The end of the world takes second place to a photo-opportunity for President Obama

Jason from AZ

I predict that the failings of Jimmy Carter in the foreign relation arena will be miniscule compared to that of Obama by the time his term of office concludes.

Folks, it is shaping up to look like we have a new title holder of "worst President in the history of the US." But the problem is made worse by the fact that the electorate is so polarized, and I don't see a strong leader replacing Obama who is up to task of combating the new "Evil Empire."

Martin Meenagh

You missed Chavez's call the other day for a new 'Union of Republics' with Belarus. When the USSR and the United Arab Republic are your models, how can people not see what is going on? Chavez wants weapons, expertise and markets, and he has oil and commodities. Le Monde and the Star in Lebanon both had pieces about it yesterday, which I linked to on my blog.

By the same token though, America can't afford any more actions anywhere, and the debt is owned by allies of the putative Union, if not members. What can Obama do?

Derek

To the line-up against us (the USA and western Europe) should be added the so-called Shanghai Cooperation Organization. This comprises China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. India and Mongolia have observer status, as do shady characters such as Iran and Pakistan.

Wikipedia notes "Although the declaration on the establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation contained a statement that it "is not an alliance directed against other states and regions and it adheres to the principle of openness", many observers believe that one of the original purposes of the SCO was to serve as a counterbalance to NATO and the United States and in particular to avoid conflicts that would allow the United States to intervene in areas bordering both Russia and China. And although not a member state, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has used his speeches at the SCO to make verbal attacks against the United States.

The United States applied for observer status in the SCO, but was rejected in 2005."

Something evil this way comes...

Malfleur

What can Obama do? asks
Martin Meenagh. And yet nobody gives even discussion time to my proposal to begin to counter this threat with the annexation of the Libyan interior with its 40 odd billion barrels of oil and the turning over of the coastal region (population about 5 million) to an heir of King Idris who was overthrown by Gaddaffi and the setting up under a constitutional monarchy of Libya as a client state of the UK -or the EU or NATO or even of the USA as its 51st state if you must - whose prosperity would be guaranteed out of oil revenues and which would be open to refugees from the camps in Arab-controlled Palestine in which they are presently concentrated.

This action would pay for itself.

Verity

Malfleur - OK, I agree with you. I believe Sarah Palin would be bold enough to do it, but the time gap is too long.

Jason from Arizona, yes, Obama is going to make Jimmy Carter look like Machiavelli.

Sean

Personally I admired Obama's message to the kids and I support his healthcare 'revolution'. Domestically he is OK, but - Jeepers cocking creepers - his international views are EVIL with a capital EVIL and will destroy his chance of a 2nd term...

Marcus

Probably because it's deranged, Malfleur

Marc

Obama is a typical liberal who is,in the words of R.Frost " someone who will not take their own side in a quarrel" Its some kind of yet unnamed illness,somewhere between suicidal and helpless idiot

An American

I find it so incredibly ridiculous that many American politicans hold out hope that we can contain Iran's nuclear bombs by imposing sanctions...notably gasoline.

Well, Iran has taken care of their lack of gasoline refineries and has now made a deal with Chavez for his gasoline...most likely from refineries stolen for US companies. Is the trade-off nuclear bombs? Won't it be nice to have these bombs in the hands of Hugo Chavez in our western hemisphere.

Obama will be the death of us...literally.

An American

Sean,

You must not be an American...Obama is destroying the US from within. He is destroying our economy with his stimulus spending, our healthcare, pushing for yet more trillions of spending on Cap and Trade while ignoring our collapsing Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid... He is hurting our country's race relations...anyone against his far-left agenda is pronounced to be bigots by his cronies...his next step will be to destoy the free speech of our conservative radio stations and Fox, etc. Eliminate all opposition like his buddy Hugo Chavez.

Obama is destroying the most powerful country in the world...but as long as he gets his far-left liberal agenda in place, he frankly doesn't care. A weakened country is all the more easily to take over completely...why not President for life.

Obama's horrid handling of world issues is nothing compared to what he is wreaking on America.

Terry, Eilat - Israel

Quote: ''We know that Obama does not particularly like America ..."
I think that quote perfectly answers any questions about Obama's policies.
Many would like to take comfort in believing that Obama is naive & gullible but you don't become president of the U.S. by being naive & gullible. While he may be a narcissist, intellectually dishonest, & a very shallow thinker, his basic world-view is anti-American, not uncommon in a left-wing ideologue.

rachel carney

Melanie understands President PhotoOp Teleprompter better than Americans do. Well...seeing that his poll numbers are tanking here, seems most of us are finally waking up to reality. He's a used car salesman...all style and NO SUBSTANCE.

PauL

Have to agree there with An American. Obama has an army of liars on the ground whose purpose is to besmirch decent opposition.

I used to think that he was just a useless idealist who could ultimately be constrained by the American tradition. But now I think he is the Anti-Christ.

Miranda Rose Smith

G-d forgive me, but I take considerable comfort from the thought of all those left-liberal suckers for Arab propaganda about the oppressed and displaced Palestinians, the same Palestinians the Arab states have refused, for 61 years, to take in, even though the Palestinians are their fellow Arabs, all those people who want to see Israel and the United States helpless and defeated, living in a world (G-d forbid) with no United States and no Israel, the Iranian thumb constantly on their windpipe!

Wm. Hazlitt

Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you. Just because you are a conspiracy theorist doesn't mean there is no conspiracy. Here is one of global reach. But who is pulling the levers? Is it the Palestinians, or the Islamists, or the Communists, or the Greens? Let them know: if they start a global conflict, it is they who will be annihilated...oops...

Ronnie

Miranda.

Surely you mean jackboot, thumb is far from dramatic enough.

Susan Hill

And people worry about 'global warming.'

Malfleur

Marcus. I did respond to you, but my post has not appeared.

Austin Barry

Early next year, perhaps sooner, Obama is going to have deal with an invitable Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. How this preening, swaggering, empty suit of sneering self-regard reacts to this event will determine his presidency. It is a challenge I expect him to fail. I hope I am wrong.

Augustus

There has never been any other president, Bush, or the 42 before him, who had anywhere near as many 'advisors', who answer to no one but the President and not the people. Russia in its entire history did not have 33 Czars. This is usurping the Constitution and centralizing power to his branch of government.

Simon

"We know that Obama does not particularly like America". Are we supposed to take this comment seriously?

Augustus

"O ye that love mankind! Ye that dare oppose, not only the tyranny, but the tyrant, stand forth! Every spot of the old world is overrun with oppression. Freedom hath been hunted round the globe. Asia and Africa have long expelled her. Europe regards her like a stranger, and England hath given her warning to depart. O!
Receive the fugitive, and prepare in time an asylum for mankind."
- Thomas Paine (1776)

Fulanito

"We know that Obama does not particularly like America ..."

Because he disagree with Michael Ledeen? Well I have news for all you warmongers - the times they are a changin' and you'd better get used to it PDQ. America will not be calling the shots for much longer. So you can gnash your teeth and call everyone you disagree with liberal, left-wing or communist or you can accept the reality of American and Israeli unexceptionalism.

You don't believe me? You can't even defeat the Taliban.

What a pack of losers.

Miranda Rose Smith

Dear Ronnie: A thumb fits better over a windpipe and jackboots were already worn out in George Orwell's day, may he rest in peace.

Ronnie

Miranda, you are scaring me now.

benjamin

To get back to Melanie's article, she seems to agree with Michael Ledeen that the "free world" is under threat from various alliances between "non-free" world powers. I think that what we are seeing is normal international political activity - groups of countries with common interests, enemies getting together more or less loosely to defend themselves or push their agendas. Does every country have to subscribe to the Euro-American model?
Are we meant to be worried about Nicuarau having meetings with Cuba? Nicuaragua is a tiny, insignificant country in terms of world politics (sorry if that insults anybody). Big powers like US , euro , China and Russia are battling (diplomatically, economically) for influence and access to raw materials all over the world. Its called GEOPOLITICS. Americo-Euro don't have a monopoly anymore. Its the way it is. What puzzles me is how Melanie and people like Ledeen dress all of this normal human activity up in a great war between good and evil.
PS Just checked up on Michael Ledeen in Wikipedia - seems to be quite a sinister character.

Ronnie

Benjamin.

You seem much too rational for this blog.

Chris Charlton

You people are delusional

Lugger

I'm afraid that most of you can be misinformed about what's going on in S.America. Hugo Chavez isn't an idiot (period!)His intentions are clear like glass. He's just a member of Foro de São Paulo(Saint Paul's Forum) founded by the actual brazilian president and Castro. Their main goal is to create a Union of Socialists Countries in South America. For god's sake! Chavez will probably have a bomb in ten years.