He came into office, full of idealism and hope for a more peaceful and better world. He gave a rousing speech in Cairo, which the Muslim world took as a new day for American foreign policy. The hope and idealism have been relpaced by calculating and cynical decisions, no different from past prsidents. In the case of Bush, you can say that he was overwhelmed and out of depth, putty in the hands of Chaney and Rumsfeld, with the unctuous Blair whispering in his ears. Obama voted against the Iraq war and campaigned for change...respect for international law and no nation-building. How things have changed.
Truth is elastic in diplomact/politics,and it has been stretched and convoluted to suit policy. Sometimes,however you can be caught in the web you spin, as Obama was, when he said in Chile that the UN res.1973 will be respected i.e. it does nat call for the removal of Gadhafi, but, in the next breath he revealed his true position, "Gadhafi must go".
What is happening in Libya is a travesty. Yes, Gadhafi is a brutal autocrat, and so he is targeted. Will Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Bahrain, and others be similiarly treated. No, No,.....Saudi Arabia will keep the pumping, Yemen is an ally fighting al Qaeda and Bahrain is the base for the US Fifth Fleet. They can help each other kill and repress their citizens ( Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar have sent troops to help the ruler of Bahrain). No democracy for them, because they jeopardise American interests. What hypocrisy. But let's not be naive. This how things are done...Countries do not have freinds, they only have interests.
So what now? Libya will be a problem for years (the "no-fly zone in Iraq lasted for 12 years). It will be split between the East/Benghazi ad the West/Tripoli and the civil war will allow al Qaeda to be more firmly implanted in the East, where it gas been a presence for a while. Yemen already is a "failed state" with wars in the North and the South and a strong al qaeda presence . The Shia populations in all these places will more and more turn to Iran. Saudi Arabia will continue to pump oil and export Wahabism. In the end Iran will emerge as the only winner, if it can be called that
Obama will more and more do wht is necessary ti win the next election. More drone attacks in Pakistan/Afghanistan. More willingness to use the military option and more "soothing" rhetoric about "hope and change". To quote Zeno of Elea..."Politicians are niot born, they are excreted"
Truth is elastic in diplomact/politics,and it has been stretched and convoluted to suit policy. Sometimes,however you can be caught in the web you spin, as Obama was, when he said in Chile that the UN res.1973 will be respected i.e. it does nat call for the removal of Gadhafi, but, in the next breath he revealed his true position, "Gadhafi must go".
What is happening in Libya is a travesty. Yes, Gadhafi is a brutal autocrat, and so he is targeted. Will Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Bahrain, and others be similiarly treated. No, No,.....Saudi Arabia will keep the pumping, Yemen is an ally fighting al Qaeda and Bahrain is the base for the US Fifth Fleet. They can help each other kill and repress their citizens ( Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar have sent troops to help the ruler of Bahrain). No democracy for them, because they jeopardise American interests. What hypocrisy. But let's not be naive. This how things are done...Countries do not have freinds, they only have interests.
So what now? Libya will be a problem for years (the "no-fly zone in Iraq lasted for 12 years). It will be split between the East/Benghazi ad the West/Tripoli and the civil war will allow al Qaeda to be more firmly implanted in the East, where it gas been a presence for a while. Yemen already is a "failed state" with wars in the North and the South and a strong al qaeda presence . The Shia populations in all these places will more and more turn to Iran. Saudi Arabia will continue to pump oil and export Wahabism. In the end Iran will emerge as the only winner, if it can be called that
Obama will more and more do wht is necessary ti win the next election. More drone attacks in Pakistan/Afghanistan. More willingness to use the military option and more "soothing" rhetoric about "hope and change". To quote Zeno of Elea..."Politicians are niot born, they are excreted"
