American Thinker hits it out of the park (again!) with this analysis of Obama’s foreign policy – and surprisingly, offers a bit of relief, as encapsulated in this quote: “During the Soviet Empire the rise of Russia would have been very bad news. Today it might give us breathing space, to fix what is wrong at home.” It’s ass-backwards, like everything else in the Age of Obama, but it’s relief none-the-less. An abbreviated version of the article is below, but if you click here you can enjoy it in its entirety.
August 24, 2013
Dangerous Times: Russia Rising in the Middle East
By James Lewis
Now that America is leading from behind, more serious powers are rushing to fill the vacuum… When America bugs out, what follows is not love and peace – contrary to deeply delusional liberals. What happens is a worldwide scramble for king of the hill. Instability breeds war… Civil war has erupted all over the place – Egypt, Libya, and Syria… And to show his profound concern for all the killing, Obama is sending vacation postcards from Martha’s Vineyard…
The Arabs aren’t smiling. In Egypt, both sides blame Obama. In Libya and Syria, we have alienated both sides, too. Behind the scenes, the Saudis are paying for the Egyptian military to knock down the Muslim Brotherhood, while the oil sheikhs of Qatar are trying to shaft the Saudis… (and) in the absence of American strength and reliability, all the players are turning to Russia…
That doesn’t mean Putin is a nice man, or that Russia isn’t going to pursue greater power. Putin is a Great Russian ruler.China, Europe, and Islam are his biggest historical threats. But in the nuclear age there are threats all around. Putin is therefore looking to take our place as the decisive power in the Middle East… Suppose you are Egypt’s General Sisi, trying to run a nation in chaos. Who do you want to guarantee your safety? A self-loathing, treacherous Obama, or a ruthless but very consistent Putin?
The answer is clear enough…
Obama may yearn to be adored, but Putin wants to be feared and respected. Putin is a man, with masculine values. Obama is not…