a precursor to doing what you wish to do, just as a manager is polite before he fires everyone in the room, kicks them out and locks the doors.
Stamping feet and hollering and calling names and declaring you are either with us or not is fine for keeping the redneck voters happy. But redneck voters no longer control Presidential elections in this country! Bush declared, "bring it on," and they brought it on, and it has cost us so much money that the opposition is happy he opened his big mouth. Getting America to waste it's time, money, focus, and young soldiers, on foolish endeavors, is the new way of hurting us.
As John Kennedy said, "Civility is not a sign of weakness."
- Tom Labrie, Rochester
Indeed, Obama's Apologize for America tour won't buy him anything--and, more importantly, it won'd do anything for the country he ostensibly serves. Obama's bow-and-scrape tour of Europe was greeted by new belligerence from Ahmedinejad and a missile test by North Korea. After Pat wrote this article, Raul Castro issued a clarification that Obama must have misunderstood what he heard to be a willingness to free political prisoners.
Reagan and George W. Bush, despite their missteps, believed that American foreign policy should serve America. For this, the Democrats name-called them: Stupid, reckless cowboys pursuing a macho, childish, go-it-alone policy. Kerry was refined and his policy was "nuanced"--meaning American voters couldn't understand it. Obama, better yet, went to an anti-American church for 20 years and had a pal who bombed police stations. Democrats told us none of this meant anything, until we forgot that Democrats are liars.
So now we have a fashionable foreign policy that sympathizes with our enemy and handles misconduct by trying to befriend it. The rest of the world is laughing at us, or planning how to exploit this overt weakness to get what they have wanted all along.
- Spike, Brentwood NH
One way to tell if repentance is necessary is to look in the mirror. I have always had to laugh when Buchanan is called a member of any refrom anything. He defends nazis, homophobes, aryans and collosal liers - the definition of a Nixon speech writer. Perhaps a little more removing the mote from your own eye would be good. He says, "repenting our own sins to the congenial one of bewailing -- but, first, of denouncing -- the conduct of others." Very true.
- Robert, Deerfield
I may not always agree with Mr Buchanan but on policy he tends to be correct more often than not. The Obama administration ignores him at thier, and our, peril.
- Jeff, Goffstown
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