Reset

By Douglas V. Gibbs
Author, Speaker, Instructor, Radio Host

Hillary Clinton once gave a gift to Russia, which was designed to be a symbol of the Obama administration's desire for improved relations with the once primary geopolitical enemy against the United States, in the world.  Russia was once the central control location of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.  The Cold War, however, has ended.  The Soviet Union has collapsed.  Russia has made an attempt to be more capitalistic.  The Great Bear has shown a desire to rejoin the family of nations who try to get along through negotiations, and mutual understanding.

The gift was a reset button.  The Democrats believed a simple reset could be achieved through Neville Chamberlain-style negotiations where you bend over backwards to accommodate your opposition, and do whatever you can to not offend them with any portrayals of strength or firm determination.  Forgive and forget, even if the enemy is sharpening their knives in front of you.

I suppose you could call it the wet noodle approach.

The reset button was presented to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who was quick to point out that the Russian words on the symbolic device were wrong.  The words did not read what the Democrats intended, but instead read, according to Lavrov, "overcharged."

Sometimes a "reset" works, and sometimes it doesn't.  A reset in a relationship requires both sides to be truly and honestly sincere.  Getting the words right might help, too.

Usually, when it comes to adversaries, a reset is not possible.  Making peace with an enemy whose animosity for you, or whose lust for advancing their own agenda, is not something you even fully understand, is a tough row to hoe.  Therefore, dealing with them from a position of strength is likely your only option.  Someone who wants to kill you backs off when they believe their own life could be at risk.  When dealing with foreign enemies, keeping them off balance, and using your own strengths, is usually the only way to achieve true peace.

Ronald Reagan called it "Peace through Strength."

George Washington said, "To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace."

Using the Neville Chamberlain technique of appeasement does nothing other than give them time to reload their weapons.

President Donald J. Trump has truly used a reset button.  His reset button, however, was not the gift of appeasement, but a stern and firm warning using language, positioning, and sanctions.  His firm hand on the foreign affairs front has brought North Korea to the negotiations table, has Iran backing off with nervousness, and Russia dialing their garbage back a little.  Europe, Japan, and our North American trading partners have all agreed to new trade deals due to Trump's firm hand, fiery rhetoric, and use of our stronger economy as a prod.  Even China has shown a little uneasiness under Trump's firm grasp of the situation.

In the end, we didn't have to reset anything.  America is being America.  It is the world that is resetting because finally the President of the United States understands the power of being in a position of strength, and has the willingness to use it.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary