Thinkstock
Gov. Scott Walker’s aiming for the presidency and, emboldened by a strong showing among far-right conservatives in Iowa, is taking his show on the road. But does Walker have the kind of experience necessary to compete on the national stage?
Conservatives may want to take another look at him being interviewed by ABC News’ Martha Raddatz on Sunday. The governor fumbled badly on questions about how he’d handle Syria. Walker ultimately said what someone who is in way over his head on a topic often says and that is all options were on the table, including boots on the ground.
“I wouldn’t rule anything out,” Walker said.
Really now. Boots on the ground in Syria. Most foreign policy experts are still debating which of the many factions currently fighting in Syria the U.S. and its allies can actually trust. The U.S. and its allies have many different enemies fighting in Syria. We’re sure that Walker thinks that he has to talk tough to win the Republican nomination, and that may well be true. However, we’re also sure that Walker thinks that he can solve a complex international situation with brute force, and in the Middle East that is very far from true. As much as Scott Walker likes to view things in a distinct black-and-white way, he is going to have to learn that many foreign policy issues like what to do in Syria can never be reduced to a black-and-white issue and mistakes literally cost lives.
Walker’s Syria strategy shows his shortcomings as a leader and a presidential candidate.
Walker has had surprising success in Wisconsin. He’s been able to “drop the bomb” on his political rivals and push through legislation that until recently had been seen as being too extreme for the usually moderate Wisconsin.
But Walker was able to enact his agenda because he had a sympathetic Republican-dominated Legislature and Supreme Court as well as very vocal cheerleaders in the corporate mainstream media. He only has to negotiate and deal with people who share his world view.
Walker as the leader of the free world would have a much more difficult task. At this moment in our history, the Middle East is complicated, ever changing and unpredictable. Much of the Middle East went through a revolutionary period and as any student of history knows, it takes years to settle down. While misguided actions like the invasion of Iraq may have pleased the likes of the Dick Cheney crowd, they exacerbated the situation on the ground, causing tremendous loss of life and providing material for the recruiting efforts of the extreme and barbarous groups like ISIS. A Walker-led invasion of Syria may seem impressive to right-wing Iowa Republicans, but it would likely unleash even more blowback from our enemies and make the world a more dangerous place.
|
|
Walker has been able to run roughshod on Wisconsin in his quest for the presidency. But he needs to study history and be more careful, thoughtful and tactful when wading into international affairs.
