Either President Obama is mostly done dealing with the rest of the world, or he needs better speechwriters.
Obama droned through a desultory message of a saccharine enthusiasm for the changes in the world over the past year, applauding what he sees as a new thirst for freedom and dignity in the Arab world while cautioning blandly that “peace is hard.”
It’s as if Obama wants to say a little blessing over the people of the world, thank them for their past and future cooperation, and get back to domestic politics. How fitting that the president held two fundraisers while in New York this week for the UN opening session.
With the world’s future in the balance, this is not the time for platitudes. There is some promise but also great danger in what will come out of the turmoil unleashed this year. History does not suggest that change in the Arab world will lead to pleasant consequences.
While the president did mention that “we will always stand up for the universal rights that were embraced by this Assembly,” he should have warned specifically that we will sternly oppose the rise of Islamism to replace the regimes that have fallen, particularly Egypt.
This was not the time to say, “America does not expect to agree with every party or person who expresses themselves politically.”
And what to make of this?
So let there be no doubt: the tide of war is receding. When I took office, roughly 180,000 Americans were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. By the end of this year, that number will be cut in half, and it will continue to decline. This is critical to the sovereignty of Iraq and Afghanistan, and to the strength of the United States as we build our nation at home.
Is there any potential U.S. foe that would not interpret this as an unequivocal pronouncement that we are reluctant to fight? If withdrawing troops is critical to “the strength of the United States as we build our nation at home,” are we not signaling that we won’t introduce them anywhere else?
Sorry, but it’s still the Bad Old World out there.
North Korea is threatening South Korea, China menacing Taiwan. Iran has a nuclear weapons program that will have to be destroyed by someone, though evidently not us.
Obama instead blathered the usual stale warnings to North Korea and Iran, complete with threats of sanctions they don’t seem to care about. They get that they’re off the hook, that they’ve spun right off the Axis of Evil.
Obama’s statement of support for Israel was encouraging, a vivid assertion of U.S. empathy.
Let’s be honest: Israel is surrounded by neighbors that have waged repeated wars against it. Israel’s citizens have been killed by rockets fired at their houses and suicide bombs on their buses. Israel’s children come of age knowing that throughout the region, other children are taught to hate them. Israel, a small country of less than eight million people, looks out at a world where leaders of much larger nations threaten to wipe it off of the map. The Jewish people carry the burden of centuries of exile, persecution, and the fresh memory of knowing that six million people were killed simply because of who they were.
It’s just that – given Obama’s history of impatience with Israel and support for the Palestinians – it’s really difficult to separate this sudden eloquence from domestic politics.
Obama needs Jewish votes, and it’s hard to imagine Israel won’t be back on the Presidential Shit List once he is reelected.
Obama is done for now making serious moves toward peace between the Arabs and the Palestinians. But this conflict, and the fires raging elsewhere, will not wait for the U.S. campaign season to finish.
26 thoughts on “Obama to World: Leave Me Alone”
Thanks for the report on the speech. Most of us west of the Mississippi were still in bed or getting ready for school or jobs if they gottem at 10am EST.
I guess we didn’t miss much.
MrsO had a fundraiser of her own in NewYork with the hard-left liberal women’s groups.
People in NewYork must have a lot of money to give away.
Yeah, I don’t think the hammer has come down as hard back east.
Actually, I think the world with all its long convoluted history, grudges, languages, clans, cultures, practices, religions, and so on is now boring the president, who once wanted to be head of it.
“Peace is hard”? Well, finally, an honest assessment of it from the left. We know that obtaining a real peace is extremely difficult because it is so extremely rare in human history.
However, in a larger sense, a form peace is pretty easy to get. All that is required is that you submit to the yoke of those who would place it upon you. The French surrendered to Nazi Germany and got peace, in a way.
Very astute piece of analysis Keith. I totally agree with:
“It’s really difficult to separate this sudden eloquence from domestic politics.”
He and his staff are in full campaign mode. As if they ever really came out of it.
Obama UN speech = weak, useless “US Foreign Policy” = where is/why does No One Question “US Sec. of State” Hillary Clinton?
Last time I checked the “US Sec. of State” was the representative of the current President’s “foreign policy”…
Why does NO ONE mention Obama + Hillary Clinton in the same sentence when it comes to “US Foreign Policy”??? (re: Obama has his ‘foregin policy’ & Hillary ‘is off overseas’ and no one in the “media” reports where Hillary is…)
Think Obama may be getting tossed under the bus…the Chicago Way. Hillary is more than likely their backup pitcher so they need to disassociate her from Obama as much as possible. Rush talked about the Chicago editor who pretty much said Obama shouldn’t run. In a follow up interview the editor had nothing but praise for Hillary. Whoever is pulling the strings on Obama thinks Hillary would be a perfectly good replacement for him. My guess is Obama’s narcissism is threatening to destroy their grand plans.
They don’t understand middle America. It isn’t Obama the person we are rejecting, it is the Marxism. Hillary is just another Marxist, only she wears tacky pantsuits.
When you think of Hillary and Obama in the same thought, think George Soros (aka Spooky Dude). He and Clinton are close….and Obama is ruining his plans….under the bus in a heartbeat!
I think if Obama were in the military he would be drummed out for dereliction
of duty! He has not done anything that is in his job as president. Been in
campaign mode since the second day in office. I shutter to think what the
world thinks of this pretender. It certainly sends a message that his mind is
not on America and that makes us weak. They see his attention is not on the
job just 2012!
Barack Hussein Obama ‘hates’ the US Military (re: look at his “background” = college days as a hippie-socialist, so-called ‘political career’…)
“Pres.” Obama HAS NO CLUE or INTEREST in “US Foregin Policy”
All I need to know is in these photos of Obama smiling with world leaders at the UN contrasted with his demeanor with Netanyahu:
http://weaselzippers.us/2011/09/21/compare-and-contrast-2/
First time I haven’t see the cardboard cutout smile. Looks like he’s trying to hide the hand shake under the table too.
Well, that pretty much answers the question of whether or not he was serious in his statement on Israel’s right to exist.
Back in the USA–Moody’s just cut B of A, Citi and Wells’ credit ratings.
The problem of “Obama’s statement of support for Israel” is that so many times Obama has shown where his deeds do not reconcile with his words. Or, stated differently, Obama is a proven pathological liar so whatever he says is completely meaningless.
Thank you for the recap on the speech, Keith. I pressed the mute button about 30 seconds in, and just watched the bouncing head. He probably wants to wash his hands of the mess he has made in international issues so he can concentrate on the mess he has made at home.
Heritage’s Morning Bell outlined all the investigations this administration is undergoing. Funny he never mentions even one of them in any of his speeches. Even Nixon couldn’t avoid answering questions for this long. Of course Nixon didn’t have a sycophant press covering for him either.
http://blog.heritage.org/2011/09/21/morning-bell-the-obama-investigations/
AMEN Susan.
Obama HATES dealing with “real issues”, like ‘US Foreign or US Defense Policy’… (re: Obama HATES a strong-proud US overseas)
If any Jew believes this ahole and votes for him in 2012, they deserve what they get if he is re-elected. The Republicans and the religious right are the ones that truly stand side by side with Israel. Obama will just throw them under the bus again if he gets back in office.
1. Jews WILL vote for Obama in 2012. It’s fashionable to do so and that’s all that matters.
2. RE: O’s troop withdrawal comment. As a metaphor, if you haven’t seen Ortiz try to apologize, appease and hug a Thug Criminal last Sat. night and then get his sucker punched for his kumbaya attempt at “please love me”, you should. It’s the future of our foreign policy in less than 15 sec.
I respectfully disagree–about my fellow Jews, that is. O got something like 80% of the Jewish vote last time. I predict that falls to around 50% this time–and that’s enough to cook his goose in Florida.
I’d love to be wrong.
QUESTION?:
“Who” paid the $1 MILLION to Iran to release those 2 hippie hikers that Iran has been holding?
If? a US entity paid $1 Million to Iran isnt that “US $ supporting a terrorist state” and a gross violation of US law?
Why will NO ONE in the US media report about who is paying this $ 1 MILLION to Iran…???
i think it’s safe to say Obama can forget about his dream of becoming Secretary-General!!!! He’ll be lucky if he can get a job bagging groceries at a super market in Bangladesh! WHAT A LOSER!! He has now lost the Palestineans, LOL! Well, he still has MOO and Granny plus two snot-nosed kids!
oh man…that was really a good thing to say in front of all those UN types. wish I could believe he means it.
what was the crowd reaction?
is it possible that this president might actually be frustrated with the Palestinians himself? and seeing the other side? or am I just completely naive in ignoring “Obama’s Jewish problem” and pretending November 2012 isn’t right around the corner?
Ruth, please read up on Black Liberation Theology and Rev. Wright, Obama’s preacher for 20 years. YOu wil find no love or empathy for Israel there. And please, never ever forget the look of utter disdain Obama stared into Israel’s Prime minister – their president – and the tantrum he had afterward, like a thwarted child when he was refuted for his 1968 borders comment.
Peace is hard? I’d say the first step is a complete overhaul of the UN, something like this…
http://www.UnitedDemocraticNations.org
If we believe in democracy, we need to start walking the walk.
gary
Peace is hard when your way of implementing it is total appeasement. Walking around with a great big stick for those who interrupt your peace, not so much.
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