"Major Retreat"

The most powerful Mother in Law in l'era moderne read the riot act to friends, frienemies and enemies!

HRC's 3 D's (development, Diplomacy and Defense) are presented (almost deliciously daemoneoconic) with hot! breaths of ""...national renewal aimed at strengthening the sources of American power, especially our economic might and moral authority.

Dosed up with wicked little flashbacks to Dr B's recent Puissant Proclamation l'Hyper (DNA indeed!)

Whoa! Sounds hot? Sounds cool?

Moment bitte!

1st off, Democracy Promotion is no where to be found! This amazingly amazing abstinence is serious signs of Great Satan moving away from the leadership role HRC champions. Face it - democrazy promoting is what Great Satan does best - it's like kryptonite in Smallville for a host of nation/state actor outers - all unfree, consistently problematic with uncool despotic tendencies.

Dissing Democrazy pimpin is the same as democrazy repression - nicht war?

M*a*j*o* r* R*e*t*r*e*a*t*

“For the United States, global leadership is both a responsibility and an unparalleled opportunity.” She then proceeds to describe what amounts to an abdication of American leadership

"...At home, this is called burden sharing, but usually it means “I want to do less.” And that is Clinton’s message to the world: America wants to do less.


"...Now there should be no mistake: This administration is also committed to maintaining the greatest military in the history of the world and, if needed, to vigorously defending our friends and ourselves.” (Mark those words, Israel.)

HRC again - “After more than a year and a half, we have begun to see the dividends of our strategy.” Well, that’s true. And the picture is not pretty:

• About NATO: “A core principle of all our alliances is shared responsibility—each nation stepping up to do its part.” But isn’t NATO stepping back in Afghanistan precisely because of the costs and the apprehensions about our own commitment to the fight?

• About our real leadership role in the world: “Helping other nations develop the capacity to solve their own problems—and participate in solving shared problems—has long been a hallmark of American leadership.” Much as we have helped the Iranian people? The Hondurans? The Georgians? The North Koreans? The Lebanese?

• About our new allies: “We must also take into account those countries that are growing rapidly and already playing more influential roles in their regions and in global affairs, such as China and India, Turkey, Mexico and Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa, as well as Russia, as it redefines its own role in the world.” Surely, even the secretary cannot see the rise of China and Russia—their assumption of “greater responsibility,” as she says—as a good thing?

• And of course, the United Nations.

"...The speech is replete with dreadful irony. Two gems:

• “As we strengthen and modernize regional and global institutions, the United States is also working to cement democracy, human rights, and the rule of law into their foundations.” This is nonsense; the United States under Obama has dismissed the value of democracy and retreated in our defense of human rights almost everywhere. Look no further than the UN Human Rights Council for confirmation.

• “One need only look at our diplomatic effort to stop Iran’s provocative nuclear activities and its serial non-compliance with all of its international obligations. There is still a lot of work to be done, but how we are approaching the Iranian challenge is an example of American leadership in action.” Yes. It is. They are about to have a nuclear weapon.

"...Our allies have been bubbling with resentment and fear over the Obama administration’s retreat. There have been admirable and notable exceptions, particularly in Afghanistan and, of late, in Asia.

"...In general, enemies and friends have a shared impression of this president. He doesn’t want America to lead the world, and he’s doing his best to ensure we can’t. This speech will only cement that view.

Pic "And the threat comes because in another part of our globe, there is shadow and darkness, where not all the world is free, where many millions suffer under brutal dictatorships"