Obama’s Military Plans Conflict with Progressive ValuesRandy Shawbyline‚ Apr. 25‚ 2007In his first major foreign policy address, Barack Obama announced on April 23 that as President he would expand the overall number of US military troops by nearly 100,000. Obama’s speech came in the wake of Vice-President Dick Cheney’s recent attacks on the Democratic Party for allegedly adopting George McGovern’s 1972 anti-war platform. In 1972, even President Richard Nixon highlighted his success at shifting military spending to social programs. Today, we have a leading anti-war Democrat pledging to increase troop levels, and offering no commitment to redirect the nation’s massive military budget toward health care, education, and other human needs. Obama’s stance may have increased his stature among the foreign policy elite, but it conflicts with his image as someone who offers America a new direction. |