Columnist Cal Thomas calls Barack Obama a “polar opposite of John F. Kennedy,” (“Obama: See No Evil” May 30) for contemplating negotiations with unfriendly nations. Perhaps he and I read different history books. My understanding is that smart diplomacy is exactly how the Kennedy administration “made Khrushchev blink” and ended the Cuban Missile Crisis. I would say that Sen. Obama’s willingness to use diplomacy makes him quite similar to Kennedy. Mr. Thomas seems to have a ridiculous notion that willingness to negotiate and willingness to use force are mutually exclusive.
President Kennedy did not think like this and I doubt that Sen. Obama does either.
Mr. Thomas’s column is another example of a disturbing trend in conservative demagoguery in which all who advocate thinking before shooting are accused of weakness against terrorism. It is the opposite that is true. To think about international affairs in simplistic terms such as Good vs. a singular Evil is to greatly misunderstand the diverse people we are dealing with. Anyone with a basic understanding of Sun Tzu knows that failure to learn about one’s adversary is a sure path to defeat. This is not an Us. vs. Them situation. There are a great many Thems, some of whom may bend to our will through tough diplomacy just as Khrushchev did.
I actually have far less confidence in Sen. McCain as a guardian of our nation’s security. His recent confusion of Sunnis and Shiites shows that, nearly seven years after 9/11, he has not bothered to expand his understanding of what it is we are fighting in the war on terror. I would much rather have a president who is willing to negotiate with our enemies than one who is openly ignorant of them.
SAMUEL BRUCE
Manassas
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