- Wednesday, May 14, 2014

President Obama’s first foray into international politics came when his State Department reached out to Russia and presented Moscow with a symbolic button that was supposed to say “Reset.”

That button actually said “Overcharged.”

That was the button that was meant for the American people.

Americans elect presidents based on domestic issues. Whether they are ready or even like it, the president must become an expert in foreign policy very quickly.

Obama’s foreign policies have been nothing short of a disaster. Just today we are learning that Russia will cut off U.S. access to its rockets that take astronauts to the International Space Station.

Under Obama, as an international superpower, America is in decline. We are feared by our allies and laughed at by our opponents and rivals.

America does have the opportunity to upset a rival — that is, if Obama has the sense and courage to do it.

America has an economic rival called BRIC, an economic bloc that is made up of Brazil, Russia, India and China. Brazil is led by President Dilma Rousseff, a former Marxist guerrilla and lover of Cuba and Cuban-style Marxism. She hates America.

America’s relationship with Russia has been destroyed by Obama’s incompetence. China sees America as an empire in decline and is moving in to the western Pacific to fill the power vacuum as the U.S. withers.

And then there is India.

India is the world’s largest democracy and is an English-speaking nation. Why our ties to India are not extremely close is simply unbelievable.

In 2012, the BRIC nations began a plan to move away from using the dollar as the world’s reserve currency to a basket of currencies. This is certainly not in America’s best interest as, among other things, it will result in higher interest rates for Americans and higher interest payments on our national debt.

America will get nowhere with Brazil, Russia or China, but what about India?

India is situated between two nations that, at best, could be described as America’s rivals — or perhaps at least with one could be described as America’s enemy.

India balances against China, which lies to its northeast, and Pakistan, which is arguable an American enemy. The Taliban is essentially a creation of the ISI, Pakistan’s intelligence service. Islamic terrorists flow into Afghanistan through Pakistan, and strike at American troops and Afgans who want freedom. Then they slink back into Pakistan, mostly immune from American attack.

Pakistan has long been a part of the proliferation of ballistic and nuclear weapons, including to such wonderful nations as North Korea and Iran.

India is just finishing its marathon election cycle, and the BJP Party will likely have a ruling coalition with Narendra Modi as India’s new prime minister.

Barack Obama has talked about his so-called “pivot” toward Asia. The theory is to contain an expansive China. If Obama is serious about anything other than ensuring an American decline in the Pacific and the rest of the world, as soon as the Indian elections are final, he should invite Prime Minister Modi to the United States for a state visit.

And if Barack Obama won’t do it, in 2015, when Republicans control the House and the Senate and Obama truly is a lame duck, the Congress should invite Modi.

Obama’s entire foreign policy seems to be to cower to any other powerful nation and pander to nations and groups that hate America.

It will be years before America can rebuild itself into a superpower. For one thing, we will need a president who believes America is and should be a great nation.

Right now we need friends and allies in the world. In Asia and the near East, it is hard to think of a nation that we should be reaching out to now more than India.

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