Here are two excellent articles comparing and contrasting presidential leadership in a time of polarization and confrontation. They focus upon President John F. Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis and Barak Obama during the present crisis over Ukraine and Crimea. The first article is by Jacob G. Hornberger, “Kennedy’s ‘Weakness’ during the Cuban Missile Crisis Saved Our Lives;” the second is by Robert Parry, “Can Obama Speak Strongly For Peace?” Whether it was uber-hawk General Curtis LeMay trying to engage JFK in senseless nuclear confrontation with the Soviets, or the senile John McCain and his blood-thirsty neocon cohorts egging on Obama to mindless military engagement with Russia, the lessons of history demonstrate that diplomatic dialogue and disinterested reflection prevail over hubristic aggression and belligerence.

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