Obama vs Romney: Foreign Policy

I doubt the last debate is going to change anyone's vote. Why? Because it is about foreign policy.

It's not that I don't care about foreign policy. It's just that I care about domestic policy so much more.

It would be different if one candidate's foreign policy was better than the other. Instead, they are both different, and bad in different ways.

Obama's approach is "cooperative." After W. Bush made America's international reputation become that of a "bully" - Obama went in the opposite direction. Obama tried to play nice with everyone, NOT taking the lead on anything, because that would make America seem like a bully. (This infuriates Romney Republicans - who think that any time America isn't trying to beat up everyone else, America is making an "apology." However, only Romney Republicans think Obama has "apologized" for America - and even if Obama had apologized, I don't think it would be that bad.)

The problem with Obama's cooperative approach to foreign policy is the same as a cooperative approach domestically. Namely, you can't unilaterally cooperate. If Republcans don't want to cooperate with Obama on health care, Obama can't make them. Similarly, if China doesn't want to cooperate with Obama on trade, (or Russia on military) - Obama can't make them cooperate either. So I guess Obama's approach is to "stagnate" and not do anything.

Romney's approach is "competitive" - which seems like the alternative if "cooperative" doesn't work out. Unfortunately, competitive doesn't really work. If China won't trade fair, we'll beat China up? Acting competitive isn't going to progress things any more than trying to unilaterally cooperate.

I think the best foreign policy is "finesse." Acting cooperatively or competitively depending on the situation. Which is probably what Obama and Romney will both do, although neither will admit it, since finesse is too complex for a 2 second sound byte. So they both spout their cartoon-ish extreme positions, when they'd probably both do the same thing in the same foreign situation...

Which is why the last debate probably isn't going to matter.