The Squeaky Wheel Syndome (Michael Rubin)

Commentary Mag. ^ | 4-11-11 | Michael Rubin

[nuconvert]

Can President Obama, Vice President Biden, or Secretary of State Clinton walk and chew gum at the same time? Evidently not. Perhaps Obama can take the 3:00 a.m. phone call, but alas he and his team are ill-prepared to take that, and the 3:10 a.m. and the 3:15 a.m. phone calls together.

What is going on in the Middle East is truly incredible. A Tunisian fruit vendor’s self-immolation leads to the fall of the Tunisian dictator—truly a noxious character albeit a secular one—followed in short order by Hosni Mubarak, an ally in name only. Now, Yemeni dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh is hanging by a thread, NATO forces are half-heartedly trying to undermine Qaddafi’s hold on Libya, and trouble has started in Syria. In all these cases, the Obama administration has been behind the curve. Obama’s foreign policy style is akin to a gambler at a blackjack table who wants to sit at the table, but place his bets only after the dealer has laid out the cards.

In all these crises, President Obama has only reacted after violence has occurred. What message does this send to dissidents and those peacefully seeking reform?

It seems, alas, that only the squeaky wheels get the grease. Demonstrators must use bombs and bullets if they want to be heard. That is not a message Washington should send.

In Iraqi Kurdistan, protesters have been out in the street for more than 50 days protesting peacefully against corruption, nepotism, and the lack of democracy. Even though the demonstrations have been peaceful—some rock-throwing aside–Masud Barzani and Jalal Talabani’s militias have opened fire on crowds, killing at least eight. Journalists have been leading the charge, and a number have been arrested, beaten, or shot. And yet, through it all, the Obama administration has been largely silent

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks nuconvert.

Can President Obama, Vice President Biden, or Secretary of State Clinton walk and chew gum at the same time? Evidently not... A Tunisian fruit vendor's self-immolation leads to the fall of the Tunisian dictator -- truly a noxious character albeit a secular one -- followed in short order by Hosni Mubarak... Yemeni dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh is hanging by a thread, NATO forces are half-heartedly trying to undermine Qaddafi's hold on Libya, and trouble has started in Syria... In Iraqi Kurdistan, protesters have been out in the street for more than 50 days protesting peacefully against corruption, nepotism, and the lack of democracy... Masud Barzani and Jalal Talabani's militias have opened fire on crowds, killing at least eight... And yet, through it all, the Obama administration has been largely silent

The Sock Puppet does what he's told.

[Sun]

Countdown until Obama leaves Office
642 Days, 15 Hours.

[Impy]

I bet he takes 3:AM calls from Hugo Chavez wanting to have phone *** with him.

Excuse me that was inappropriate.