Obama's Foreign Policy Collapse

    Nothing is more central to the Obama foreign policy than his outreach to the Muslim world as reflected in his June 2009 Cairo speech. As is often the case, the speech was soaring. It reflected a great sensitivity to Muslim religion, culture, and history. It also leaned forward in criticizing the Bush policies - interrogation, Guantanamo, Iraq, Afghanistan. At various points it criticized Germany (the Holocaust), Spain (the Inquisition), and Israel (West Bank settlements). What it did not do was mention the positives of America's relation with the Muslim world - for example, it rightly praised Al Azhar and the University of Cairo, but made no mention of the prominent American University in Cairo. It did not offer concrete assistance, set goals or challenge the Muslim leadership.

    So, three years later what do we know?

`1. Our friends cannot depend on our support.

    -  In Egypt we have abandoned not only Hosni Mubarak, but also the moderates as reflected in the military, the tourist industry, and the Coptic Christisan community.  Obama doesn't know if Egypt - the most important state in the Arab world - is an ally.

    -  In Israel there is a break with the leadership, with Obama refusing to meet with Premier Netanyahu. All options for stopping Iran's march to nuclear weapons are on the table - where they will remain.

    -  Obama was silent while the Iranians put down pro-democracy demonstrators in 2009.

    -  He is again silent in 2012 when the Iranian-backed president of Syria slaughters 20,000 civilians seeking his removal.

    - Allies such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates can only wonder what awaits them.  

    2. Our enemies see us in withdrawal and sense that they can attack with impunity.

    -  In Afghanistan the resurgent Taliban are conducting more brazen attacks on our troops who are hanging on until 2014. President Karzai is taking an increasingly independent posture, recognizing that his future does not rest with the United States.

    -  The United Nations Secretary General attends a Non-aligned Conference of 120 nations in Iran whose final statement supported Iran's right to a nuclear program and opposed any sanctions.

    -  Anti-American demonstrators, with Al Queda influence, are free to attack embassies, consulates, schools, and businesses with little consequence.

   3. It is, of course, somebody else's fault.

    -  The animosity between the Muslim world and the West built up over centuries and cannot be solved in one term. With Obama's background, he is the best hope.  But for some reason the Pew attitude surveys of Middle Eastern countries show a decline in positives for the United States since 2008 in every case.

    -   The attack on the Benghazi consulate was spontaneous and not anti-American or against Obama's policies, although the (politically incorrect) Libyan president, the 9/11 timing, and the weapons and tactics of the attackers all indicate that it was. The State Department investigation will probably be available about November 7.

    -  The attention should be on Mitt Romney for criticizing the Cairo embassy's apologetic message which was later disavowed by the State Department and the White House.

    The Obama administration's response to events across the Middle East is similar to its response to the domestic economy - passive, ineffectual, and blame shifting.  The quandry for the Romney campaign - how much time to spend discussing Obama's foreign policy failures when the public wants to hear specifically what he will do to fix the economy. Perhaps things will get so bad that even CNN and the networks  will have to set the record straight on the collapse of Obama's foreign policy. Good luck with that!

                                                                -----

   This week's video is of UN Ambassador Susan Rice doubling down on the administration's position that the rash of violent demonstrations from Morocco to Jakarta had nothing to do with anti-Americanism or the Obama administration's policies.

bill bowen - 9/21/12 

Comments

[hire car]

You honestly outdid yourself with this. I'm impressed

[Bill McCormick]

RE ELECTION? I may be wrong but I see no way for this guy to be re elected no matter what the polls say. 3 hours agao I posted this on NBC and here are the results:

The empty chair has a plan? Re election is his plan. GDP growth revised to 1.3% and going backwards. This is slow progress?

Agree 39 Disagree 5

Somewhere there is a disconnect between the polls and the guy on the street.

[Bill McCormick]

BAIN INVESTORS REVEALED: Yesterday it was revealed that not only do many OBAMA donors invest heavily in BAIN Capital but so do the pension funds of many of the public Unions of teachers, firefighters,police etc. So, while they all want to listen silently as Obama and Biden blast away at Romney's evil capitalistic venture capital fund they have no problem using it to secure their wealth and future retirement. Such are the hypocrites of the left. All of the so called "social justice" entities found to be investors in Bain are now listed in the newspaper.

STUDENT LOANS: This month student loans reached an all time high. Nearly 28% of ALL American households now owe the government for their tudent loans. Remember at the convention how Obama crowed about how he "fixed" the student loan system? I think our ex students now owe the Federal Government more than 2 Trillion dollars. If a college education makes American workers more productive and valuable then why can't they pay their bills?

HOUSING MARKET: All this hype about the resurgent housing market--is it real? Foreclosures still number in the millions. Interest rates are still at record lows. Sales increases and price increases can be measured in single digits on a base of about 20% of the 2008 sales and value figures. 2 or 3% of 20% is less than 1% of the 2008 figures.

FOREIGN POLICY: ASSAD still rules and kills. Egypt slowly turns toward the radical side. Libya fails to protect our people who are tortured,raped and slaughtered. Iranian leadership lectures us. Afghanistan clearly reveals itself finally as another Vietnnam and the President suspends joint conbat operations. More allies leave.Our President refuses to meet with the leader of Isreal and the leader of Germany visiting here.Meanwhile with the weight of saving Europe on their backs Germany goes it alone. What foreign policy?

[DickG]

NO 'SIMPSON- BOLLES',RENIG ON 'GRAND BARGAIN', Nov 2010 -2011;Richard Miniter ('Leading From Behind') suggests that following the terrifying 2010 Election; Dem Caucuses (elected because of their spending talents)insist on NO SPENDING CUTS. New president (President Reid ?) reverses the DEAL with Boener. This also 'begs' the question; what is Obama's hidden AGENDA and what is he up to with all of this 'sparetime' ?

[DickG]

WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD THEY CHOOSE THIS GUY ;was explained this week-end on CSPAN (Book)by Richard Miniter (a 'Times'-defector, author),author of 'Leading From Behind'. The 'show'at the White House is revealed. Obama may have been President in name only. "The first two years it seems, we were served by de facto President Pelosi". A surrogate to the Presidency, a new scheme.

[flyoverstate]

Great blog and Dick, I do like your thoughts.

[DickG]

"THE WHITES OF THEIR EYES";is what I believe most Romney supporters
fail to 'factor in' at this point. If you recall, a couple of months leading up to the Conventions; Romney commented about one possible option to 'boost' economic confidence. The suggestion was instantly copyrighted by Valerie Jarret. In fact the interviewer light-heartedly suggested she simply hire Romney and her problems would be solved (odly enough, the Administration had sought help from Bain people in the past).
The Campaign is hesitant to 'unload' prior to the all important DEBATES. I believe that had Romney laid it all out too early , the Press would have defused and mis- represented the facts; there- fore 'dilluting'the effectiveness of it all. Unfortunately,tactics in such an environment must be carefully calculated.