By James Corum

Source:

August 28, 2010

Since the founding of the republic, the consistent objective of American foreign policy has been to safeguard the national security and to further vital national interests. Often there was a lack of understanding as to the nature of the threats to the nation, and there was often a vigorous debate about how to further national interests. But the fundamental objective was understood. Until now.

Thanks to the indifference of President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton, Iran is well on the way to become a nuclear power. This month, the Russians loaded up Iran’s nuclear reactor with high-grade fuel. That is nothing less than a disaster for the United States.

To begin with, Obama and Clinton apparently do not believe in quid pro quo relationships between states. Last year, Obama threw away a carefully prepared and negotiated missile defence of America and its European allies at the insistence of Russia. For this huge concession America got from Russia – nothing.

After forsaking defences, the other pillar of the Obama/Clinton foreign policy was to trust Russia and China to apply serious sanctions and pressure on Iran to stop its rapidly accelerating nuclear programme. And what happened? Russia and China have cooperated to block the UN from applying real sanctions that might work. Indeed, Russia went so far as to build Iran a nice new nuclear reactor and provide the fuel. China has also sold technology to Iran. Again, America got nothing for its misplaced trust.

Now American policy is to hope that the Russian regime will keep its promises and properly control Iran’s nuclear material. The administration also hopes that China, which has consistently prevented real sanctions from being applied, will somehow apply brakes to Iran.

That’s it. The sum of American foreign policy is: trust the goodwill and friendship of the Russian and Chinese regimes. In my lifetime there have been bad foreign policies, but this one wins the grand prize.

Right now, the White House is already working on an argument that perhaps it’s a good thing for Iran to have nukes after all. It could make the world safer. And this line will be loyally accepted by the mainstream media. Until the nukes start to go off.

James Corum is . He has taught at American and British staff colleges and is the author of seven books on military history and counter-insurgency. He is a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army Reserve (rtd) and has 28 years’ experience as an army officer.