March 25, 2014
As the unrest in Ukraine continues with Russia's apparent take over, the spotlight is back on foreign policy when it comes to American politics.
While Ukraine and Russia have been in the headlines, it was the relationship between the United States and Afghanistan that made the news when former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld appeared on Fox News for an interview with Greta Van Susteren. Rumsfeld criticized the Obama administration's handling of their relationship with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, stating that the relationship has gone “downhill like a toboggan.” Rumsfeld didn't hold back, stating that a "trained ape" could handle foreign policy better.
“Take for example that we have status of forces agreements probably with 100, 125 countries in the world...This administration, the White House and the State Department, have failed to get a status of forces agreement...A trained ape could get a status of forces agreement, it does not take a genius."
When it comes to the situation in the Ukraine, Karzai has back Putin and Russia to which Rumsfeld states that he "personally sympathizes with him to some extent." Rumsfled's comments were quickly met with negative feedback, especially from those on the left who have accused the former Secretary of Defense of using racially charged language by comparing the president to an ape.
The issue of race has been a hot topic ever since President Obama took office in January of 2009. While civil rights have made progress over the years, when an former leader of the country makes comments like those of Rumsfeld, it just shows the country still has a long way to go.
