KUMBAYA DIPLOMACY: JIMMY CARTER VERSUS LEONID BREZHNEV 1976-1980

From the end of World War Two, United States foreign policy towards the Soviet Union was essentially a "keep up with the Jones-ski's." If the Soviets made a bomb, we made a bomb. If the Soviets built a tank, we built a tank. Essentially, we treaded water.

Jimmy Carter was the first president to buck that trend. Carter slashed our military and proposed we become buddies with the Soviets. The Soviet Union promptly took over ten countries. When the USSR marched into Afghanistan, Carter responded by withdrawing from the Olympics. Carter didn't understand that leaders bent upon world domination usually aren't concerned with track and field events.

During Carter's term, world leaders smelled his weakness. The OPEC nations pulled back production of oil, driving prices to four times their 1976 level. This created "Stagflation," when energy prices skyrocketing regardless of economic conditions. The cost of everything rose overnight, crushing the American economy.

But Carter wasn't done. He decided that it would be wonderful to put virtually the entire nation on the dole. All sorts of government entitlement programs were created and expanded. Few worked and most of them caused heavy damage. Taxes rose. The economy slumped. Interest rates quadrupled. Poverty rose. The economy staggered.

All because Carter wanted to play horseshoes with the Soviet Union, who essentially wanted to destroy the United States. Carter invited them to a tea party. The Soviets showed up and played smash-mouth rugby.

Our military was toothless, our intelligence organizations were hollow, and our nation was floundering. Carter left office with America on its knees. Nobody respected us, and we were powerless to show them otherwise.

DEMANDING VICTORY, RONALD REAGAN VERSUS MIKHAIL GORBACHEV 1980-88

Ronald Reagan inherited a terrible economy, a nation with no international respect, and a bold, expanding Soviet Union. He tossed away the old concept of military parity along with the Carter concept of capitulation and took it upon himself to defeat the Soviet Union.

Reagan recognized that a socialist economy barely functions. By rebuilding American armed forces, Reagan challenged the Soviet Union to keep up. They obliged. Our military spending increased to 27% of our federal budget. But the Soviets needed 60% of their budget to keep up.

That math didn't work well for the USSR. But the Soviets were willing to bleed their people dry.

Reagan had a stroke of brilliance. The Soviets relied upon hard currency to maintain their straining military budget. And there was only one source of Soviet hard currency: Oil! Reagan tripled the foreign aid to Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to about $3 billion each, but under the following conditions: 1-They stop fighting. 2-They buy American military hardware. 3-Saudi Arabia increase oil production to meet American demand.

The Saudi's opened up the oil spigots. Overnight, the price of oil dropped below $20 per barrel. In one fell swoop, Reagan brought peace to the middle east, boosted the American economy with lower energy prices, and eliminated the only source of money to fund the Soviet army. It actually became more expensive for the Russians to pump oil than it was worth. The USSR was on its knees, ripe for defeat. Shortly after, Reagan announced the Strategic Defense Initiative. The USSR tossed in its hand. Within 24 months, the USSR was no longer in existence.

To this day, our economy benefits from lower oil prices and less military spending. All because Reagan won the Cold War.

That victory wasn't the sum of efforts from previous presidents. Reagan alone won the Cold War. Without firing a shot. Few give him credit for his utter political brilliance. When Reagan left office, America held unprecedented prestige and strength.

HERDING CATS: GEORGE BUSH VERSUS SADDAAM HUSSEIN 1990-1992

Big mistake.

Every world leader should know better than to believe the American press. Not only did Bush have iron balls, he had brilliant diplomatic skills. He actually knitted the whole world into a blanket of agreement against Hussein's invasion of Kuwait. This political accomplishment was like herding a hundred cats. Except cats with nuclear claws, bad attitudes, and ones who often hated one another.

The armed forces Reagan had built were ready, and this coalition was armed with American equipment and training. When Hussein's army was crushed in 100 hours, the world collectively took notice. Few challenges followed.

American liberals whined that this was a war over oil. No kidding. And who suffers most from high oil prices? We can guess Ross Perot isn't starving when his oil bill goes up 50 cents a gallon. But poor people do. Thus American liberals -- as always -- were willing to sacrifice their constituents as political pawns, proving once again that, stupidity, arrogance and power lust are the backbone of the Democratic Party. Unfortunately, that represents about half the nation.

When the Gulf War was over, the United States enjoyed its peak influence in the world. Nobody doubted any facet of our nation whatsoever. In less than ten years, Reagan and Bush took America from laughingstock to absolute respect.

Say what you want about Bush. He was uncomfortable. Boring. And he didn't discuss his underwear on MTV. But diplomatically, he was brilliant, perhaps better than Reagan. He knew what had to be done. He knew it was a monumental task. He knew how to do it. And he did it. Bush left office with America unquestionably the only world superpower, allies all over the globe, and very few enemies.

DIPLOMATIC GRAFFITI: BILL CLINTON VERSUS CHINA

Befuddled Americans think Bill Clinton's major war is in Yugoslavia. Actually, Clinton's war is with China. And he already lost. Under Clinton's watch, China has successfully stolen, bought, or was simply given the blueprints for every modern American nuclear weapon -- and the guidance systems to accurately deliver them. Like Reagan's brilliant victory over the Soviet Union, China never fired a shot. They simply waited until we had a corruptible president, and simply corrupted him.

Bill Clinton's political prostitution has never been questioned ... it's always been a matter of price. Wise world leaders have long recognized Clinton as an egotistical political charlatan, capable of being elected in a nation enamored with personality and ignorant of wisdom. Such leaders aren't spun by James Carville and Dan Rather. Instead, they laugh at Clinton's bumbling and self-aggrandizement. Then take advantage of him. No wonder the Chinese wanted Clinton to be president.

The political greed of Clinton and his Democrats drove them directly into the Chinese espionage trap. Like all nations, China has been snooping around for years, picking up a snippet here, a spoonful there. But under Clinton's watch, China got the entire bag of goodies. It wasn't even expensive. For a few million dollars to the DNC, China gained complete access and even protection via Janet Reno's Justice Department. When Clinton's people discovered the damage, they did nothing. When the damage came to light, Clinton's administration tried to blame everyone else. What could they do? Admit their treason?

Clinton inherited a world that respected America, and like a drunken gambler, parlayed American prestige into the gutter. He managed to destroy the careful coalition of nations aligned against Iraq. He ruined world confidence in NATO. He managed to weaken Russia as a state, yet strengthen its diplomatic presence. He strengthened China's hand unimaginably, creating instability in the region. He simultaneously stoked the nuclear fires between India and Pakistan, two wary but previously contented enemies. Now, rogue nations such as North Korea and Iran are stretching their claws, armed with Chinese missiles which can reach America. And Taiwan is just a bit edgier today.

When Clinton leaves office, America will have less friends than his first day as President. Thanks to Reagan and Bush, the United States isn't on her knees. But Clinton proved America is willing to turn a few tricks for the right price.

Every nation is perpetually at war. For a president, every move, every word, every action has consequences to the entire nation from that moment well into the future. The concepts behind successfully leading a nation are not new, but the, arrogant and power-hungry seem to create endless varieties of how to commit the same mistakes. The less we pay attention, the greater damage each mistake creates.

On this Memorial Day, remember those who fought for our nation, especially those who gave their lives so we may be free. Consider how easily their sacrifice can be squandered. And how often it has happened.

And whether you will ever let that happen to another American son or daughter.

Written by Tom Adkins, Executive Editor
The Common Conservative
Spring 1999