Unfortunately, we have a rather petulant coward as our president.
Under the circumstances, other countries would likely have long since acted to remove such a clown from their highest office... but we're not "other countries." We are the United States.
The president, of course, has turned us into something of a punchline in foreign affairs, easily the most disastrous since Obama's hero, Jimmy Carter made such a mess of things.
Now, of course, we're faced with a foreign policy rapidly spinning out of control, and a worthless, anti-American empty suit in charge who doesn't seem to have a clue when it comes to what to do. And then we get our idiot Secretary of State, who is supposed to reflect the policies of her president, telling the world:
UPDATE 1-Clinton warns against unilateral US move on Libya
Nature and politics both abhor a vacuum. Unfortunately for America, we're possessed of a national leadership made up of equal parts cowardice and incompetence. As the superpower, however much Obama causes that stautus to dwindle, we cannot wait for concensus when our interests are at risk.
But we are.
The United States is refusing to lead. And when that happens, we can expect that someone else will... so someone else has: The President of France.
Unbelieveable.
The situation in Libya is clear cut. We should have made a decision, one way or the other, and executed that decision, one way or the other.
Instead, we wring our hands, the very portrait of indecisive leadership that the leftists and their middle eastern allies count on and the people of are Libya dying for to achieve their freedom.
Odd, isn't it? While Mohammed Sixpack, the butcher, baker or candlestick maker bleeding in Libya knows what to do... and we simply don't seem to have a clue.
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5 comments:
NO FOREIGN ENTANGLEMENTS!
I don't understand your desire to police the World. No nation-building. No pontificating. No foreign aid. No intervention.
Speak softly and carry a big stick. If attacked, respond with overwhelming ferocity then "good luck to the new guy."
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
Through out the 30's, your sentiment was shared across the land.
What did that avail us?
We waited. And waited. And Waited. In this day and age, we cannot wait to be attacked before we act.
Taking it a step further, if we knew a nuclear attack was going to be launched against us, should it be our policy to wait until those missiles have lifted off before we do anything about it?
The only thing that has kept us in tact as a nation is the relatively low level of the technology of our enemies and our fortunate geographic location with water barriers.
Had Japan, for example, invaded the West Coast instead of stopping at Hawaii... had they, for that matter, invaded Hawaii, we'd probably be discussing all of this over Saki or whatever they would feed us in a Japanese labor camp.
The middle east, like it or hate it, is our economic jugular. There are a great many interests over there who are salivating at the thought of putting their boot on that jugular.
If we do nothing, Qaddafi will, eventually, restore control over Libya, slaughtering thousands in the process while American ideals at laughed at and scorned, and we continue to grow weaker in the eyes of the entire planet.
Once the world ascertains how weak we are... what do you think is going to happen then, eh Martin?
The Japanese, the Germans and the Chinese detected weakness. Possibly as many as 100,000,000 died as a result.
I would point out that the policy you refer to led directly to two world wars and Korea.
Were we to support the rebellion in Libya, we could show that we are, in fact, a nation of more then words and high ideals... and we would restore our place and the faith of people around the world that our concept of democracy is more than just words.
Such support would serve as an example and do much to clean the stain of Bush 1's sell out of the Kurds, post Kuwait. It would embolden the opposition in Iran. It would show that we stand by our friends and oppose our enemies.
Meanwhile, we do nothing and turn the Met into an Iranian lake.
Sarlkosy knows all of this and he has waited... and waited... and waited... for US to do SOMETHING... even if it's wrong.
But we did what the terrorist elements expected... because they can read our leadership like a book.
Martin, history has shown it's much easier to stop a train at the station then it is once it starts moving. And we can get on THIS train... or we WILL get run over by it.
"Police the world?" Don't know about that. Act in our best interests?
No question about it.
Since you asked.
I don't trust my own ability to predict the future, and I certainly won't accept anyone else's. Events are random, history is haphazard, "preemptive strikes" are the worst kind of hubris.
I know where you're coming from though - there is a fine line between subtle, strategic manipulation and bombing the hell out of them.
"With the single exception of marriage, doing something is always preferable to doing nothing, even if it's wrong."
If Obama is doing nothing and saying less... then the vacuum expands... it grows... and it becomes even more dangerous.
Whatever subtlety or manipulation he is engaging in... if any... cannot be invisible. We must stand for SOMETHING... or in the eyes of the world, they have lost what was left of any reason to be remotely concerned about what we want... and what we're willing to do to get that.
We have the chance to make a difference and work to weaken the opposition... the Taliban and Al Qaida and Iran... all of whom scoff at our notions of democracy... and with good reason.
And people WILL die as a result of it... blood on our hands that could have been avoided... with a word, an act, a deed.
Instead, we're as absolutely paralyzed now as we seemed to be during the Iranian protests, where Obama was far too busy playing golf then he was to say what needed to be said, do what needed... and still needs... to be done.
And Americans have died because of it.
All I can say is that we differ in this respect on our views of foreign policy, but I accept your logic given your predisposition.
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