William Pfaff

Visit William Pfaff's Web site.

As Obama Decides on Afghanistan, JFK’s Vietnam Deliberations Worth Recalling

The pressure that has been on Barack Obama with respect to reinforcement of the war in Afghanistan resembles that placed on John F. Kennedy to send American combat troops to Vietnam during the 18 months before his assassination. Kennedy made an early decision that displeased most of his own staff as well as much of … Continue reading “As Obama Decides on Afghanistan, JFK’s Vietnam Deliberations Worth Recalling”

Getting Out With Grace

PARIS — There are two tried and disproved methods for dealing with insurrection in a non-Western country. The third and reliable method is not to go there in the first place. The fourth is get out with such grace as is possible, as rapidly as possible. President Barack Obama may be looking at the last … Continue reading “Getting Out With Grace”

A Year With Obama – and US Foreign Relations Have Only Worsened

Who would have thought a year ago that most of the issues of conflict in America’s foreign relations would be made worse during the first year following Barack Obama’s election as U.S. president? Even those disputes or differences that were appeased or quiet a year ago are now worse. On Iraq, the new president has … Continue reading “A Year With Obama – and US Foreign Relations Have Only Worsened”

Arrogant US Misses the Message From Pakistan’s People

There has always been in American foreign policy circles a virus called arrogance, caused by the hereditary assumption that Americans know better than others. Surprisingly, this does not always prove the case, but the condition seems highly resistant to treatment, even by experience. There seems a high probability that the disease has struck Obama administration … Continue reading “Arrogant US Misses the Message From Pakistan’s People”

Gen. McChrystal’s Celebrity Weekend

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, President Barack Obama’s choice for commander in what he has renamed the AfPak theater, in what no longer is called the Global War on Terror, has been trying, with the help of Democratic as well as Republican hawks, to bounce President Obama into a really long war. Unless he gets a lot … Continue reading “Gen. McChrystal’s Celebrity Weekend”

Presidents Need a War to Call Their Own — Now Obama Has His

PARIS — The more one hears the discussion among Democrats about the war in Afghanistan, the more one feels that it is a serious handicap that Barack Obama has no personal experience of international relations or of foreign policy or military service, beyond such experience as one gains as a first-term U.S. senator. His vice … Continue reading “Presidents Need a War to Call Their Own — Now Obama Has His”