Present is calling with message of reality

President Obama chided Mitt Romney, in a 2012 presidential debate, about his belief that Russia was the United States' biggest foreign policy challenge moving forward. Obama retorted that the 1980s was calling and it wanted its foreign policy back.

Obama's "reset button" on restoring relations with Russia was all that would be necessary to debunk Romney's misguided view of Russia.

Fast forward to a recent weekend when the president's Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter proclaimed his concern about Russia's transgressions in Crimea, Ukraine and Vladimir Putin's seemingly cavalier attitude about nuclear armaments and their use.

Carter has proposed a regular rotation of combat battalions in and out of Europe, with additional troops rotating to the countries bordering or near borders of Russia.

The 1980s aren't placing phone calls about perceived discarded foreign policies The calls being placed are to those who have chosen to ignore history; be they on the wrong (Russia) or right side as believed by Obama.

Stating the Cold War was over and countries no longer resort to brute military force to achieve policy objectives kind of seems a bit naive given the Cold War is from a chapter consigned to the history books. History is constantly being written and sometimes rewritten. Obama deals in fiction while Putin deals in reality.

Mr. President, your phone is ringing and it's not a wrong number.

Steve Sarich

Grayslake