While the political world is focused on Hillary’s suspect health, her ongoing email saga (sage prediction alert: we’ll soon discover even more emails she tried to wipe off her server), and Trump’s muddled position on immigration (to deport or not to deport, that is question!), in the background lurks the newest installment of the White House’s ongoing three-pronged campaign to wreck our economy, support our enemies and subvert Congress’ constitutional role in our foreign engagements: This week the White House announced that it was signing a new and historic “executive agreement” with China to combat “climate change.”
Like most recent climate change “accords” (Kyoto, Copenhagen, Durban, Doha) this one, reached in Paris last December, will likely come to naught, principally for the reason that the Chinese will not immolate their economic and military growth, which curbing their carbon emissions would surely require, on the altar of climate consensus. They have grander aspirations than being loved by the cool kids on the international climate block.
But it’s a useful moment to reflect on the Obama foreign policy playbook for coddling and supporting America’s enemies, a playbook that Hillary is sure to follow should she win the White House in November. (If Trump knows what’s good for him – a question open to endless debate – this playbook should be Trump’s Exhibit No. 1 in the first presidential debate on September 26, 2016 at Hofstra University in New York.)
Much more than simply leading from behind, the Obama playbook offers a comprehensive strategy for ceding all strategic military and economic advantages and advancing our enemies’ interests, while convincing our allies and the American public that things have never been better, for them and us.
Step 1: Identify your biggest enemies. Concerning the military and cyber warfare, they are Russia and China, sometimes but not always in that order. In terms of Islamic terrorists, they are Iran and ISIS. In terms of perennial losers you feel inclined to help out of charity, that’s Cuba. Once you’ve picked the winners, it’s time to create the optics/narrative for your future concessions.
Step 2: Apologize for America’s past sins, real and invented, across the globe and across history. Nothing arouses an enemy’s appetite like an apologetic superpower.
Step 3: Lie about the “new opportunities” for engagement with our enemies occasioned by your occupation of the Oval Office. Tell the world you have “reset” relations with Russia, you are the second coming of Nixon when it comes to China, you are now dealing with new “moderate” leaders in Iran after the departure of the Islamist “hardliners,” and the time is ripe to renew diplomatic relations with a suddenly more benign Castro dictatorship in Cuba. (Cuba’s political prisoners, religious dissidents, and non-state media hadn’t noticed.)
Step 4: Give your enemies exactly what they’ve always wanted, without precondition. With Russia, pull missile defense out of the Czech Republic, let them steal part of Ukraine, stand idly by as Russia supports Syria’s brutal dictator and bombs the militias fighting ISIS, and watch as Russia cozies up to China, Iran, Cuba and Venezuela.
With China, allow them to further cement economic and military ties with Russia, manipulate their currency to devalue ours, steal our military and economic secrets, and build fake islands (complete with military grade runways) in disputed territorial waters perilously close to Taiwan and our other allies.
With Iran, remove the successful/crippling and bipartisan economic sanctions, give them $150b ($55b immediately) in cash to support terrorism, pay them a $400m ransom to release our hostages, allow them to inspect their own nuclear weapons plants for compliance with a toothless agreement, and give them 15 years to finish their nuclear weapons program (or allow Russia to do it). Oh, and be sure to do all this without requiring that Iran reign in its murderous Quds Force, or cut off its financial, logistical and military support for Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Shiite militias wreaking havoc on Iraq’s Sunnis and Kurds.
With ISIS, ignore your own CIA’s warnings about ISIS’ rapid rise and growth in Iraq, Libya and Syria in 2009-2011, force your intelligence analysts on the ground to alter their assessments to suit your false political narrative (“terrorists are on the run”), proclaim them the “jayvee team,” and then let ISIS take territory, slaughter thousands, and use your country’s former Humvees and tanks (left in Iraq after Obama’s 2009-2010 withdrawal) against you and your allies.
With Cuba, give them international legitimacy and economic incentives, open an embassy, reduce barriers to foreign investment that enrich only the government, don’t require the release of any political prisoners, and ensure that the Castro regime endures for another 50 years.
Step 5: Tell yourself, and the world, that in spite of your obvious losses, you have won. Proclaim that Russia is more “isolated” than it ever has been. Assert that China is being taught a lesson, and that America won’t hesitate to respond…eventually…in some fashion. On ISIS, claim that, despite all evidence to the contrary, it does not pose a mortal threat to America and its allies. (Our allies in France, Iraq, Libya, Kurdistan and Turkey may not agree.) And proclaim a new era in Cuban-American relations while Cubans still brave the open ocean in makeshift rafts to flee a repressive regime that shows no signs of improving.
It’s not an easy playbook to master, but given that Hillary had four years learning from Obama on the inside, it’s likely she’s mastered his approach and will be a faithful disciple. The future advancement of our enemies, and the further withdrawal of our nation, depends on her follow-through. For this reason, our enemies can surely say, “I’m with her!”
Garrett Fahy is an attorney in Orange County who previously worked in the Senate Republican Conference. He writes on national legal and political affairs. He can be reached at [email protected].