A “Teaching Moment” in Copenhagen
If President Obama and his senior advisors use the Copenhagen trip as a “teaching moment” the time spent on Air Force One will have been well worth it. If the President learns that nations vote and act from local self-interest, the United States will have been well served in Copenhagen. If he recognizes that star power alone rarely translates into solid foreign policy (or Olympic votes, for that matter), he will grow as a leader.
But if he insists on a continuation of mea culpas for his own country in the mistaken belief that it will earn us friends and serve our national interests; if he continues to believe the sophomoric notion expressed in his recent UN speech: “It is my deeply held belief that in the year 2009—more than at any point in human history—the interests of nations and peoples are shared,” when in fact, our adversaries share virtually none of our core beliefs or interests, we’re in for a very rough and very dangerous future.