by Ana Palacia, The Daily Star
Among the numerous challenges the West faces, one is consistently overlooked: its addiction to meaningless rhetoric.
course, the inherent complexity and unpredictability of international affairs intensify politicians’ inclination to equivocate.
Unfortunately, the result has been to make a bad situation worse.
Under what conditions would the U.S. use its capabilities?
Though the West still occupies the moral high ground on many important issues – such as ISIS and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – the global system is far less clear-cut today.
Likewise, Russian President Vladimir Putin, unburdened by facts or guilt, has taken advantage of domestic and international audiences’ deep-seated resentments and insecurities to craft compelling narratives in support of his policy toward Ukraine.
Western leaders should see no need to dispense with the truth; the facts are on their side.
The Obama doctrine cannot be credible if the U.S. is not willing to use the capabilities that the president has pledged to preserve.
Categories: Americas, Arab World, Europe