Last Wednesday President Barack Obama addressed the graduating class of West Point and his comments to this group of young men and women suggests that America is entering upon new era in its conception of foreign policy and war. President Bush was ready to send men into battle because the “thought” there were the infamous weapons of mass destruction. He thought America had to invade Afghanistan because that was the place where Obama bin Laden trained and outfitted those who would blow up the World Trade Center. In neither case were these governments a threat to the national security of the United States despite efforts of Cheney and Rumsfeld and the president to convince the American people of the guilt of Saddam Hussein and company.
Based on the Obama speech it is now clear that America is prepared to take action when issues of global concern pose “a direct threat to the United States.” However, in the speech the president raised a new concept when international moral or political issues arose which threatened the well being of people, “the threshold for military action must be higher.” For example, in the kidnap of 300 Nigerian girls, the United States will not ask its soldiers to intervene even though moral issues are involved. From now on -into the foreseeable future, it must be a direct military threat to America’s security.