Obama began the decline
Re: Obama warns against ‘ retreat’ from old order, Allison Hanes, June 7.
No one ought to be surprised with Barack Obama slamming President Donald Trump’s policy changes: But President Trump’s focus is much, much different than the former three presidents, because his focus is generating decent salaries for many Americans who lost their employment during t he Clinton and Obama government administrations. Now we observe the former presidents trying to sabotage President Trump.
According to a recent report from the Organization for Economic Co- operation and Development (OECD) it showed collection of $62 billion from a combination of public and private funds for climate change initiatives in 2014: John Coequyt, Sierra Club’s director of federal and international climate campaigns is assisting the OECD with the financial collection and distributions. Coequyt claims, “What hasn’t been established is the details within that.” Coequyt’s statement is a red flag as the public knows very well the disappearance of billions of dollars that frequently follow Red Cross and money raising initiatives to support the residents of countries suffering major disasters. But, the funds often disappear due to corrupt governments and the citizens of the countries receive little or nothing and continue to live in squalor for years.
However, the OECD predicts there goal is set at $ 100 billion a year that will be sent annually to support poor countries to address climate change. A Times. com essay reported Canada donated more than $ 2.5 billion to the OECD, the United States announced a $ 3 billion commitment earlier this year, and Japan $ 1.5 billion. Others have contributed billions more, but the ‘others’ were not identified.
I suggest former president Obama ought to identify with the OECD public and private sector funding; his personal goal for annual financial contributions could support his passion and now he has a growing cache generated from his world speaking engagements. Perhaps Obama could link arms with the Clintons for more impact? The families would relish getting paid for talking. Rosemarie B. Barker, Calgary
President Obama should consider his record before c o ndemning Pr es i dent Trump’s for America’s ‘ retreat from the international order’. Obama withdrew American troops from Iraq after President Bush’s ‘surge’ reduced conflict there, further destabilizing the Middle East and sending a flood of refugees i nto Europe. Obama didn’t enforce the ‘ red line’ he drew in Syria, leading China and Russia to become more adventurous, knowing Obama would not act. Obama did not even try to have the United States formally join the Paris Ac- cord, although its goals are voluntary. Obama knew that he could never persuade enough Democratic Senators, let alone Republicans, to vote for the Accord and give it Senate approval, needed for America to ratify the Accord. This is hardly a record of effective global leadership.
The decline in American global leadership is a major problem. But history, which looks to substance, not style and rhetoric, will record that it began in Obama’s presidency. Paul Keery, Brampton, ON