Posted on 01/29/2011 11:34:17 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Jimmy Carter will go down in American history as "the president who lost Iran," which during his term went from being a major strategic ally of the United States to being the revolutionary Islamic Republic. Barack Obama will be remembered as the president who "lost" Turkey, Lebanon and Egypt, and during whose tenure America's alliances in the Middle East crumbled.
The superficial circumstances are similar. In both cases, a United States in financial crisis and after failed wars loses global influence under a leftist president whose good intentions are interpreted abroad as expressions of weakness. The results are reflected in the fall of regimes that were dependent on their relationship with Washington for survival, or in a change in their orientation, as with Ankara.
America's general weakness clearly affects its friends. But unlike Carter, who preached human rights even when it hurt allies, Obama sat on the fence and exercised caution. He neither embraced despised leaders nor evangelized for political freedom, for fear of undermining stability.
Obama began his presidency with trips to Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and in speeches in Ankara and Cairo tried to forge new ties between the United States and the Muslim world. His message to Muslims was "I am one of you," and he backed it by quoting from the Koran. President Hosni Mubarak did not join him on the stage at Cairo University, and Obama did not mention his host. But he did not imitate his hated predecessor, President George W. Bush, with blunt calls for democracy and freedom.
Obama apparently believed the main problem of the Middle East was the Israeli occupation, and focused his policy on demanding the suspension of construction in the settlements....
(Excerpt) Read more at haaretz.com ...
Me too. I was worried about the Suez Canal from the beginning. This is Egypt’s biggest strategic asset and the MB will use to ruin Western economies and further blackmail the world.
A real president would have stationed US Navy vessels at both ends of the Canal right away.
Now we are TOAST.
We need a national day of protests right here in the US against OBAMA. The man needs to GO. He is our worst enemy.
Ask the average Iranian on the streets of Tehran - this will not end well for any but the radicals.
Yes, people should not forget the Balkans and that includes Kosovo. And Obama secretly admires Islam and has no use for Christians and Jews. This man will make Carter look good in comparison. We are still suffering from the fall of the Shah. And I have not forgotten the hostage crisis. Note that the hostages were released when Pres. Reagan was sworn in. The Islamists know a tough enemy when they see one.
losing Egypt is 100 times worse than losing Iran!
losing Egypt is 100 times worse than losing Iran!
I don't know your motivations for insulting people here. Calling FReepers “idiots” and telling them to “SHUT UP” does nothing to improve the discussion.
You call Egypt a small, insignificant country that no one should worry about. Really? You really believe that?
I would beg to differ with you on that point. I think there also may be some 80,000,000 Egyptians that disagree with you also.
And yes, I have been to Egypt many times, and not as a tourist. They reported yesterday that mobs with machetes stormed major Egyptian prisons and released thousands of criminals including those in prison for committing acts of Islamic terrorism. Nothing to worry about there, right?
Excellent response. The idea that no one has the right to speak about a situation unless he or she was there personally is preposterous. I guess that means none of us are entitled to an opinion about he Constitutional Convention or, at the other extreme, the Reichstag Fire.
The fall of Egypt is going to presage the complete Islamic radicalization of the entire ME. And I honestly believe that’s exactly the way Barack Obama wants it.
Bingo.
The Muslim Brotherhood and O run deep... from Chicago days.
Reagan (R-conservative) WON the cold war
Obama (socialist muzzie) lost Egypt
Is there a pattern here?
My guess is that they’re the ones who fixed him up with his little trip to Pakistan years ago. You know, when he had to use a foreign passport to go there because American citizens couldn’t travel to Pakistan at the time.
Thanks for chiming in there. I don’t know that I would have been quite so polite.
I grew up in the Middle East. Even still, I never tell people to “shut up” because they haven’t been there. I can’t believe that guy was being such a d-bag. It is completely reasonable for someone to have an understanding of a topic without direct experience. It is harder, in some ways, and some factors are lost, but that doesn’t mean they are idiots.
That guy’s a jerk. Sorry you had to deal with that.
Like a hot knife through butter!
I can give that mouthy fool some tips, “Suez Canal”. It’s hardly a small insignificant issue! The World’s oil will stop without it. And the price will certainly double.
Wars are fought over smaller incidents than this.
agreed. It is best if we stay away from this.
The Constitutional Convention rejected democracy as a candidate governmental system for the fledgling United States. They observed that democracy had been tried many times in history, and had always turned bloody or collapsed.
Other systems were evaluated over the summer, and they settled on a a constitutional representative republic.
It was a huge insult to call someone a democrat in the convention. They equated democracy with mob rule.
The international symbol for democracy is the guillotine.
I think Syria is the bigger threat.
0bama may be clueless, but people are selling Mubarak short.
What Mubarak has going on in his favor is that the Egyptian military saw what the radical Islamists did to the Iranian Officer Corps when the Iranian military peacefully allowed the Ayatolla to take over Tehran.
Those mass executions of Officers back then makes a future such military surrender less likely.
Thus, the Egyptian military has to side with Mubarak to save their own heads.
This gives Mubarak considerably more leverage than the Shah had when Carter abandoned him.
Gosh! Where have You been 2ndDivisionVet?
Farrakkon long ago announced that Obozo is “Their Prophet from ALLAH!” Its rumord that the “GRAND IMAN” who just happens to be the King of Saudi Arabia, got the basically poor student who never did anything except train ACORN Agitators, into HARVARD LAW with lots of Money and Influence and string pulling, hence Obozo kissing the King’s shoe soles in his deepest courtsey showing how beholding and thoroughly owned he is....I predict that they are planning to name their Gross Trophy Mosgue at Ground Zero the “BARACK HUSSEIN OBOZO WAR TRIUMPHAL MEMORIAL MOSQUE.” OUTRAGEOUS! and Most Likely True!
Hi 2ndDivisionVet,
My apologies for NOT putting “SARQ” right after my comment previously, “Where have You been 2ndDivisionVet?” I was clearly being sarcastic knowing that You are the Leader and forgot about all the possible nitwits from Rio Linda that may take my comment wrongly......
Thanks for Serving in Our Navy and GOD BLESS You and Your Wonderful Family, but Sir! You are really Naive! Please do some reading and studying before your name calling and slandering of other respected Freepers. Egypt is not some little Gnat in the World, and Our Alleged President has Embaresssed Our Greatest Allies like Great Britain, told Us we have 57 States, and told the World in his Cairo Speech that HE is in fact “MUSLIM.” You might want to try analysing his actions and words, before spouting off naively. By the way there are many of Us World Travelers here who may have a heck of alot more experience than You, but again, we dont demean our compatriots, but rather listen and hopefully learn. GOD BLESS and Thank you for Protecting Our Dear America as You serve in ITALIA!
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