The 70th anniversary of VE day (the Allied victory over the Nazis in WWII), was a good time to take stock of just where the world is these days. Since that day in 1945 when the German forces finally unconditionally surrendered, the world's greatest power has been the USA. There were decades of the Cold War, alliances with all manner of nations, a series of opponents ranging from the Communists to the Islamic terrorists, but through it all, America was the most important power in the world. Now, however, it seems that in just a few years, president Obama has managed to change our position. Many long time allies no longer look to the USA for leadership; they know that they will not find any in that search.
There is perhaps no better example of America's fall from leadership today than the recent events in the Middle East. Just this week, there is to be a summit meeting at Camp David called by Obama to reassure our Sunni allies across that region. The problem, of course, is that many of those allies have decided not to attend. More precisely, these allies are sending lower level officials to met with the president of the United States. The king of Saudi Arabia has decided to stay home because (or so the announcement said) there is to be a "humanitarian cease fire" in Yemen. Really? The king has to be in Saudi Arabia because there won't be shooting in Yemen? This lame excuse is actually a diplomatic slap in the face for Obama. Once the Saudi king said he wasn't coming, the emir of Bahrain made a similar announcement. His excuse was no more convincing than that of the Saudi king. The whole summit is falling apart. It is hard to reassure the leaders of our Middle Eastern allies when those leaders won't even come to the meeting.
Earlier this year, the Saudis started air attacks on the Houthi rebels in Yemen, the group that is backed by the Iranians. The Saudis took that step without first consulting or even telling the USA. That is something that would never have happened before the age of Obama. The Saudis did not want to hear the USA pressure them not to attack. The Saudis did not want to find that America had warned the Iranians that the air attacks were coming. The Saudis pointedly ignored the USA.
Then there was the attacks on ISIS in Libya by Egyptian and UAE planes. That was another move that was taken without telling the USA in advance. To hear Obama, the USA is leading a huge coalition of nations against ISIS. The reality, however, is that many of the most important nations act against ISIS without even involving America.
When president Obama took office, the three most important America allies in the Middle East were Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Israel. Obama has managed the hat trick of damaging or even destroying US relations with each of these nations. In their place, Obama has tried to get closer to Iran. Of course, the Ayatollah who rules in Teheran still chants "death to America" at his Friday sermons.
There are still twenty months left while Obama is president. Let's hope America's interests in the Middle East are not destroyed by the time he leaves office.
There is perhaps no better example of America's fall from leadership today than the recent events in the Middle East. Just this week, there is to be a summit meeting at Camp David called by Obama to reassure our Sunni allies across that region. The problem, of course, is that many of those allies have decided not to attend. More precisely, these allies are sending lower level officials to met with the president of the United States. The king of Saudi Arabia has decided to stay home because (or so the announcement said) there is to be a "humanitarian cease fire" in Yemen. Really? The king has to be in Saudi Arabia because there won't be shooting in Yemen? This lame excuse is actually a diplomatic slap in the face for Obama. Once the Saudi king said he wasn't coming, the emir of Bahrain made a similar announcement. His excuse was no more convincing than that of the Saudi king. The whole summit is falling apart. It is hard to reassure the leaders of our Middle Eastern allies when those leaders won't even come to the meeting.
Earlier this year, the Saudis started air attacks on the Houthi rebels in Yemen, the group that is backed by the Iranians. The Saudis took that step without first consulting or even telling the USA. That is something that would never have happened before the age of Obama. The Saudis did not want to hear the USA pressure them not to attack. The Saudis did not want to find that America had warned the Iranians that the air attacks were coming. The Saudis pointedly ignored the USA.
Then there was the attacks on ISIS in Libya by Egyptian and UAE planes. That was another move that was taken without telling the USA in advance. To hear Obama, the USA is leading a huge coalition of nations against ISIS. The reality, however, is that many of the most important nations act against ISIS without even involving America.
When president Obama took office, the three most important America allies in the Middle East were Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Israel. Obama has managed the hat trick of damaging or even destroying US relations with each of these nations. In their place, Obama has tried to get closer to Iran. Of course, the Ayatollah who rules in Teheran still chants "death to America" at his Friday sermons.
There are still twenty months left while Obama is president. Let's hope America's interests in the Middle East are not destroyed by the time he leaves office.
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