Looking at the appointments being made by Obama and Hillary Clinton to advise on foreign policy we can safely say the era of;
Good or Evil, when referring to those who agree/disagree with us.
Black and White when referring to the issue.
Preemption when we do not get our way.
is finally over.
The world is no longer flat.
[recent appointments and info below the break]
For those not familiar with the Bush Doctrine yet:
[Yes Sarah, and for your supporters, this is directed to you]
From the National Security Strategy of the United States of America document 2002
The security environment confronting the United States today is radically different from what we have faced before. Yet the first duty of the United States Government remains what it always has been: to protect the American people and American interests. It is an enduring American principle that this duty obligates the government to anticipate and counter threats, using all elements of national power, before the threats can do grave damage. The greater the threat, the greater is the risk of inaction – and the more compelling the case for taking anticipatory action to defend ourselves, even if uncertainty remains as to the time and place of the enemy’s attack. There are few greater threats than a terrorist attack with WMD.
To forestall or prevent such hostile acts by our adversaries, the United States will, if necessary, act preemptively in exercising our inherent right of self-defense. The United States will not resort to force in all cases to preempt emerging threats. Our preference is that nonmilitary actions succeed. And no country should ever use preemption as a pretext for aggression.
This comes directly from the neoconservative PNAC view of the world where everything can be solved by the use of our military power.
This era is now over
Richard Holbrooke: special adviser to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Richard Charles Albert Holbrooke (born April 24, 1941), is a top-ranking American diplomat, magazine editor, author, professor, Peace Corps official, and investment banker. He is also the only person to have held the Assistant Secretary of State position for two different regions of the world (Asia from 1977–1981, and Europe from 1994–1996), and has been nominated seven times for the Nobel Peace Prize.
from Wiki
Dennis Ross: special adviser on Iran and the surrounding region.
Dennis B. Ross (born November 26, 1948) is an American diplomat and author who served as the director for policy planning in the State Department under President George H. W. Bush and special Middle East coordinator under President Bill Clinton. The envoy and chief negotiator under both Republican and Democratic presidents, Ross was integral in shaping U.S. involvement in the Middle East peace process during his tenure.
From Wiki
Kurt Campbell: assistant secretary of state for east Asia and the Pacific.
Dr. Kurt M. Campbell was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) in January 2007. He concurrently serves as Director of the Aspen Strategy Group and the Chairman of the Editorial Board of the Washington Quarterly, and is the Founder and Principal of StratAsia, a strategic advisory company focused on Asia. Prior to co-founding CNAS, he served as Senior Vice President, Director of the International Security Program, and the Henry A. Kissinger Chair in National Security Policy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
from wiki
Philip Gordon: assistant secretary of state for Europe.
Philip H. Gordon is a Senior Fellow Brookings Institution for U.S. Foreign Policy, Foreign Policy
Philip Gordon focuses on U.S. strategies for confronting global terrorism, with a special emphasis on the Middle East and Europe. He is a former director for European Affairs at the National Security Council. His most recent book is Winning the Right War: The Path to Security for America and the World.
From the Brookings Institute website
Whether you agree or not with these picks these people will not see the world in simplistic terms, they will not be afraid to have diplomatic discussions with our 'friends' and 'enemies' alike.
Nor will they be ignorant of the Muslim world and will definitely know the difference between Sunni and Shia, that really does make a nice change.
Barack Obama will mark a radical break in American foreign policy this week by unveiling a team of diplomats tasked with ushering in a new era of dialogue with enemies abroad.
As Hillary Clinton prepares for Senate confirmation hearings this week, she will head a group of advisers who are virtual opposites to the appointees made by President George W Bush. While Bush favoured aggressive neoconservative ideologues, Obama has selected people whose doveish credentials seem impeccable.
They will be responsible for reversing the political unilateralism of the Bush years and opening direct negotiations with hostile states, potentially ranging from Syria to Cuba and Venezuela and maybe including Iran and even Islamic militant group Hamas.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/...
I believe Obama and Hillary will have a lot to say about the Israel/Palestine problem, what they say in public I will probably not like, however what they say in private diplomatic meetings might be more decisive and progressive. I have hope since this seemingly eternal conflict is the source of the misnamed "War on Terror" only when it is solved will the Muslim world start to heal, it needs to be a road map to peace not a war.
I am confident that the last 8 years of ignorance, incompetence and aggression are finally over, how much of the damage can be repaired has yet to be seen.
The reparations could start with the investigation of the Bush Administration with respect to possible crimes committed, we owe the world at least that small step.
Here is to hoping for a new foreign policy and a new world view of the USA.