Obama's on-the-job apprenticeship...

Submitted by Michel C Zala (Switzerland), May 23, 2011 at 11:49

...May well prove to be especially disastrous in the middle-eastern arena.

While he blabbers about pulling out all troops from Iraq, I can only hope that at least some experienced staffers in his circle will be able to infuence him to maintain a solid presence (bases) in this country, in order to deter the Iranians to do exactly what is currently happening in Pakistan.

If the US pulls out completely ( and Obama's rhetoric does sound very much like it), Iraq will be as destabilized, as Pakistan is in the process. Very much playing into the hands of the islamists in Iran who already consider Iraq as a future satrap. It does not take a nuclear scientiest ( No Freudian slip at all) to ascertain Iran's hegemonial regional strategy to embed a block from Turkey to Syria, Lebanon to Saudi Arabia plus the Gulf states into one Islamist area with the mullahs guiding and controlling the assets.

Obama's approach with regard to the Arab awakening is haphazard and helpless, if not confused. He missed a chance to take a stance in a low risk conflict (Libya) to change perceptions and no beautifully crafted rhetoric can salvage that miss. Signs of support for the US on Aljazeera TV after all, are now disappearing fast again and disppointment combined with the old resentments is setting in again.

His confusion also showed with Syria and Yemen - late lipservice and words, but almost no tangibles.

Now with his latest speech regarding Israel he pretty much alienated both sides of the issue. Very well aware of the strategic facts on the ground, he talks about the 67 lines, neglecting the simple fact that those borders are indefensible. While his latest engagement in Libya demonstrated, how long and tardy any military reaction by the US in fact is, he expects from the Israeli who have been assaulted 3 times with surprise attacks, to make a bold move and simply accept his declaration for the safety of Israel and pull back to those indefensible lines. How can he even assume that they would be thus suicidal to believe the words of such a weak US president? How can e expect from the ISRs to make any concessions, before not all the parties involved recognize Israels right to exist?

Let us assume for a second, just as an argument, that HAmas, Iran, Hezbollah and all the fanatic Islamists would recognize ISR as a rightful state. There is still the question of Jerusalem and the holy sites in close proximity to one another, where absolutely no compromise is possible. As long as that question remains unresolved, any discussion about the outer border and/or a Palestinian state are utterly futile.

There is only one bold move here. One state of Israel with a fully equal minority of Palestinians living side by side with Jews as Citizens of Israel. It is the only solution to an otherwise impossible dilemma. But of course the hardliners on all sides would never agree to this one solution, which does work in otther nations where people of various belief systems live together peacefully. In the end, politically incorrect, allow me to state that in fact there is no historical people of Palestinians, whereas the Jews can draw historical legitimacy down in history to King David's Jerusalem, some 12000 years ago. The indigenous nomads from todays Turkey, Jordan and Egypt came so much later and the Name, Palestinians, is anyway nothing but a smart PR construct of Arafat.

Let us be frank and pargamtic here. The state of Palestine in its proposed and discussed borders and enclaves is a non-viable hotch potch construct of territory which could ever survive as a prosperous state. This is why the silently understand it as a stepping stone, which in turn produces ISR obstruction. One nation however with a people comprised of muslims and Jews would be a viable solution to this age old conflict. In switzerland French, Italian and German cultures live perfectly together. A lot of minorities feel well represented in parliament and not at all suppressed. Even South Africa, a nation of slaves and white upper class was able to make the transition. And there the gap between peoples who do not even look the same was bridged successfully.

Sadly nobody has the courage to speak out in this regard. Obama, who actually should see the reason for this approach, the least. They all still conduct themselves, as if a Palestinian state would be the end of all challenges and neglect to see that such a state would only be a new beginning for an even more nasty conflict, as any 2state solution will unquestionably fail with the Jerusalem question.

So, in conclusion, Obama meddles helplessly in the middle east, thereby aggravating the conditions instead of speaking out clearly with a solid and feasible plan. If one has nothing to contribute, stay silent at least.

In that regard the Russians and Chinese have behaved much more maturely. They recognize the quagmire and kept silent, whereas Obama stumbled from one gaffe to another, at al times trying desperately (as with his domestic policies) to do right by all parties concerned, which is again an impossible mission in itself.

I believe that he meant well. Domstically as well as with his foreign policies. The problem is, that the presidency of the United >States is unfortunately not an on the job training, but would have required a ton of experience and expertise, leadership qualities and character. All domains we knew all along that he did not have the corresponding resume. This naive newcomer to the job at hand is simply way in over his head. Lack of tangible skills required for this job combined with some form of utopian vision and ideology has taken the US to the brink of the abyss.

Yes indeed - we must correct this error in 2012 and I can only pray that the one strong, outspoken and true leader - diammetrally opposite from the slim, elegant rockstar Obama, Governor Christie will hear the call of the American People and run for President. We need straight talk, a clear vision and the corresponding leadership to get us out from this mess.

To use an analogy- we currently need a man to steer the truck and not just a person behind the wheel of a truck running wild.

Dear Mr. Christie, please hear us all, not just the people of New Jersey. The whole country needs you now, as we can not afford yet another 4 years of confusion and nice speeches.

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