President Obama previewed  his new national security strategy (same as the old policy) naively based on the hope of diplomatic engagement and a change in international alliances in his speech  Saturday at West Point.  While there, he trashed as ineffective George W. Bush’s strategy of  unilateral American power and the right to wage pre-emptive war that had kept Americans safe since 9/11…until Obama took office.

Eight years after President George W. Bush came to the United States Military Academy to set a new security doctrine after the Sept. 11 attacks, Obama used the commencement address to vow no retreat against enemies while seeking “national renewal and global leadership”:

Yes, we are clear-eyed about the shortfalls of our international system.  But America has not succeeded by stepping out of the currents of cooperation. We have succeeded by steering those currents in the direction of liberty and justice, so nations thrive by meeting their responsibilities and face consequences when they don’t.

…This engagement is not an end in itself. The international order we seek is one that can resolve the challenges of our times.

As in One World Government?  Uh oh.

When President Bush spoke to an earlier class, he had toppled the Taliban  and was turning his attention to Iraq. “If we wait for threats to fully materialize,” he said then, “we will have waited too long.”

As Obama took the stage on a mild, overcast day, the American war in Iraq was winding down, but Afghanistan had flared out of control and terrorists were making a fresh effort to strike inside the United States.

Per Scooter:

This war has changed over the last nine years, but it’s no less important than it was in those days after 9/11.

Proudly detailing that he announced at West Point six months ago to send 30,000 reinforcements to Afghanistan, Obama said difficult days were ahead, but added, “I have no doubt that together with our Afghan and international partners, we will succeed in Afghanistan.”

Obama all but declared victory in Iraq, praising the military, but avoiding giving any credit at all to President Bush for turning it around. “A lesser Army might have seen its spirit broken,” he said. “But the American military is more resilient than that.” (With God’s Grace, they’ll even survive you, Scooter.)

About the two botched terrorist bombing attempts recently, Scooter claimed:

These failed attacks (because the bombs malfunctioned) show that pressure on networks like Al Qaeda is forcing them to rely on terrorists with less time and space to train.

And he managed to give a plug to the people he seems to reach out to the most:

Terrorists want to scare us, but New Yorkers go about their lives unafraid. Extremists want a war between America and Islam, but Muslims are a part of our national life, including those who serve in our Army (like Major Hasan?).   Adversaries want to divide us, but we are united by our support for you — soldiers who send a clear message that this country is both the land of the free and the home of the brave.

By the way, Muslims only account for 1 % of America’s population.

The speech offered a glimpse of his first official national security strategy, to be released this week, including four principles:

To build strength abroad by:

 1.  Building strength at home through education – We’re all going to meet on a hillside with the Jihadists and have a kumbaya moment.

2.  Clean energy and innovation – Because if there is something that is going to keep the Terrorists from killing all of us, it’s those windmills that Jeffery Immelt and G.E. have invested in.

3.  To promote “the renewed engagement of our diplomats” and support international development – Hey!  There are a bunch of wealthy donors’ sons that need jobs and Protocol will be perfect for them, just like it was for Goldie Hawn in that movie. ..Support international development of what?  Iran’s “Nuclear Energy” Program?

4.  To rebuild alliances –  Have enemy, will bow.

5.  To promote human rights and democracy abroad – Like Posner telling China that the Arizona law is an affront to Human Rights and a mistake.  That sure helped.

But even as he unveiled this dangerously naive strategy,  Obama had the face the facts and admit:

This is a different kind of war.  There will be no simple moment of surrender to mark the journey’s end, no armistice or banner headline.

The cadets already knew that , Scooter.  The same way they already knew that their lives are subject to forfeiture as political expediencies with you as their CIC.  That is why you received such a lukewarm response, punctuated by polite applause.  You see, Mr. President, even though you have been shown to be prone to pettiness and sarcastic, immature remarks, the men and women you spoke to yesterday are our best and brightest. 

They will always make us proud. 

Sources:  nytimes.com, washingtonpost.com, cnn.com, adherents.com