Smackdown in Seoul: Obama Gets an ‘F’ in South Korea
President’s Obama’s march through Asia was beginning to resemble a triumphal tour. In both India and Indonesia — the first two stops on the 10-day, four-nation visit that ended Sunday — he dazzled his hosts and thrived on the adulation. On most scorecards — including mine — he received top marks in each country. Bravo, Mr. President.
Then Mr. Obama arrived in Seoul. There, he earned an “F,” failing two critical tasks. In both cases, the wounds were self-inflicted. And grievous.
First, the president failed to clinch a deal with the South Koreans over the pending free-trade deal, known as “KORUS.” The agreement was signed in June 2007, but the Bush administration did not submit it for congressional ratification due to issues raised by domestic constituencies — primarily cattle ranchers and automakers.
President Obama, this June, said that Washington and Seoul would settle the outstanding issues by the time of the G-20 meeting, which took place last Thursday and Friday. A week ago, there was no hint of trouble as both the White House and the Blue House saw the agreement as vital to their economies. The deal, according to the U.S. International Trade Commission, would increase U.S. exports by $10 billion, for instance. More important, KORUS has always been viewed as strategically crucial, shoring up an alliance being tested by both North Korea and its ally, China.
On Wednesday, Beltway insiders were reporting that Washington and Seoul had “hammered out a basic compromise,” to quote the influential Nelson Report. Observers, therefore, were stunned the following day when they learned that the two governments could not agree on last-minute items. There are conflicting narratives as to the cause of the failure — Obama’s highhanded tactics with his South Korean counterpart regarding beef figures prominently in analyses — but there is one point that is indisputable: the president has just created a rift with a nation of increasing importance to the United States.
What happened? “Somebody didn’t do the advance work,” said Fox News analyst KT McFarland to Neil Cavuto on his Fox Business show on Friday. “Every president I’ve worked for you know what you’re going to get from the end of one of these summits. You don’t walk into it hoping for the best. You walk into it knowing.”
Even if Obama reaches a KORUS deal soon — a possibility raised by his dwindling number of defenders — the president walked out of the negotiations with South Korea damaged, and that led to an even worse disaster. The world was supposed to come together at the Seoul G-20 to unwind global imbalances. The term “imbalances” has become code for China’s persistent trade surpluses, which are largely the result of Beijing’s fixing the value of the renminbi at a low level to stimulate exports and impede imports.
China, however, largely escaped criticism at the G-20. In fact, the United States, a victim of the China-induced global downturn, ended up at the meeting being labeled the world’s chief currency villain.
How in the world did that happen?
the influential Nelson Report
That’s hilarious. If you think the Nelson report is influential, the rest of your “story” is questionable and should be taken with a grain of salt
That trade deal with South Korea was reported to have been nearly a done deal by the Bush Administration already, just before they left office.
But with his usual arrogance, that (clueless) insufferable know-it-all, Obama, got some screwy notion that he could get a better deal than the Bush Administration got, but with one hitch: That street hustler, Obama, and those damned, incompetent fools in his administration didn’t submit their nervy, presumptuous and screwy changes (and con job) to the South Koreans until the night before the Summit, preventing the South Koreans from having enough time to study the changes and to come up with a compromise, and they weren’t willing to go along with the screwy, new changes anyway (reminiscent of General Colin Powell’s last minute, screwy recommendations to President G.H.W. Bush and to General Storm’n Norman Schwarzkopf during Desert Shield/Desert Storm), and so, as usual, the Obama Administration screwed up that deal, also. Years of negotiations by the Bush Administration were for nothing, thanks to that incompetent jackass, Obama; a fool that doesn’t have ANY qualifications whatsoever to be POTUS.
Affirmative Action doen’t take into account the incompetence of fools like Powell, Holder and Obama, and those fools quickly become authoritative and cocky, forgetting that they owe their high positions strictly to Affirmative Action, certainly not to their judgment, nor to any other qualifications whatsoever.
As you might recall, General Powell’s laughably screwy recommendations were flatly rejected by Bush and by Schwarzkopf, just as the South Koreans flatly rejected the screwy recommendations of that street hustler, Obama, also.
“And we all know what happened after that.”
What? WWII?
Do you think we are heading for a similar scenario?
In the wake of the New Deal 2 1/2.
There are alarming similarities, indeed, including an empowered and implacable enemy.
I certainly hope we’re not! But it’s hard to imagine the cycle having being stopped. Humans have this silly habit of constantly wanting to kill each other off in bigger and bigger ways.
It sure looks like we are headed into a war that will make WWII look small.
Although the threat of depreciation lurks, to say we are headed for a war on this basis is not feasible. Our interdependency upon one another in global markets prevents this from happening.
“You don’t walk into it hoping for the best.”
“The president has just created a rift with a nation of increasing importance to the United States.”
Hope! AND Change!
When ever Obama speaks to a foreign nation..we have some fall out. He should expand his circle and get someone in there that tells the man he needs to stay in the WH and quiet.
And Obama in 2008 was supposed to be the “brilliant” candidate that was supposed to not only save the world, but also solve all of our economic troubles. Remember all that? He had absolutely no experience in doing anything, but the Democrats sold the American public on the “competence” issue. Why, Obama worked on the Harvard Law Review, don’t ch’ya know, so that obviously makes him smart enough to not only deal with the most complicated economy in the world, but also makes him smart enough to manipulate the global economy as well. So what went wrong?
This is an object lesson in what happens when the American public buys hype over experience, public relations over actual political accomplishments. And the Democrats are even talking about giving this guy another term in office? At this point in time, Obama is making Jimmy Carter look like the most successful president we ever had. Let’s just pray we don’t have another major hostage crisis. They didn’t cover that problem in Harvard.
The Liberals have created a monster and gullible Americans bought into him. Obama is a complete failure. Nothing more than an actor.
Why blame China?
Any country in China’s position would do the same – drain US and EU jobs. They have people to employ and feed to ya know. If you want to fight the flow of US and EU money into China and India’s economies at the current pace, dismantle the WTO, raise your tariffs.
Otherwise, I don’t see the jobs coming back and I don’t see the US and EU holding a monopoly over world politics in the near future.
China is under NO obligation to “play fair”…they are now the big kid on the playground and are going to set the rules.
We allowed this to happen. Now all we can do is hope they allow us to play in the game and be competitive. Europe is just going to fall apart, period.
First thing would be to have Obama step aside before he and friends do any more damage. Soros must be laughing himself silly.
China’s economy depends on exports, with the rest of the world not importing how is it growing? And don’t tell me internal consumption that one has already been shown to be wrong.
Why blame China?
Because Gordon C. Chang is a mercantilist that’s why!
all is fair in love, war, and taking care of business.
China knows how to play the money game. Americans and Europeans are more concerned with creature comforts. We are so indebted to these people it’s degrading to all our country has ever stood for.
Does China have a suckemdrywelfaresystem?, like ours? Affirmative action, free housing cause you don’t work, free medical because you don’t work? Pay you not to work,grow crops?
GOVERNMENT/UNION employment that pays more than the private sector?
We need a balance. I don’t want to live in China…but we need to tighten our proverbial belts and cut the crap. We cannot compete on the world stage any longer.
Trade wars never work. You increase your tariffs, so does the other guy, etc., etc. What we need is to either reduce corporate tax rates or start subsidizing businesses the same way the Democrats subsidize the labor unions and federal employee unions. Our corporations need to become more competitive against their competition. Germany is an exporting nation and they aren’t suffering because their government realizes the value of exports and passes legislation in support.
In india he reestablshed his roots of islam and muslim by visiting makbara of muslim invedor humayu who killed and converted hundreds of hindus. shame on him .
President Obama and Mr. Bernanke atr not to blame for the G20 – Korean disaster. After all, Fox News reporter were there.
Wow. That is so profound, I fail to understand your meaning, although I’m sure it is meant to be sarcastic.
If you’re looking for an even better historical parallel, think about Weimar Germany. Its “reparations” debt under the Versailles treaty impelled it to spin the printing presses, with rather famous results. Such are the consequences of ever-increasing government debt in a fiat-currency system, no matter to whom the bills are owed.
Like Carter, our enemies and allies both see Obama as a weak man. Not as a leader, as a man. Fundamentally flawed by inner demons that keep him from seeing the world clearly. These weaknesses are exploited constantly and adeptly by those elsewhere in the world who see no reason to stick their necks out for a man who will toss them to the wolves to protect his hide whenever the next conflict shows up. Add to this America’s weaker status as a nation, and there is little reason to think that Obama’s foreign policy will do any better than his domestic policy has.
Well said, BRM. You pretty much nailed it. Now all we need is to find a way to keep all of us from being nailed while this turkey is still in office.
I’m with you on that, but it might be harder then it seams. In 2012, they must be decimated, and before that, completely immobilized. Not to let them create more problems and debt. Our foreign policy will need much time to be brought in line, so that our allies can trust us again.
Of course, that is just what Soros wants 0 to do and is exactly in line with Ayers, Wright, et al. Every time 0 does something that damages the U.S. – militarily, economically, politically, etc. – the “progressive” crowd sings his praises.
Well stated. Might it be that we as a society have come to believe that the illusions of our own making are, in fact, reality? Won’t somebody throw a robe on the naked emperor we have running around Asia?
Political correctness drives us relentlessly toward accepting the situational ethics and moral equivalence of bankrupt, antisocial behaviors, and then celebrates the rank boorishness of the street hustler and con artist as a virtue of the dispossessed. Apologists for a self-perpetuating and parasitic underclass that apparently dominates so much of Obama’s thinking would have us believe that there is substance in the garishness of bling-bling and an aggressive attitude.
Balderdash. The non-judgemental and self-exonerating aspects and the late Twentieth Century American phenomenon characterized as political correctness is nothing but so many big fish in a small, insular pond. It may play from Peoria to the New York Times and Washington Post editorial pages, but it’s not fooling the real politik leaders on the international stage.
Obama and his Sorcerer’s Apprentice operatives may give Congress an ultimatum and seventy-two hours to read a 2,000 page piece of legislation, but those cheap tricks don’t work in the community of nations. No one else is drinking the kool aid.
And with respect to knowing “what happened then”, let’s not forget that in 1940-41 Roosevelt ran the bluff of trying to exercise a more muscular foreign policy in Asia than could be supported by his available resources at the time.
Well stated. Might it be that we as a society have come to believe that the illusions of our own making are, in fact, reality? Won’t somebody throw a robe on the naked emperor we have running around Asia?
Political correctness drives us relentlessly toward accepting the situational ethics and moral equivalence of bankrupt, antisocial behaviors, and then celebrates the rank boorishness of the street hustler and con artist as a virtue of the dispossessed. Apologists for a self-perpetuating and parasitic underclass that apparently dominates so much of Obama’s thinking would have us believe that there is substance in the garishness of bling-bling and an aggressive attitude.
Balderdash. The non-judgmental and self-exonerating aspects and the late Twentieth Century American phenomenon characterized as political correctness is nothing but so many big fish in a small, insular pond. It may play from Peoria to the New York Times and Washington Post editorial pages, but it’s not fooling the real politik leaders on the international stage.
Obama and his Sorcerer’s Apprentice operatives may give Congress an ultimatum and seventy-two hours to read a 2,000 page piece of legislation, but those cheap tricks don’t work in the community of nations. No one else is drinking the kool aid.
And with respect to knowing “what happened then”, let’s not forget that in 1940-41 Roosevelt ran the bluff of trying to exercise a more muscular foreign policy in Asia than could be supported by his available resources at the time.
How much damage can the “o” cause for this country?! Just when I think it can’t get any worse, I see it can. . . not only s he killing us domestically, but destroying relationships with important allies. . . . words fail me.
We are repeatedly told that this guy is the smartest man ever to be President, that he has an otherworldly ability to understand policy and read people. Actual events put the complete lie to this urban legend.
This man has a dogmatic understanding of economics that is completely out of phase with actual business. His resistance to extension of the current tax rates amplifies his cluelessness. His healthcare policy is a disaster, as the hundreds of waivers being granted to permit business’ and labor from being restricted by it amplelly demonstrate. Around the world he has managed to anger numerous allies. In the first few days of his term he insulted the British by repudiating the “special relationship” that has existed with the UK for more than 100 years. He has repeatedly insulted Israel, the most recent example having occured last week in Indonesia. He has now exposed his naievte to both the Chinese and the Koreans.
Smartest guy in the room? Not even close to possible. His administration is producing a record of failure similar to another President who was also supposed to be the smartest guy in the room, Jimmy Carter.
Face it, Obama needs help getting dressed in the morning.
The word is out, and not just on Fox News, the ONE network, just ONE, that liberal lunatics obsess about. The man pushes incompetence down to new low levels. And as the Normal People now have every right to believe, stupidity as well. After all, incompetence and stupidity have been known to go hand in hand.
It appears that Dem legislators as well are speaking about the man’s stupidity. Sorry LilleLibs, once again you’ve been had.
You got it all wrong! It’s just that South Koreans just don’t like Kenyans!
Not true – when I was in Nairobi last time, the superb hotel there employed droves of Kenyans. Under Korean masters, of course.
Yes, before they’d ‘sign-on’… they wanted to see his BC.
The G-20 are all a bunch of racists!Actualy, the affirmative action poster boy for hysterical libtard guilt, is in way over his head.
All true and its the worse I can remember but in fairness the American people have got the shaft from both political parties aiding in stripping the US of its industrial base and in turn jobs.
Bottom line you can’t grow an economy on someone elses work.
Obama… Oh-bumble.
the s koreans are still pissed at the u.s. for not unifying the peninsula but we are still allies
they are not about the let us screw them again and, in reality, we are screwing ourselves by limiting and libifying trade with south korea
california could become solvent again if we were to let korean goods into the state
and you know obama cant have a fiscally independent california now can he
fiscally independent means a possibility of the voters in ca realizing that the current economic conditions in ca are being manipulated to keep dems in control of the electoral votes— aka the only thing that can get a lib in the white house is a red california
Is there anything this president can’t screw up?
i meant to say— “a blue state”
hard to edit posts at peak hours i guess
This trip could not have been any more clumsy, bumbling and amateurish…I mean truly, it is not fathomable, impossible to imagine how it could have been.
It was as if Southeast Asia held an “Open Mic Night” for foreign policy wonks and we blurted out our Karaoke Diplomacy version of “I Left My Head in San Francisco”.
We were off tune, out of sync, didn’t know the right words and left everyone cringing and snickering at us.
We had no advance staff pre-setting the stage for our requests, we had no responses available at our fingertips for why we are devaluing the dollar, our $600 billion dollar “Fund, Fund, Fund, Now that Daddy Took the T-Bills Away”, didn’t go over any better than any of our other loony tunes.
Karaoke Diplomacy on Open Mic Night may send a tingle up the legs of the frothing losers at MSNBC, but for the rest of us, we keep waiting for the cancellation of this national Gong Show embarrassment.
Were it not for the machinations of politicians and governments, the nature of trade between countries country would be determined by things like the productivity and consumption habits of each country’s citizens, its natural resources, its industrial skills and scientific knowledge. Who makes what and were it is sold is an ever shifting mosaic.
This is the problem with Progressivism (which is really regressivism). It destroys our collective productivity while demanding that the same or more consumption be maintained somehow. It protects interest groups like the UAW that might be caught in these global shifting sands rather than requiring – as a free market does – that they accept global economic realities or adjust to new opportunities. It creates huge entitlement class that has incentive to produce nothing. It grows a monstrous bureaucracy that interferes with productive activity in the country while producing very little of value.
So artificial political steps have to be taken to maintain an unstable structure. This is what builds the house of cards in which we now live. There may not be war – but don’t expect anyone to give us anything we don’t earn. As someone above said of the Chinese: Why would they? Would we?
This idea of protecting the thousands of farmers that are paid NOT to grow anything and the others are paid twice the price their product is worth on the world market.Just because the money reaped goes back to politicians they allow this to continue.We have to stop ALL protectionism in the countries that grow products for export.We have politicians owning farms that dont produce but still they get paid by the Gov. HOW STUPID
The gravy train has to stop.
Even though some prefer to be paid for what they didn’t do, that does not mean they have the final word.
Come on, let’s not get too carried away with blaming our government with subsidizing the farmers for not growing. The reason for that was to make it profitable enough to hold on to farm land rather then selling it off to developers, at which point it ceases to contribute to the food chain. Even with these kinds of policies we have had relatively stable and low food prices. Except for now, primarily as a result of federal requirements for mandatory ethanol additions to gasoline. Here in the US we make ethanol primarily from corn. Not only does this cause corn prices to rise, but results in less shipment overseas to various dependent nations, causing hunger.
God, please save us from these insufferable fools and the idiots who gave them power. Thank you. Amen.
Well now… that is a big job… but I believe, well described in Revelations.
Yes, Obama dropped the ball again on the world stage (expect more and more of that, now that most everyone in the world has finally admitted that he is incompetent).
Beyond that, I can’t agree with a major part of your premise. The U.S. has not been victimized by the Chinese. Yes, the Chinese have manipulated their currency, and thereby gutted the U.S. export economy. However, they have only done so by buying our treasury bonds. They could never have controlled their exchange rate without that.
We did this to ourselves, because we were more than happy to accept their stuff in exchange for our paper promises. It has been a true devil’s bargain, in which we enjoyed the rewards of low prices and deferred debt, without having ever really asked the real cost.
Well, the bill is coming due.
Good point. You’re the first to remind us of our propensity to borrow and spend.