Obama At Latin America Summit: Yeah, America Kind Of Sucked In The Past, Didn't It?

Predictable and nauseating.

"We have at times been disengaged, and at times we sought to dictate our terms," Obama said to loud applause. "But I pledge to you that we seek an equal partnership. There is no senior partner and junior partner in our relations."

And while promising not to dictate anymore (as if that's what really happened*) he promised to talk to, er, dictators.

"The United States seeks a new beginning with Cuba," Obama countered in his own speech. "I know there is a longer journey that must be traveled in overcoming decades of mistrust, but there are critical steps we can take toward a new day." Earlier this week, Obama lifted restrictions on travel to the island by Cuban Americans.

And of course there's his new buddy Hugo (see photo below) who gave him a book outlining how horrible Europeans and Americans have been to Latin America. I'm sure Obama will find much to agree with in it.

More: Just a reminder, Obama opposes the Colombian Free Trade Agreement. That's a position even the LA Times Editorial Board takes him to task for.

Obama's trade statement mentions setting "benchmarks" for Colombia and "conducting extensive outreach and discourse with the [American] public," which is beyond exasperating. Colombia has listened to labor concerns and implemented changes in its judicial system to address them. The country has earned this agreement; the United States should approve it.

All that capitalism and deals with democratically elected governments is just icky or something.

*Just to be clear, I took Obama to be talking about the evil Bush administration. If he was making a broader historical point, that's a different discussion but to date his mea culpas have been for the evils of the last 8 years.

posted by DrewM. at 11:55 AM

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