What a More Humble America Can't Do

While I don't share Charles Krauthammer's outrage over the tepid mea culpas offered up by President Obama during his overseas trip, I will agree on one point: they're not going to accomplish much.

Substituting rhetoric for policy is a bi-partisan problem. Conservatives apparently believe that the only proper rhetorical posture for a U.S. President abroad is self-righteousness. Liberals want a more humble tone. Neither, however, is actually interested in changing the equation that motivates Europeans to take a blase attitude toward American requests.

A U.S. that withdrew from NATO (as suggested by Andrew Bacevich) and began dismantling its German military bases would, I think, sharpen some minds.