It amuses me that people continue to say that Trump has reduced America's "soft power" around the world.
What pray tell did Obama's supposed high "soft power" appeal to the world do for America?
Did his speech at the Brandenburg Gate to wild applause get Germany to stand up within NATO by spending more on defense and help us meaningfully abroad?
Did Obama's outreach speech in Cairo convince jihadis not to cruelly and joyfully slaughter innocent people in pursuit of their sick view of Islam?
Did Obama's "reset" with Russia convince them that being aggressive a-holes was wrong?
Did Obama's nuclear deal with Iran convince the mullahs that they should be a non-aggressive and successful regional power?
Did anything Obama did get China to be a "peaceful, stable, prosperous, and a responsible player in international affairs?" China never reined in their little atomic pit bull North Korea, that's for sure.
Granted, the fact that those foes didn't stop being foes is no indictment of Obama. Our foes are responsible for being foes. But the outsize faith that Obama and his fans had in Obama's ability to charm cooperation from friend and foe alike was just nauseating and not justified by the record.
I'm just not seeing the supposed benefits of the soft power that Obama allegedly had and that Trump has allegedly squandered.
About Me
- Brian J. Dunn
- I live and write in Ann Arbor, Michigan. University of Michigan AB and MA from Eastern Michigan University. One term in the Michigan Army National Guard. Former American history instructor and retired nonpartisan research analyst. I write on Blogger and Substack. Various military and private journals have published my occasional articles on military subjects. See "My Published Works" on the TDR web version or under the mobile version drop-down menu for citations and links.
