Foreign Policy and Sarah Palin

OK, so Sarah Palin doesn’t know what the Bush Doctrine is. But how about the Palin Doctrine – “Don’t Blink!” Freely translated, that means don’t flinch, don’t hesitate, prefer the attack, preferably even a preventive one. What a beautiful philosophy.

Since their new political princess was awakened from her slumber by a magic kiss, Americans have had two weeks to fall in love with Sarah Palin. My, oh my! How the country has fallen head over heels into the affair. Palin can do no wrong. She’s the voice of the people, of the average guy, and of course of every woman. She comes from Alaska’s brisk countryside. From small town righteousness. Authentic. Straightforward. Incorruptible. Real woman power. Oh, John McCain, what a stroke of genius to pick this woman as your running mate! The polls suddenly seem so positive.

Yes, in the controlled test conditions of a political convention, Sarah Palin was able to shine. As soon as it was over, McCain’s paladins quarantined her. Just don’t let her say anything. Don’t let her make solo appearances. Don’t throw her to the media wolf pack. But they couldn’t keep it that way forever. Sarah Palin emerged from the protective embrace of her advisors after last weekend. And just look! A hint of her foreign policy has emerged. It’s most important facet: the uninformed use of brute force.

“Do you agree with the Bush Doctrine?” asked television anchor Charlie Gibson. Palin hesitated. She didn’t know where to begin. Just as she had been coached to do, she countered with her own question: “In what respect, Charlie?” Gibson noticed she was squirming but didn’t want to let her off the hook. “How do you interpret the Bush Doctrine?” Another pause, and then, “You mean his world view.” Again Gibson countered, “No, the Bush doctrine of 2002.” And on it went. Palin evaded giving an answer and the interview continued. The Governor of Alaska, who styles herself an expert on energy and Russia solely due to her state’s geographic location, showed she didn’t have the faintest clue about the basics of George Bush’s foreign policy, and that fact wasn’t lost on anyone watching.

The next day, journalist James Fallows wrote on The Atlantic’s website, “What Sarah Palin revealed is that she has not been interested enough in world affairs to become minimally conversant with the issues.” And the reaction? Outrage in the party and from the public? No, the troops just rushed to their candidate’s side. They claimed her performance was formidable. That thing about the Bush Doctrine? Poppycock! Columnist Charles Krauthammer declared there wasn’t just one Bush Doctrine, but seven of them! Who could keep up with it all?

OK, that could be. We won’t hold Sarah Palin to keeping up with the twists and turns of Bush’s foreign policy. But what else did she say that could be considered enlightening? Example: Georgia. Question: NATO membership? “Of course,” answered Palin. And if that meant that the United States could be drawn into a war with Russia if it went into Georgia again? “Perhaps so. I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you’re going to be expected to be called upon and help.” Example, Israel: When Palin was asked about a possible attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, she said we shouldn’t try to second-guess Israel when it comes to their own security. The fact that Israel would have to fly over U.S. controlled Iraqi air space to reach Iraq and would need U.S. permission to do so, didn’t figure in her response. Example, Iraq: Palin says farewell to young soldiers in Iraq, her own son among them, noting that they were there to “stop Islamic extremists, those terrorists who would seek to destroy America and our allies.” She made reference to the attacks of 9/11 as a reason for our presence in Iraq. Does Palin really believe that Iraq had anything to do with those attacks? Not even George Bush repeats that claim anymore.

Naturally, McCain’s team hurried to relay their foreign experiences to Sarah Palin: Canada, Mexico, Kuwait, Iraq, Germany, Ireland. But even the smallest particle of information could be immediately demolished. Yes, she was in Germany, but only at an American military hospital while on a Pentagon visitation tour. It also took her to Kuwait. It turns out she was never in Iraq, but she did view it from a Kuwaiti border tower. And Ireland? Oh, yes. Her airplane made a refueling stop there. The Canada experience is a sure thing, but her Mexico visit should probably be examined more closely. As should the rumor that Palin didn’t even have a passport until 2007, after she became Governor.

Many may be proud of predicting Sarah Palin’s sudden rise in the foreign policy arena. In June 2007, a group of Weekly Standard employees and their friends were together on an Alaskan cruise, a sort of Neo-conservative holiday outing. Sarah Palin made an appearance among them when the ship docked at Juneau and many aboard thought she might become a leading figure in their political movement. One year later, it has happened. The Neo-cons have outfitted Palin with foreign policy advisors. Not “mentors.” “The attempt is not to turn her into a professor of foreign policy,” said former Navy Secretary John Lehman. But they do want to transform her into a candidate who can survive the television debate coming up in a few weeks.

Between now and then, perhaps the nation will learn more of her foreign policy views. America needs to. Just a reminder: McCain has now taken a slim lead in election polls. He’s 72. And he’s a cancer survivor.