Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Obama's Grand Coalition Not So Grand.


Obama's grand coalition against ISIS isn't as advertised. Barack Obama's national security adviser, Susan Rice, told the world that Turkey will allow the US to use its airbase in Turkey to attack targets in Syria...even though Turkey denies that they'd agreed to allow their bases to be used against ISIS according to foreignpolicy.com.

Obama has claimed a coalition of 60 countries in the fight against ISIS, but those numbers seem dubious at best. One country in particular seemed taken aback by being included in the coalition. According to foreignpolicy.com, Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar said his government opposed terrorism, but expressed annoyance that his country was included in Obama's official list of anti-ISIS partners without being informed.

"I am bothered by the fact that we have been placed on the list without the government's knowledge," he said. "We will have to voice some sort of protest; it is not appropriate to consent to our country being placed anywhere without our knowledge and consensus."

Obama has claimed that coalition partners have committed ground troops to fight ISIS, but none have materialized thus far. Early in the air strike campaign, White House officials claimed Arab countries were helping bomb targets in Iraq, but we don't hear that claim much anymore.

Some Arab countries have been openly reluctant to join Obama's coalition because they are deeply frustrated with Obama's foreign policy regarding the middle east...they tend to believe (and rightly so) he has been naive and weak on Syria's civil war.

CBS News wrote about this mistrust back in September.  "Trust is so low, especially in the Gulf region, for Obama's leadership quality and the way he manages foreign policy. I don't think any country is going to put its hand up or neck out by accepting an alliance with the U.S. that easily," said Mustafa Alani, the director of the security and defense department at the Gulf Research Center in Geneva.

Obama has had many missteps over the last 6 years in regards to his foreign policy, but I think the biggest misstep of all was his infamous 'red-line.' In the spring of 2014, Obama drew a red-line and threatened Bashar al-Assad over the use of chemical weapons and Assad summarily flipped Obama the bird and used chemical weapons.

The US President looked foolish and weak when he failed to respond militarily and he looked even more foolish when he claimed it wasn't his red-line that was violated, but rather it was the world's red-line. Our allies have seen Obama's failed foreign policy up close and personal and they don't want any part of it.

Obama's arrogance and naivety has harmed our standing in the international community and as a result, our allies are hesitant to help us in hot spots around the globe. Barack Obama is Barack Obama's own worst enemy and now we are seeing the results of his shortcomings.

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