What is American Foreign Policy?

If you are trying to understand the Obama administration's foreign policy, you must read The Consequentialist by Ryan Lizza  here. Lizza, no arch-conservative, but rather a supporter of liberal causes as a writer for the New Yorker, explains that Obama had no foreign policy experience before running for Senate. Obama read the right books and hired talented people from previous Democratic administrations to help him craft his policy. His views wavered between "realism," acting when American interests are at stake, and supporting human rights irrespective of America's international interests.

Lizza argues that Obama has no coherent policy and manages by the seat of his pants, following trends rather than leading them. Sometimes he's a realist, staying out of civil strife in African countries, sometimes he's a late supporter of democracies such as elements of the Arab Spring, opposing authoritarian regimes. In sharp contrast to a Truman or a Reagan, no one really knows where he stands, and he makes decisions after the dust has settled and Britain and France have already acted.

Obama's style (or lack of one) makes it difficult for foreign diplomats to know what the United States desires. For example, does Obama wish to increase the tempo of arms control agreements? Certainly, Obama does not want to be limited during disarmament negotiations with the Russians by having to defend his evolving views before an election. Nor does he want to work with a hostile Congress as shown by the recent "hot mic" gaffe (here).

I personally would trust a politician more if I could predict his behavior.

You Must Purchase the History Book, "The Fifties"

David Halberstam's The Fifties was the most entertaining 700-page history book I have ever read. Much of the charm comes from  Halberstam's style. A trained journalist and experienced writer, he glued together the book by writing biographies of the most important political, economic, and cultural figures of the decade.

The book lacks a table of contents, so I will provide one, giving you a taste of the breadth and depth of the book.

One: Robert Taft, The Hiss Case, Dean Acheson, and the 1948 Election
Two: Harry Truman, J Robert Oppenheimer
Three: Joe McCarthy, Mike Hammer
Four: The Korean War
Five: Douglas MacArthur in Korea
Six: Edward Teller and The Hydrogen Bomb
Seven: MacArthur's Downfall, Matthew Ridgway
Eight: Alfred Sloan, Harley Earl, and General Motors
Nine: Bill Levitt
Ten: Eugene Ferkauf
Eleven:. McDonald's
Twelve: Holiday Inn
Thirteen: Radio to TV
Fourteen:. Kefauver
Fifteen: Television
Sixteen: 1952 Campaigns
Seventeen: 1952 Campaign and Advertising
Eighteen: Ike Biography
Nineteen: Brando, Kazan, Williams
Twenty: Alfred Kinsey
Twenty One: The Pill
Twenty Two: The Beats
Twenty Three: Nixon biography
Twenty Four: Oppenheimer and JE Hoover
Twenty Five: Coup in Iran
Twenty Six:  Dulles Brothers and Coup in Guatemala
Twenty Seven: New Look Foreign Policy
Twenty Eight: The Warren Court
Twenty Nine: Civil Rights in Mississippi
Thirty:  Blacks in the South and the Cotton Picker
Thirty One:  Elvis Presley
Thirty Two:  GM
Thirty Three: Advertising
Thirty Four: Television Shows
Thirty Five: C Wright Mills
Thirty Six: Rosa Parks and MLK
Thirty Seven: Marilyn Monroe
Thirty Eight: Paperbacks
Thirty Nine: Postwar Femininity
Forty: The Pill (2)
Forty One:  American Space Program
Forty Two:  Foreign Cars
Forty Three: Quiz Shows
Forty Four: Little Rock
Forty Five: U-2 Flights and Ike's Legacy
Forty Six:  Fidel Castro and 1960 Election

Buy it! You can get a used copy for a little over a dime plus shipping.

How I Trained My Cat

My cat loves to sniff around and mark territory

I have trained my cat to do two things: come when called and go outside on a leash. Here's how.

1. Create a cue.
Most cats will come when they hear the sound of a can opener, since they associate the sound with a reward. I cued this cue with a whistle. I repeat the whistle every time before opening the can. I also use the whistle before giving my cat any special treat. She now associates the whistle with an upcoming reward and comes to me most of the time. Additionally, I want my cat to get rid of bugs that make their way into my house, so I created a different cue for hunting. I call out, "look, look look" in a high voice and the cat immediately goes to where I am and looks for bugs to catch.

2. Use successive approximations for shaping behaviors
Read this article in the New York Times on how to train a cat to walk on a leash. It works. The author first rewarded the cat for putting on the leash. Then the cat was rewarded for traveling a bit inside and then outside. That's what I did. The whole process took a few weeks. I don't lead my cat like one would walk a dog. I just let her sniff around and go where she wants to go. The hardest thing is finding an area free of canines and cars.