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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Sharing time with the Ashland Cohousing Community Theater goers must have a place to sleep, perchance to dream Wildlife rehabbers offer tips A day in the Garden of the Month A news hound checks out the dog park Education Youth Activities and Academics Levy rolls in early returns It takes a village to raise a child Ashland High's Michelle Zundel heading to Medford district John Muir students need help producing eighth-grade yearbook Ashland High School seeks volunteers for 2015-16 Environment Demonstrators hope to save tree Documentary 'When Giants Fall' tells tragic story of elephant poaching Mt. 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Cyr More Content Now Posted May. 14, 2015 at 8:14 AM » Social News The Obama administration tends to confuse rhetoric with accomplishment, and nowhere is this more apparent than in regard to the Middle East. “The Obama Doctrine” has been employed since Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign to sum up foreign policy strategy. However, there is no strategy, only a general declaration of international good citizenship and cooperation. The George W. Bush administration demonstrated dramatically the drawbacks of unilateralism, notably in regard to Iraq. In contrast, the earlier G.H.W. Bush administration achieved effective allied collaboration during the First Gulf War to liberate Kuwait. In fairness, the Obama administration has embraced unilateralism aggressively regarding use of drones to kill targeted individuals. The latest serious example of the danger of confusing good intentions and lofty rhetoric with actual policy is the effort of President Obama to hold an Arab summit at the White House and Camp David during May 13-14. Only two of the six countries invited, Kuwait and Qatar, ultimately have sent their top leaders. Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are sending lower level government representatives. At a minimum, this shows lack of respect for Obama, along with remarkably inept U.S. political calculation. White House spokesman Josh Ernest has compounded the awkward situation by naively emphasizing that those attending are in fact the most appropriate government representatives. In reality, Arab states are deeply concerned about Iran. This does not mean the U.S. government should alter the important nuclear negotiations with that country. A disciplined and traditional approach would have quickly raised concerns about the usefulness of the current White House gathering of Arab state representatives. Top-level summits usually work best as ceremonial conclusions of disagreements which have already been resolved. President Richard Nixon was particularly adept at such summit strategy. The 1972 signing of the SALT I strategic arms treaties with the Soviet Union and the opening to China occurred only after Henry Kissinger and staff had negotiated challenging details. Conflict between the two principal communist powers was skillfully manipulated. Economic leverage was a factor in these strategic successes, and also in complex negotiations with Moscow and combatants in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. Likewise, economics was involved in President Jimmy Carter’s historic achievement of the difficult Egypt-Israel peace treaty in 1978. This extraordinary success did result from a working summit - at Camp David For all the media alarm about the roiling Mideast, the U.S. has powerful, rapidly expanding strategic assets – oil and natural gas. Fracking, available since the 1940s, now has become commercially viable. During 2011 the United States became a net exporter of petroleum products, reversing a half century of growing oil dependence. The profound revolution in American production has powerful international implications. Simultaneously, melting polar ice is revealing enormous mineral deposits previously unavailable for exploitation. Russia spearheaded by President Vladimir Putin now plays a principal international leadership role. The Russian Geographical Society has hosted global conferences on the Arctic. Hundreds of investors, experts, government representatives, and others have been assembled. Historically Britain has led in global geography, but now Russia is working to organize the region. China is a major investor Plummeting world oil prices put pressure on Arab producers, Russia and other nations heavily dependent on oil income. The U.S. has remarkable new leverage, yet the Obama administration has been largely inert. During the remaining time in office, President Obama should avoid any more ill-conceived talk fests, and focus on using our strategic advantages – comprehensively. Arthur I. Cyr is Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage College and author of “After the Cold War.” [email protected] By Arthur I. Cyr More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Arthur I. Cyr More Content Now Posted May. 14, 2015 at 8:14 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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