U.S. Foreign Policy: Asleep at the Wheel?

I have been amazed to witness the string of U.S foreign policy debacles of late. If the goal were to see how many important nations and allies that we could get to despise us, then I would have to give our government high marks. One cannot lay all the blame at the executive this time, as the courts and congress have played their part.

Let's start with Turkey, which is currently one of our most important allies in the war on terror. Turkey is an important supply conduit and thus its cooperation is critical in promoting the safety of American troops in Iraq. The U.S. Congress is in the process of deeply insulting Turkey over the issue of how to characterize a historical event (death of many Armenians) that took place about 100 years ago. Congress had the amazing bad judgment to continue with the debate, despite the threatened loss of cooperation from this important ally and the resulting danger to American troops if that cooperation were withdrawn.

Bush's missile defense plan has certainly enraged Russia. The justifications for putting missile defense in Eastern Europe to defend against Iran appears laughable by all standards. First, there is no evidence that Iran has nuclear missiles. Second, Bush did not accept Putin's offer to cooperate on putting the missile defense base in a better location (Azerbaijan) for defending against any Iranian missile strike. Instead he wants to put it in a location (Eastern Europe) that Russia perceives as threatening to its interests.

Poor relations with China are resulting over the decision to give the Dalia Lama a Congressional medal. I respect the Dalai Lama and his message of peace, and Bush and the Congress are free to do so as well. But should they go out of their way to antagonize such an important economic partner, just over the form in which the choose to express their admiration of a person? More remarkably bad judgment, that will end up costing Americans.

The Courts and the Executive have teamed up to insult Germany lately. In what appears to be a case of mistaken identity, the CIA allegedly kidnapped German citizen Khaled el-Masri. Allegedly, CIA agents stripped, beat, shackled, drugged and chained him to the floor of a plane for a flight to Afghanistan, where he was held for five months. He was then unceremoniously dumped in another country (Armenia). German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the U.S. government acknowledged that it made a mistake. However, when Masri turned to the U.S. Courts for reasonable compensation for his reported abduction and torture, the U.S. Government refused and claimed a state secret doctrine to get the case dismissed by the Courts without hearing the merits. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Masri's appeal. Masri's lawyer stated "It will shatter all trust in the American justice system." Honorable people would acknowledge their mistake, apologize, and compensate the victim. Our government's failure to do so has made America appear less than honorable.

America's message to the world that comes from this: We can abduct and torture your citizens, and there is nothing you can do about it. If we make a mistake too bad for you. Germany responded by putting out arrest warrants for the CIA agents involved.

How long before other nations feel that they have to unite in their opposition to insults and bullying of this sort? What will the repercussions be for American citizens?