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In responding to his critics here at home and abroad in which the president’s handling of U.S. foreign policy has been seen as timid and vacillating.  President Obama addressed his critics by giving the commencement address at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in which he signaled a significant change in U.S. foreign policy, one that relies less on military adventures and asserts U.S. power in other ways.  

President Obama tried to regain the statesman’s like consensus that he is fully engaged in U.S. foreign policy and will continue to assert American Leadership overseas.

In today’s Washington Post editorial which issued a rare stunning rebuke of the presidents handling of U.S. foreign policy.

“After winning election in 2008, he reduced the U.S. military presence in Iraq to zero. After helping to topple Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi in 2011, he made sure no U.S. forces would remain.  He has steadfastly stayed aloof, except rhetorically, from the conflict in Syria.  And on Tuesday he promised to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2016.”

The editorial continued, “What’s remarkable is that the results also have been consistent — consistently bad.  Iraq has slid into something close to civil war, with al-Qaeda retaking territory that U.S. Marines once died to liberate.  In Syria, al-Qaeda has carved out safe zones that senior U.S. officials warn will be used as staging grounds for attacks against Europe and the United States. Libya is falling apart, with Islamists, secularists, military and other factions battling for control.” 

During his address the president signaled there would be a significant realignment of U.S. foreign policy, one that relies less on the military and more of collective action and one of restraint.

In this regard the president stated, “the United States will use military force, unilaterally if necessary, when our core interests demand it – when our people are threatened; when our livelihood is at stake; or when the security of our allies is in danger. In these circumstances, we still need to ask tough questions about whether our action is proportional, effective and just. International opinion matters. But America should never ask permission to protect our people, our homeland, or our way of life.”

In his address the president spoke to the West Point graduates telling them and the American people, “the landscape has changed” referencing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The president had words for his critics of both political parties, “U.S. military action cannot be the only — or even primary — component of our leadership in every instance.”  At the same time “isolationism” is not an option.

The president stated, “U.S. military action cannot be the only – or even primary – component of our leadership in every instance.  Just because we have the best hammer does not mean that every problem is a nail.”

The president made repeated references of not utilizing the military option first, but never coherently articulated what other elements of U.S. power will be utilized.  “America must always lead on the world stage. If we don’t, no one else will.”

This is the one area our allies have been complaining about, where is American leadership on the world stage?

What are the other elements of U.S. national power the president is speaking of?

Throughout the address the president made repeated references to various challenges around the globe from Ukraine, Syria, Egypt, and other areas of the world, but none of these situations could remotely be considered a U.S. foreign policy success.

Even in his address the president gave a chaotic and often confusing answer in what U.S. policy will be with regard to Syria.  The Syrian civil war has been raging now since 2011, even after the president said he must go.  Three years later President Bashar Hafez al-Assad is still firmly in control.  

President Obama is currently struggling with challenges around the globe, even in Libya where his decisions of not following through on providing for a stable Libyan government have seen Islamist gain control.  

Currently, the United States has a naval amphibious presence off the Libyan coast with around 1,000 Marines ready to participate in any evacuations of Americans who could find themselves trapped in the ongoing civil war in Tripoli, and throughout the country.  

Libya is hardly an American success story.

The president referenced the crisis in Ukraine, “Because of American leadership, the world immediately condemned Russian actions. Europe and the G-7 joined with us to impose sanctions. NATO reinforced our commitment to Eastern European allies. The IMF is helping to stabilize Ukraine’s economy. OSCE monitors brought the eyes of the world to unstable parts of Ukraine.”

The president continued, “This mobilization of world opinion and institutions served as a counterweight to Russian propaganda, Russian troops on the border, and armed militias. This weekend, Ukrainians voted by the millions; yesterday, I spoke to their next President. We don’t know how the situation will play out, and there will be grave challenges. But standing with our allies on behalf of international order has given a chance for the Ukrainian people to choose their future.”

Unfortunately for the president, Russian President Vladimir Putin has gotten everything he wanted and the consensus around the world is Obama is being badly outmaneuvered by Putin.

Many Republicans treated the address with skepticism, Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, welcomed a new way forward in many areas, but is skeptical of the president’s approach.

“Since President Obama took office, a series of foreign policy plans and visions have been put forward; assurances have been made. But too often, strong words have been followed by weak actions, or no actions,” he said in a statement. “The result has been a general loss of U.S. credibility, making successful foreign policy nearly impossible. President Obama’s diplomatic efforts cannot work if our allies lack confidence in U.S. commitments, and our opponents do not fear U.S. warnings.”

The real test of the president’s approach to foreign policy is not what he says but what he does.