“Leader” of the Free World

Many people in our country did not and do not like former Pres George W Bush. People can differ on his policies, but you cannot deny he was able to lead not only Congress, but other countries toward his objectives. I sight two approvals from Congress for the use of military force, 8 budgets, and no terrorist attacks after 9/11 as evidence. Our current president does not have that capability. Referring to a previous post on this topic (Leadership—Show some!), I quote; “I have not witnessed in a very long time, a “leader” (in this case the “leader” of the free world, in fact the entire world) that is so inept, feckless and responsibility averse.”

 

Set aside the whether or not decision to attack Syria. Let’s take a minute and look at how completely incapable of actual leadership Pres Obama is on the topic of foreign policy (forget how lame our economy is right now). Upon taking office the first time Pres Obama made this statement: “to all the other peoples and governments, who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born, know that America is a friend of each nation, and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity.  And we are ready to lead once more.”—Yet somehow our most strident ally has determined that our Syrian policy is more than feckless, it is in fact reckless. The British Parliament has voted for the first time since before the War of 1812, not to join us in an attack on a mutual enemy. How can something like this happen? How can our mutual interests be that far apart? It is simple. There isn’t a Pres Obama in Britain. The British Prime Minister is not willing to go to war to save face, make himself feel better, or blind his public to the disaster of their future under his rule. I don’t know what the actual motivation to launch cruise missiles into Syria might be, but I do know it won’t accomplish a damn thing for America.  If it is worth saving the Syrian people, we have more than 120,000 bodies to use for motivation, regardless of chemical weapons use. Obviously the “humanitarian” excuse is as lame as our economy at this point.  Truth be told, our lack of an actual foreign policy is what has led to this square corner for America. The problem with leadership is, it requires vision, work and something more than flowery rhetoric. Unfortunately, Pres Obama’s vision is blinded by his own self-interest and like my father use to say; “his eagle beak has overcome his hummingbird butt”. If you are liberal and can’t figure out that metaphor it’s the same as when your disrespectful mouth got your butt kicked in college.  Let’s see how this plays out, but I bet it will be obvious even to liberals that Pres Obama’s “action” or “inaction” will have no upside for America.  Our credibility was burnt long before the “red line” was crossed.

I am confident the media will completely Whitewater, strike that, whitewash (Freudian slip) the fact that Pres Obama was handed a stable Iraq, momentum in Afghanistan and a muted Middle East coupled with 7 years of a safe homeland. Pres Obama and his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have successfully destroyed our foreign policy.  Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Egypt are fighting civil wars, Afghanistan is on its way, and Russia rightfully thinks we are impotent. China is certainly concerned about how wobbly their huge 401k plan is in America. The irony of, then Sen Clinton slapping, then Sen Obama around about his lack of foreign policy experience in the 2008 presidential campaign makes me laugh out loud. I laugh until I cringe about how badly these two have screwed up our role in the world. I hope I am wrong.

Pres Obama making the statement “we are ready to lead once more”, gave the ignorant American populace the feeling that he would somehow change the injustices in the world. What none of us bargained for was a detached, uninterested narcissist with only one true objective; getting his props.  During the next three years of his rule, listen carefully to his words, more importantly watch his actions. Pres Obama is no different than a football player that finally made it to the NFL and none of us understand why his first round draft pick status led to nothing but failure. The reason behind this type of failure is motivation. Lots of people get to the pinnacle of their career and fall horribly because they don’t realize how hard it is to stay on top. If you want to be a great POTUS, your motivation needs to be what is best for the country, not what is best for your party, your ideology, or your ego.  Pres Obama will be judged harshly by history, because he is in over his head.  Americans take notice because our country’s existence as a superpower may be in jeopardy if Sec Clinton wins the next round.