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Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Mr. Obama and Mr. Trump Look the Same If You Shut Your Eyes

("The Obama -Trump Grand Strategy")

Of course foreign policy involves sleeping with the enemy at times, whether it be Mr. Obama cutting a deal with Iran or Mr. Trump trying to thread the needle with North Korea. 

But Mr. Obama did not disrespect friends for sport as Mr. Trump has done with seemingly all who have shared our values and aspirations from Germany to France to Canada. Mr. Obama did not trash, like yesterday's newspaper, hard fought international bargains as Mr. Trump has done with TPP, the Iran nuclear deal, the Paris agreement. Mr. Obama did not treat our word with such disdain nor our world with such contempt.

Yes, every President who deals with the difficult choices abroad must, in some larger sense, demonstrate similarities. But to try to put these two leaders under one umbrella is like equating day with night or black and white. They look the same only with your eyes closed.

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