In Stockholm, Obama Loses Touch with Reality

[lostinblue 1,989]

In Stockholm, Obama Loses Touch with Reality

Peter Wehner | @Peter_Wehner

Most presidents, having presided over the Syrian debacle, would be chastened. But not the Great and Mighty Obama. He’s decided to begin to rewrite history so that he emerges as the hero.

Consider what Mr. Obama, in Stockholm earlier today, said in response to a question about Syria:

First of all, I didn’t set a red line. The world set a red line. The world set a red line when governments representing 98 percent of the world’s population said the use of chemical weapons are abhorrent and passed a treaty forbidding their use, even when countries are engaged in war. Congress set a red line when it ratified that treaty. Congress set a red line when it indicated that in a piece of legislation entitled the Syria Accountability Act that some of the horrendous things happening on the ground there need to be answered for. So, when I said in a press conference that my calculus about what’s happening in Syria would be altered by the use of chemical weapons, which the overwhelming consensus of humanity says is wrong, that wasn’t something I just kind of made up. I didn’t pluck it out of thin air. There’s a reason for it.

The president added this:

My credibility is not on the line. The international community’s credibility is on the line and America and Congress’s credibility is on the line because we give lip service to the notion that these international norms are important.

So literally everyone else in the world is to blame except the president.

Mr. Obama appears to be suffering from a variation of what psychiatrists refer to as dissociation, which is characterized by everything from mild to severe detachment from reality and one’s immediate surroundings.

In this particular case, the president seems to have dissociative amnesia, apparently having forgotten that a year ago last month he did, in fact, draw a red line. (Note the use of the first-person pronouns by the president — “That would change my calculus. That would change my equation.”) The president may have forgotten, too, that he promised that crossing this red line would be a “game changer” (it was not). That Assad had to go (Assad is still in power, stronger than before). That he promised to arm Syrian rebels (he hasn’t). That his “coalition of the willing” may include, if we’re lucky, one other country besides America. And that on the matter of the Use of Force Resolution he was against going to Congress before he was for going to Congress.

The cause of Mr. Obama’s dissociation appears to be the psychological trauma induced by his multi-year fiasco in Syria. And in order to cope, we are seeing signs of anger, petulance, and hero syndrome and, as is always the case with this president, blame shifting.

On a slightly more serious note, Mr. Obama’s presidency is being wrecked by reality. He’s being exposed at every turn, and in every crisis, as inept. He can’t handle that truth so he’s trying to distort it.

There’s something poignant and painful in watching Obama’s presidency collapse and seeing what it’s doing to the man who promised to repair the world and slow the rise of the oceans.

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/09/04/in-stockholm-barack-obama-loses-touch-with-reality-syri/

[del-2-5-2014 1,339]

You failed to make a lucid argument Sir.

Try again.

[CarlosAndSveta 808]

You failed to make a lucid argument Sir.

Try again.

That is nothing new. The guy should just change his name to "lost".

[lostinblue 1,989]

Theater critic Walter Kerr once wrote this scathing review of an actor: "He has delusions of adequacy."

The Kenyan is coming face to face with his delusions of adequacy.

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

The president added this:

So literally everyone else in the world is to blame except the president.

My credibility is not on the line. The international community’s credibility is on the line and America and Congress’s credibility is on the line because we give lip service to the notion that these international norms are important.

I like that Obama said this.. I think he is 100% spot on... I wish he had gone farther.. something like "We are not going to take action.. Our allies and other countries have decided this is not important and we are not going to take unilateral action in a part of the world where we have no national interest, if in the future our interests become threatened or the international community would like to open a dialog we will of course be ready."

Obama came out and spoke for action soon after this happened and the entire planet left him holding the bag..

Edited September 6, 2013 by OnMyWayID

[himher 634]

Usually when an entire planet leaves someone holding a bag it is because an entire planet does not believe that you have any credibility or ability to lead. Certainly when your fellow Americans and their elected congress join the rest of the planet in doing it that means that your country and your planet have no faith in your ability to lead.

Summary: He is right. His credibility is not on the line. It has evaporated. You cannot assist Iranian backed Shia Muslims one day then turn around and draw a line against Iranian backed Shia Muslims on another day. He has demonstrated that he does not have a clue about regional politics or interests and nobody wants to follow a clueless leader.

[lostinblue 1,989]

Perhaps everyone is still pissed off because of the little spy thing.... Perhaps the kenyan does not have enough dirt on others in order to gain a more advantageous position in the political arena. (like he has in the United States)

You know The Chicago style of managing people and destroying lives.

[Danno 1,228]

If in fact, it is not all about Obama, why does he act as those he is willing to start the war alone?

Why does he proceed down a path that could spin out of control all alone ... if in fact it was the world who drew the line in the sand?

Where was he when Bush acted against another regime who gassed women and children?

I don't know what Obamas game is but I am not buying this charade that he cares so much for the innocent, when he was not for liberating the people of Iraq from the monster Sadam.

At least in the case of Iraq we had a Leader which

invaded another country

failed to abide by the cease fire after that invasion.

Failed to cooperate with UN inspectors.

undeniable gassed the Kurds.

and a host of other acts.

In syria you have a much lesser compelling reason to commit ourselves to war, in fact there are a number of reasons why it will be a huge blunder.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Damn that Kenyan.

[decocker 7,198]

red line? you didn't draw that!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Damn that Kenyan.

I know. How dare he remind the world that it has overwhelmingly said NO to chemical weapons. Everyone was just happy having all forgotten about it.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

ONE IT IS DETERMINED that gas has been used, the next step is to determine "WHO used it.

Obama says he knows who did it.... not sure he has convinced the rest of the world, in fact some outright disagree.

Q: If a Hitler we to emerge and his opposition forces used gas..... would we bomb the very force that could bring down such a leader as Hitler?

Air strikes in the long run could upset the balance of power, the results of that could be far more devastating to loos of life than the gas used.

In other words, THE RED LINE IS NOT A RED STRAIGHT-JACKET.

[lostinblue 1,989]

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

Forget about the Obama hate for a moment.. What do you suggest the U.S. do in this situation?

[JohnR! 5,495]

Forget about the Obama hate for a moment..

That would be anathema to the raison d'etre of this thread.