--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mr. Obama's approach to engagement to…" description: "\"Mr. Obama's approach to engagement to some degree makes him dependent on people who wish neither him nor America well. This doesn't have to end badly a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/walter-russell-mead-31750_america_mr-obama-s-approach-to-engagement-to-som_2125039.jpg" --- # Mr. Obama's approach to engagement to some degree makes… ![“Mr. Obama's approach to engagement to some degree makes him dependent on people who wish neither him nor America well. This doesn't have to end badly and I hope that it doesn't - but it's not an ideal position after one's first year in power.” quote by Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/walter-russell-mead-31750_america_mr-obama-s-approach-to-engagement-to-som_2125039.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/walter-russell-mead-31750_america_mr-obama-s-approach-to-engagement-to-som_2125039.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/walter-russell-mead-31750_america_mr-obama-s-approach-to-engagement-to-som_2125039.jpg) > “Mr. Obama's approach to engagement to some degree makes him dependent on people who wish neither him nor America well. This doesn't have to end badly and I hope that it doesn't - but it's not an ideal position after one's first year in power.” [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that relying heavily on partners with unclear loyalty can jeopardize a leader’s agenda, especially early in a term. **In simple terms:** Relying on untrustworthy allies is risky. Key Takeaway Seek reliable allies early. Themes politics leadership trust strategy Mood cautious reflective Type analytical political When to use this quote - first year in office - diplomatic negotiations - building coalitions Key Concepts realism foreign policy dependency Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders vet allies effectively? - What safeguards protect policy from hostile influence? A Different Perspective Unreliable partners may undermine goals despite good intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) [Engagement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engagement/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [President Obama's approach embodies the values, the ideas and the direction America has to take to build the 21st-century version of the American Dream:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/president-obama-s-approach-embodies-the-values-the-ideas-and-the-2/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [I wish I didn't get searched when I come through customs. I wish Christians stop beefin' with Muslims, Wish the poor didn't have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-o-g/i-wish-i-didn-t-get-searched-when-i-come-through-customs-i-wish/) [Ed O.G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-o-g/) > [“Maybe that would be less crucial under Obama, Podesta thought, because Obama's approach was so intellectual. He compared Obama to Spock from Star Trek…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/maybe-that-would-be-less-crucial-under-obama-podesta-thought-because/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [President Obama's approach embodies the values, the ideas, and the direction America must take to build a 21st century version of the American Dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/president-obama-s-approach-embodies-the-values-the-ideas-and-the/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [I wish America was doing half as well as Captain America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wish-america-was-doing-half-as-well-as-captain-america/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wish America would stop judging and criticizing teens and instead, try to understand the battles they have to fight every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-wish-america-would-stop-judging-and-criticizing-teens-and-instead/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [There is much to dislike about President Obama's approach to the financial crisis. But opposition, it seems, will have to come from somewhere other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-frank/there-is-much-to-dislike-about-president-obama-s-approach-to-the/) [Thomas Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-frank/) > [I wish America would spend even half as much time complaining about plastics in our oceans as we do about actresses' plastic surgery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/i-wish-america-would-spend-even-half-as-much-time-complaining-about/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [I don't like being dependent on other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-merton/i-don-t-like-being-dependent-on-other-people/) [Alice Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-merton/) > [Liberals have created, and the minority leadership has exploited, a community of dependent people, unaware of the true route to prosperity and happiness: self-reliance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/liberals-have-created-and-the-minority-leadership-has-exploited-a/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [We have a lot of controlling people who are trying to tell us how to live our lives, and a lot of co-dependent people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/echo-bodine/we-have-a-lot-of-controlling-people-who-are-trying-to-tell-us-how-to/) [Echo Bodine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/echo-bodine/) > [Because being so dependent on people scares me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/because-being-so-dependent-on-people-scares-me/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [“Specifically, one whose life is ruled and dictated by dependency needs suffers from a psychiatric disorder to which we ascribe the diagnostic name "passive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/specifically-one-whose-life-is-ruled-and-dictated-by-dependency-needs/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [The effective leader recognizes that she is more dependent on her people than they are on her. Walk softly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/the-effective-leader-recognizes-that-she-is-more-dependent-on-her/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [“She was too dependent on what other people thought of her, and that was her downfall. She cared too much. She was only what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-bowe/she-was-too-dependent-on-what-other-people-thought-of-her-and-that/) [Steph Bowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-bowe/) ## More by Walter Russell Mead > [What begins in arrogance often ends in shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-mead/what-begins-in-arrogance-often-ends-in-shame/) [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) > [This very individualistic form of Protestant Christianity that became so basic in English and then American life is to a large degree responsible for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-mead/this-very-individualistic-form-of-protestant-christianity-that-became/) [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) > [The American people are extraordinarily comfortable, affluent, and secure. It's easy for us to make the argument that God's purpose is being fulfilled through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-mead/the-american-people-are-extraordinarily-comfortable-affluent-and/) [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) > [Life isn't easy, and leadership is harder still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-mead/life-isn-t-easy-and-leadership-is-harder-still/) [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) > [“The African villager with a solar powered smartphone has more access to more information than Louis XIV in the halls of Versailles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-mead/the-african-villager-with-a-solar-powered-smartphone-has-more-access/) [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) > [Carter's hopes died when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and he ended up having to reverse policy and launch the military buildup that Reagan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-mead/carter-s-hopes-died-when-the-soviet-union-invaded-afghanistan-and-he/) [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) > [“Saying that Jesus was a moral teacher is like calling Winston Churchill a landscape painter; both statements are true (and Jesus was a much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-mead/saying-that-jesus-was-a-moral-teacher-is-like-calling-winston/) [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) > [When Edward Gibbon was writing about the fall of the Roman Empire in the late 18th century, he could argue that transportation hadn't changed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-mead/when-edward-gibbon-was-writing-about-the-fall-of-the-roman-empire-in/) [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) > [We Americans look at the last 300 years of history, and we basically see a world that's getting better and better. The rule of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-mead/we-americans-look-at-the-last-300-years-of-history-and-we-basically/) [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) > [There is not a great sense that the Americans know what they are doing, or are making much progress in Iraq. And there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-mead/there-is-not-a-great-sense-that-the-americans-know-what-they-are/) [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) > [Unlike some, I don't claim to hold the mystic key to the future. But judging from past events, it seems to me that those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-mead/unlike-some-i-don-t-claim-to-hold-the-mystic-key-to-the-future-but/) [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) > [It is a kind of ego booster, the way Egypt's winning the 1973 war, in the first stages, was an uplift. But I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-mead/it-is-a-kind-of-ego-booster-the-way-egypt-s-winning-the-1973-war-in/) [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) > [Jordan is the only Arab state that has provided citizenship to Palestinian refugees and integrated them. But something has to be done about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-mead/jordan-is-the-only-arab-state-that-has-provided-citizenship-to/) [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) > [The Arab states don't seem to do a good job of providing for their own people, so I am not sure why they would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-mead/the-arab-states-don-t-seem-to-do-a-good-job-of-providing-for-their/) [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) > [The historian assesses that the investment of the wealthy classes in the Bank of England wedded them to the fate of the nation as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-mead/the-historian-assesses-that-the-investment-of-the-wealthy-classes-in/) [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) [Explore all 16 Walter Russell Mead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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