Did Obama's initiatives bear fruit? In the case of Iran, its nuclear weapons development program continues unabated. As stated yesterday by the IAEA, no progress has been made in its talks with Iran. Mark Fitzpatrick, a former senior US State Department official and now a director at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, aptly characterized Iran's dealings with the IAEA as a situation "reminiscent of the Peanuts cartoon of Charlie Brown repeatedly believing Lucy this time will hold the football for him to kick, with her always snatching it away at the last minute, leaving him to fall flat" (see: http://news.yahoo.com/iaea-says-no-progress-atom-probe-talks-iran-163504821.html).
Later this month, the P5+1 will again seek concessions from Iranian negotiators in Moscow; however, Tehran is well aware that Obama is not seeking a confrontation prior to November elections. Then, too, allowing the EU's nincompoop foreign policy head, Catherine Ashton, to serve as the P5+1's chief negotiator is nothing short of criminal (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.co.il/2009/12/catherine-ashton-hideous-baroness-of.html).
Regarding Syria, 17 people, including 10 women, were slaughtered yesterday when Assad's forces shelled the town of Deraa (see: http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=273224), consituting the fifth massacre of Syrian civilians over the past two weeks. Obama, however, remains silent with respect on this ongoing carnage so as to avoid complications involving his re-election (see: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/on-foreign-policy-obama-focuses-on-economic-issues-not-on-syrian-turmoil/2012/06/02/gJQAVrSX9U_story.html).
A New York Times editorial, entitled "Assad, the Butcher" (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/09/opinion/bashar-al-assad-the-butcher.html?_r=1&ref=opinion), sought to relieve Obama of responsibility:
"The Obama administration is making more of an effort to try to bring the Russians on board. A senior American official was in Moscow this week."
Great, a senior American official last week asked Moscow to withdraw its support for Assad, but we already know that Russia is ignoring Obama's toothless entreaty. As stated by Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov (http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=273248):
"Our logic is that it is not necessary now to apply additional pressure, to introduce sanctions or use the threat of force."
Putin has come to recognize Obama as a weak sister, particularly given the concessions promised by the American president during his recent discussion with Russian President Medvedev, which was overheard owing to an open microphone (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.co.il/2012/03/obamas-open-mike-chat-with-medvedev-yes.html).
It's ugly and getting uglier with every passing day. Change? Only for the worse.
Of course, Obama is weak and bad. I knew this in 2007 and I valiantly fought idiotic (or was it evil) Obamania on NYT forums and elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteBut then again how could I win when Caroline Kennedy's pre-teen (?!!) children wanted Obama, Obama and Sulzberger delivered. Yes, this is the way to run a country and the world.
Can I curse here?
In foreign policy Obama has rarely missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity, except that it when castigating old allies in tones of self-righteous morality. But when real moral leadership is called for he sticks his head in the 2012 electoral sands.
ReplyDeleteIt's really not surprising that Obama is not leading now. During the Iranian Green revolution, when millions took to the streets, thereby risking their lives, hoping their majority would not be quashed by the mullahs, hoping for change after decades of Shia tyranny, Obama's symphony of silence was all one could hear.
Jeff, in your rush to agree you missed this part: "President Obama’s foreign policy in general has been admirable."
ReplyDelete