Diplomacy fail: Obama Coming Home Empty-Handed

Hope and Change didn't buy and deals at the G20 summit.

The NY Daily News reported:

President Obama is coming home from his overseas trip pretty much empty-handed.

After watching his party take a beating in the midterm elections, Obama wasn’t able to secure even a symbolic victory on a trip that was expected to give him plenty of opportunities to claim a win.

The Axis of Evil Gives Obama a Lesson in Rogue Diplomacy

Barack Obama severely criticized President Bush's policies for dealing with despots. He advocated a policy of engagement. How is that working out? North Korea is rattling it's nuclear arsenal and firing long missiles as fast as they can mount them on the launch pad. Iran is brutally suppressing a democratic uprising and trying to blame us for causing it. President Obama gets a 'fail' when it comes to dealing with Iran and North Korea. From the Wall Street Journal:

President Obama took office loudly promising to be the anti-George W. Bush of foreign policy, vowing to "extend a hand" to adversaries "willing to unclench" their fists. What he has received instead is an education in the reality of global rogues, and how he responds has become a major test of his Presidency.

The immediate challenges are North Korea and Iran, governments that the American left claimed were "evil" only because Mr. Bush had declared them so. Perhaps Mr. Obama believed this too, though five months later he has learned otherwise. North Korea has rejected his every overture and is now defying the U.N. to press its nuclear and proliferation ambitions. As for Iran, the mullahs are attempting to crush a popular uprising after a stolen election while also showing disdain for Mr. Obama's diplomatic entreaties.

The question is whether Mr. Obama will now adapt his policies to meet challenges he clearly didn't expect. Jimmy Carter took office with similar illusions about the Soviet Union, promising to cure our "inordinate fear of Communism." Our enemies pushed back at what they perceived to be U.S. weakness, and Mr. Carter and his NSC adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski never recovered. We'll soon learn if Mr. Obama is made of sterner stuff.

Obama to Iran-Let's be friends. Iran to Obama-buzz off

Barack Obama sent a video message to Iran's leaders urging the two countries to try to solve their differences. The Iranians were unimpressed.

Iran's top leader Khamenei shuns Obama overtures

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has dismissed overtures from US President Barack Obama, saying Teheran doesn't see any change in American policy toward its government.

Khamenei's comments Saturday were the first top level reaction to Obama's video message to Iran on the occasion of Nowruz, the Persian new year.

Speaking to tens of thousands of people in the holy city of Mashhad, Khamenei asked how Obama could congratulate Iranians on the new year while the US continues to accuse the country of supporting terrorism and seeking nuclear weapons.

On Friday, lower level officials in Iran remained defiant in the face of Obama's video address. (excerpt) read more at jpost.com

Hugo Chavez wants to host Russian strategic bombers

The voters of this country have elected an inexperienced young President. Many wondered if this would cause our adversaries to become adventuresome and challenge us. That is exactly what happened in the Cuban Missile crisis during John F. Kennedy's tenure in the White House. We barely avoided global thermonuclear war during that crisis. Next time, we may not be so lucky. Now that President Obama is in the White House, the Russians are looking for a place close by to keep some of their strategic bombers in case a political decision is made to advance deploy strategic forces. Hugo Chavez has offered an island. Also, Cuba is being considered. Is anyone having a feeling of "déjà vu"?

Official: Cuba, Venezuela May Host Russian Strategic Bombers

Saturday, March 14, 2009


MOSCOW — A Russian Air Force chief said Saturday that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has offered an island as a temporary base for strategic Russian bombers, the Interfax news agency reported.

The chief of staff of Russia's long range aviation, Maj. Gen. Anatoly Zhikharev, also said Cuba could be used to base the aircraft, Interfax reported.

The Kremlin, however, said the situation was hypothetical.

"The military is speaking about technical possibilities, that's all," Alexei Pavlov, a Kremlin official, told the Associated Press. "If there will be a development of the situation, then we can comment," he said.

Zhikharev said Chavez had offered "a whole island with an airdrome, which we can use as a temporary base for strategic bombers," the agency reported. "If there is a corresponding political decision, then the use of the island ... by the Russian Air Force is possible." (excerpt) read more at foxnews.com

Does Obama dislike the British?

That could be the interpretation of recent events during British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's visit to the US. After President Obama miffed PM Brown by canceling a scheduled news conference on his arrival, the British press were outraged.

But on this side of the Atlantic the whole business looked pretty demeaning. The morning papers and TV last night featured plenty of comment focused on the White House's very odd and, frankly, exceptionally rude treatment of a British PM. Squeezing in a meeting, denying him a full press conference with flags etc. The British press corps, left outside for an hour in the cold, can take it and their privations are of limited concern to the public.

Obama called a hastily arranged mini press conference in the White House. Then, he couldn't find any passionate words for our closest ally. Perhaps his teleprompter was not available.

But Obama's merely warmish words (one of our closest allies, said with little sincerity or passion) left a bitter taste with this Atlanticist. Especially after his team had made Number 10 beg for a mini press conference and then not even offered the PM lunch. (here)

Next, there was "gift gaffe." Gift exchanges are very important during state visits. They carry a lot of symbolism. PM Brown brought three valuable and thoughtful gifts to President Obama.

For his part, PM Brown gave two symbolic gifts and one that expressed national pride. Brown came bearing a pen holder carved from the timbers of the sister ship of that which gave the wood to create the famous "Resolute Desk," the desk that has been in America's charge since 1880. He also gave Obama the framed commission for that famous ship, the HMS Resolute. His third gift was a seven-volume biography of one of England's greatest leaders, Winston Churchill.

President Obama sent a staffer to Walmart or somewhere for a 25 DVD set. He actually gave a foreign head of state a few cheap DVD's.

First Brown wasn't granted a press conference with flags, then one was hastily arranged in the Oval office after the Brits had to beg. Obama looked like he would rather have been anywhere else than welcoming the British leader to his office and topped it all with his choice of present (*) for the PM. A box of 25 DVD's including ET, the Wizard of Oz and Star Wars? Oh, give me strength. We do have television and DVD stores on this side of the Atlantic. Even Gordon Brown will have seen those films too often already.

Of course, Michelle Obama made up for it by sending someone to the White House gift shop for some cheap toys for the kids.

This was coupled with Michelle Obama's casual choice of gifts for the Brown sons - matching models of the helicopter which ferry her husband around. While Sarah Brown had spent time choosing gifts for the Obama girls, Michelle had clearly sent an aide to the White House gift shop at the last moment. (here)

This is no way to treat our closest ally and best friend in the world. Obama is set to visit the Queen. I would suggest he continue this gift giving tradition by pick up some plastic pink flamingo lawn ornaments for Buckingham Palace as a gift.

Obama is ready for 'direct diplomacy' with Iran (video)

During his White House presser he called Iran's actions 'unhelpful'. Is that the strongest language he could come up with? I would suggest he use the term 'intolerable'. He, also, said that Iran getting a nuclear weapon would be 'destabilizing'. No kidding, Barack. Keep talking like that and you will have Mahmoud Ahmadinejad shaking in his boots. He will surely give up in his desire to destroy Israel and America now. I think it is time for Obama to bring back prepared remarks and a teleprompter when making foreign policy statements.

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Barack Obama is trying to be nice to fanatics in the hope they will kill us last

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are preparing to write a nice "make up" letter to Iran. They do not understand that the leaders of Iran are fanatics who want to kill us or forcibly convert us to their brand of Islam. They will see this letter as a sign of weakness and attempt to expand their power in the region. Former administrations would not talk to Iran unless there were preset conditions. The Obama administration does not seem to be that wise.

Obama team drafting letter to heal Iran rift: report
Yahoo

Obama team drafting letter to heal Iran rift: report

LONDON (Reuters) – Officials of U.S. President Barack Obama's administration are drafting a letter to Iran from the president aimed at unfreezing U.S.-Iranian relations and opening the way for face-to-face talks, Britain's Guardian newspaper reported on Thursday.

The U.S. State Department has been working on drafts of the letter since Obama was elected last November, the report said. It was a response to a letter of congratulations sent by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after Obama's poll victory.

The letter gives assurances that Washington does not want to overthrow the Iranian administration, but instead seeks changes in its behavior, the paper said. It would be addressed to the Iranian people and sent directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, or released as an open letter.

In Washington, a State Department official said the policy on Iran was under review and declined to comment on whether a letter was possibly being prepared to send to the Iranians.

"No decision on any specific policy initiative has yet been decided by the State Department," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Guardian said the letter was being considered by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as part of a review of U.S. policy on Iran. A decision on sending it was not expected until the review was complete.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...