Obama’s Anti-Freedom Legacy

Many supporters of President Barack Obama disparage President George W. Bush’s legacy. The 9/11 attacks happened on his watch. Guantanamo Bay became symbolic at best of American hypocrisy, and at worst showed the disdain the White House and Pentagon felt toward international law. And, even if the invasion of Afghanistan was justified, Bush’s decisions led to al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden’s escaping from Tora Bora. Many believe the invasion of Iraq to be the worst foreign policy decision in a half-century, if not more. Meanwhile, the Middle East peace process went nowhere, Iran’s nuclear program expanded exponentially, and both Russian and Chinese military might grew. The “Democratization” agenda achieved little but to destabilize the Middle East. Unilateralism and disdain for the environment ruled the day as Bush turned his back on the Kyoto Accords. That may be purposely ungenerous reading, but the point is that among the media, American diplomats, and the vast majority of the professorate, it remains the predominant view.

Michael Rubin / Dec. 27, 2015
Commentarymagazine.com