Barack: Hawk or Dove?

For a few days, I was very excited about the campaign of Barack Obama, but yesterday my co-worker called into question my enthusiasm. Are the Dems much different than Republicans when it comes to foreign policy? Obama has said he won't rule out military force when it comes to Iran and Pakistan. This article in the New York Times "Who's Against the Next War?" casts a dark shadow on our future with a Democratic president (God willing) and examines "national-greatness liberalism" in the Democratic candidates. How do we handle our power? Is it fair that we seek to maintain it? Shouldn't the UN be the ruling body of the world (A's opinion and sometimes mine)?

We are a bully, but we are the best bully out there, some say. If we weren't the most powerful, who would step up? China? Scary prospect. It's all very depressing and unfair--it makes me want to not pay my taxes in an act of civil disobedience.

Wait, don't despair! Today I found some good news on Obama. My sister C sent this email on his domestic policy:

The US Senate recently rejected the Dorgan-Grassley
amendment which would have put limitations on farm
subsidy payments to mega farms.

Even though the amendment failed, 56 senators voted
in the interest of small farms and rural communities.
One of these was Barack Obama.

Better news of Obama's Iran policy appeared in the Times, suggesting that he plans to take merely a more aggressive diplomatic approach which I suppose is okay and a big improvement on our current leader. I don't like his threats of military action BUT if he means that he wants to sit down and really engage with leaders in the Middle East, this is good. I hope he's done his homework.