Don't call him naive

The frequent charge against Obama is that he is naïve about foreign affairs. Fareed Zakaria of Newsweek disagrees. Obama's foreign policy comments have been much more thoughtful, consistent, conservative (in the good sense of the word), and realistic than McCain's (kick Russia out of G8?). The last paragraph of the article says it well:

"In the end, the difference between Obama and McCain might come down to something beyond ideology—temperament. McCain is a pessimist about the world, seeing it as a dark, dangerous place where, without the constant and vigorous application of American force, evil will triumph. Obama sees a world that is in many ways going our way. As nations develop, they become more modern and enmeshed in the international economic and political system. To him, countries like Iran and North Korea are holdouts against the tide of history. America's job is to push these progressive forces forward, using soft power more than hard, and to try to get the world's major powers to solve the world's major problems. Call him an Optimistic Realist, or a Realistic Optimist. But don't call him naive."

Here is a link to the video and text of Obama's speech before 200,000 people in Berlin. McCain went to a German restaurant in Ohio.