In a volatile world a young President elected with inspired oratory and a fresh message of hope ran head long into the harsh realties of the world and in his inexperience acted ( the Bay of Pigs) in a way that lead to the larger crisis. That day he won the chicken contest (the missle crisis) played with fate of the planet in balance
History has also viewed his other rather serious misjudgment in foreign policy as follows
The case of John F. Kennedy and Vietnam
Pres Kennedy’s rhetoric on the situation in Vietnam exemplifies the way in which presidents balance idealistic arguments, which apply principles of genus to public problem-solving, and pragmatic arguments, which emphasize the efficacy or practicality of politics. Kennedy legitimized his Vietnam policy through his idealistic appeals, casting himself as a principled leader, and deflected criticism and built an image of expertise through his pragmatic appeals.
The national tragedy of Vietnam needs no further debate yet few remember it was he (Kennedy)who set that ball rolling.
My point being if there seems to be a trend not only among some in the BMG community but reflected in the larger US electorate as to why the notion of an inspirational yet inexperienced Barack Obama gives many of us (who remember the empty store shelves or spent their youth avoiding the draft) pause, it is those decisions that were made and the unintended consequences of those decisions that occured when inspiration without experience was last given the reins.
The last 7 years underlines the argument of the consequences of inexperience.
Actually, we now know that Kennedy was opposed to the Bay of Pigs plan, which was already well established by the time he got into office. He tried to stop it, but the weight of the “intelligence” institutions convinced him that he basically couldn’t, IIRC. They also plied him with secret information and steamrollered him into going along.
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p>Based on their records so far, if faced with a similar situation, it’s not clear to me which of Clinton or Obama would do better. Clinton’s vote on the Iraq war was similar in some scary ways, and shows how vulnerable she is to political pressure against what she thinks is the right thing.
…. that when Obama became a Senator his record on supporting Iraq was right with Hillary’s.
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p>Getting very tired of this Fairy tale becoming fact. Also not one of the commentaries so far wants to touch Vietnam. The white elephant of Kennedy’s administration that haunted US Foreign Policy and ripped apart the country politically in a way Iraq hasn’t even approached.
The counter to that argument is that Obama would handle the parallel of the Cuban Missile Crisis as deftly and smartly as Kennedy did. Just sayin’.
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p>And who would play the role of Bobby? Dear little Deval?
Kennedy had run claiming that Eisenhower was not doing enough about Castro, and he did give the order for the invasion. You can’t blame it on “inexperience” so much as simply being wrong, in thinking that it was perfectly all right to launch offensive strikes on socialist countries.
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p>Likewise, Obama has stated that it would be worse for Iran to have nuclear weapons than for the US to launch airstrikes. After saying that it would noy be good to have to launch airstrikes, and that sanctions should be imposed, he said:
“On the other hand, having a radical Muslim theocracy in possession of nuclear weapons is worse. So I guess my instinct would be to err on not having those weapons in the possession of the ruling clerics of Iran. … And I hope it doesn’t get to that point.”
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p>Not to mention his statement that the US would unilaterally launch airstrikes on terrorist targets in Pakistan, even without the assent of the Pakistani government.
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p>In addition, Clinton is not going into this with a great track record either, saying that no options can be off the table when it comes to Iran, in addition, of course, to having voted for the IWR.
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p>The point is, on foreign policy, it makes some sense to look at what they have said and done as opposed to “experience”.
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