The Scowcroft Factor

Ygelsias about Scowcroft:

On economic issues, moderate Republicans are almost all still to the right of moderate Democrats. But on foreign policy, traditional Republican realists have a lot more in common with liberal Democrats than either do with Democratic hawks. Both are likely to have opposed the Iraq War or soured on it early. Both are likely to be skeptical of the idea that we should base our foreign policy on self-righteousness. Both are likely to appreciate the importance of taking a balanced approach to the Israel-Palestine conflict. And both are likely to be skeptical of the idea that the highest expresion of humanitarian impulses is launching unilateral wars surrounded by high-minded rhetoric.

Under the circumstances, outreach from Obama to Republican realists would constitute a counterpoint rather than an intensification of outreach from Obama to Hillary Clinton’s top level of supporters and advisers.

Brent Scowcroft and Bush41 formulated a realistic and effective foreign policy. Too bad Junior didn't listen to his elders. Being more than a bit of a realpolitik advocate myself, I see several good things about this. There's nothing wrong with emphasis on an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord, either. But, on the other hand, I'd still like to see more Democratic foreign policy wonks in the Obama Adminstration.