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The Litany of Misdirected, Gutless Presidents

Reader comment on item: Obama's Diplomatic Acrobatics

Submitted by Mark Werfel (United States), Sep 13, 2013 at 23:33

My educated view (I am an Air War College graduate -- '85) is that the essential enemy has not been identified, while the threat that you describe in one aspect actually has many aspects that precede 44 -- 43, 42, 41, 40 (back to Nixon, or to Eisenhower) all of whom did or should have seen the threat of oil-based wealth flowing to the underbalanced and overzealous OPEC states. Yeah, they bought our military hardware(probably why we let it happen); but they cost our lives and treasure. Once upon a time, we took on pirates, and refused tribute -- instead imposing our military power and QUICKLY winning. When I get to Heaven, I'm buying Stephen Decatur a drink (grog).

Simply, Fundamentalist Islam means to, as they actually say, destroy what they see as the Great Satan (the USA) and the little satan (Israel). So they are the enemy because of this purpose of theirs, which is clear.

Also simply, they attacked us (both of us) for decades.

So they bring war, in military ways (terrorism is what we called low intensity conflict, which we expected in the mid-80's when I went to school. We cited the enemy will form as stateless persons to avoid our retaliation against the true sponsors).

We have not identified the enemy (step 1), nor have we applied military (or other) power against them. Until we have a strategy that leads to success, we will lose. Sun Tsu: Know the enemy (and know yourself). We see our enemies as friends, and can't apply national power in any regard to this fight -- because we do not yet have the will or leadership to form that will.

The USA seems unable to learn from Israel, or has not as yet.
To teach, one must make the lesson plan objectives and the lecture absolutely clear, so the students can learn, even when they don't want to.

We await the final exam.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (38) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
This is a completion to a submission that somehow got away from me, and an attempt to explain that [445 words]Ron ThompsonSep 14, 2013 23:10209752
Response to Ron Thompson [377 words]AKdocSep 23, 2013 10:19209752
reply to AKDoc [544 words]Ron ThompsonSep 25, 2013 21:56209752
Obama's Incompetency in Executing Sound Foreign Policy [154 words]RexSep 14, 2013 15:31209743
Obama is the best [8 words]shanSep 14, 2013 08:15209737
The Litany of Misdirected, Gutless Presidents [323 words]Mark WerfelSep 13, 2013 23:33209730
1Disastrous policies, neutral outcomes [248 words]Dan SimonSep 13, 2013 16:37209724
Cruel (and revealing) pix [4 words]FFSSep 13, 2013 01:05209681
Too bad Eugene Rostow is no longer around to advise. [266 words]Wallace Edward BrandSep 12, 2013 22:56209678
1What a disaster [73 words]dhimmi no moreSep 12, 2013 19:27209672
2Reasons to support Syrian rebels [432 words]PrashantSep 13, 2013 06:52209672
Another candidate for "worst'? [101 words]Ron ThompsonSep 14, 2013 22:25209672
Bush and history [20 words]dhimmi no moreSep 18, 2013 07:35209672
1Capturing the Essentials of Failure [247 words]Bill PaxtonSep 12, 2013 14:53209670
Moving on [56 words]David W. LincolnSep 12, 2013 13:31209669
Never before... [17 words]james sorianoSep 12, 2013 13:24209668
1Very strict critics [348 words]AlexandrosSep 12, 2013 11:45209667
how about the Saudis or Turkey taking care of Syria? [373 words]lippySep 12, 2013 10:17209665
Diplomatic Acrobatics [372 words]StephenSep 12, 2013 04:52209661
Election reform idea to minimize the impact of failing administrations [116 words]PezDispenserSep 12, 2013 04:47209660
6President Obama and Syria [216 words]Ilbert A. PhillipsSep 12, 2013 03:02209659
Epic Failure [91 words]TomSep 16, 2013 10:30209659
Obama's Diplomatic Acrobatics [15 words]steven LSep 11, 2013 23:46209656
1The True Apology To The World [192 words]Mike RamirezSep 11, 2013 23:08209651
Re: Obama's Diplomatic Acrobatics [27 words]Rich McMahonSep 11, 2013 22:20209650
3Fall of Rome [144 words]jamesSep 11, 2013 21:38209648
1.. and its modern-day empire [134 words]Brigitte in ParisSep 22, 2013 07:47209648
1No, it isn't just Obama [159 words]SoloviewSep 11, 2013 21:27209647
Comment for Geekmom [172 words]CassandraSep 14, 2013 06:51209647
WHAT TO SAY ? [17 words]Susan KSep 11, 2013 21:21209646
end game for Obama's style of peace making, [320 words]rodney allsworthSep 11, 2013 20:13209645
1Still better then Bush [71 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
BillSep 11, 2013 19:15209643
Really Bill? No one wanted the Iraq war? Looks like at least 72% of the people did. [21 words]geekmomSep 13, 2013 16:45209643
not true that 72% "wanted" war [105 words]Ron ThompsonSep 14, 2013 23:22209643
crowds [62 words]Gunther H. SciffSep 11, 2013 18:44209641
YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW [99 words]JACQUES HADIDASep 11, 2013 18:38209640
Image Caption [17 words]Mike RuebnerSep 11, 2013 18:12209639
He is the Emperor with no clothes [7 words]Robin RosenblattSep 11, 2013 18:12209638

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