The Foreign Relations Experience Of Sarah Palin

During the media's attempted smackdown of Sarah Palin during her Vice Presidential campaign in 2008, no other single angle was hit as hard as her alleged lack of experience in the area of foreign relations. Voters bought this snow job by the millions. So many millions that despite her position as backup to John McCain rather than being the Presidential candidate herself, this issue alone--had the truth been comprehended by all--might well have blown Barack Hussein Obama out of the water on Election Day.

Because her actual foreign relations experience is considerable.

As Governor of Alaska, Mrs. Palin was the Commander In Chief of the Alaskan National Guard and paid close attention to military matters such as, yes, the close proximity of Russia, but also the tactical proximity of every Pacific Rim country. The necessity to do so is no joke to any Alaskan in his or her right mind, let alone to the Governor of the state. Down here in the Lower 48, so many of us miss that point--after all, the average map of the world is flattened out in such a way as to put Alaska way out there on the left side with those potential aggressors safely on the other side of the world.

Forgetting the planet itself is not shaped like that.

For those who pay any attention whatsoever to history, it's well known that on December 7, 1941, the Japanese launched a sneak attack on our Pearl Harbor naval base situated at Honolulu, Hawaii. This was possible in part because the Japanese flotilla could get to Pearl over the open seas; no populated nation of land dwellers existed to interfere with their journey. What few American voters realize (but what I'm betting every Governor of Alaska knows very well indeed) is that Tokyo is actually closer to Anchorage than it is to Honolulu--and never mind the intervening 69 years worth of improved technology with faster weapons, higher payloads, and longer range capabilities!

Nor is the need for foreign relations expertise limited to defense matters. Alaska's economy is supported by two primary drivers: Energy and fishing. Alaska is every bit as involved in competing for the best fishing waters under the most favorable political conditions as is either China or Japan. Don't know about The Croaker War between those two? I'm betting Sarah Palin does.

And it's not only Tokyo; Beijing and Pyongyang both fall into that category as well. As for Russia, at their closest Alaska and Russia are a mere 2.5 miles apart – the distance between Little Diomede Island, Alaska, and Big Diomede Island, Russia. Back in high school, folks, I walked more than 2.5 miles to get home after basketball practice whenever the old man didn't show up to give me a ride!

A few specific numbers:

Tokyo to Honolulu........................................................3,850 miles.

Tokyo to Anchorage.....................................................3,452 miles.

Beijing to Anchorage....................................................3,734 miles.

Pyongyang to Anchorage.............................................3,724 miles

Big Diomede Island to Little Diomede Island................. 2.5 miles

Sarah Palin was also instrumental in making sure the Chinese didn't manage to gain control of the natural gas pipeline during the bidding process prior to construction...and let's not forget Canada. While her opponents will laugh and snigger at that (they're very good at sniggering), Canada is indeed a foreign country. The border between Alaska and Canada is 1,538 miles long. Being hooked at the hip over that much territory requires close attention on both sides to such things as law enforcement, trade agreements, wildlife management, and more. Just another day on the job for any Governor of Alaska.

Since We the People have now had a bit of time to evaluate President Obama's expertise in foreign relations, it's beyond difficult to imagine the former Governor of Alaska could do worse as leader of the free world. The Prez has at least been consistent; we can say that much. His message to terrorists: "Come on over; the White House will see to it that you're handled gently if caught, maybe even get turned loose to plot and bomb again." Enemy combatants have been treated as mere civilian criminals. Our only real ally in the Middle East, i.e. Israel, has been by turns ignored and verbally assaulted. In a truly weird twist, the only policies in the Obama administration which project a strong America appear to be instances where he's continued practices followed by the reviled George W. Bush such as "staying the course" in Afghanistan--at least to some degree, though with fewer additional troops than his top general requested.

Yet some voters still think Sarah Palin couldn't do better than that? An Alaskan totem pole could do better than that!

A possible motto for the Palin 2012 campaign, then, considering the fact that Obama's political career has deep Chicago roots:

"Sarah Palin--smarter than the average Chicago Bear!"

Which ought to irritate a bunch of football folks, and that's always fun!