It is only a matter of time before some country steps up and directly challenges us, knowing full well Obama will back down. This is already happening to a certain extent but IMO we’ll soon see a more direct, confrontational form of it.
It will be interesting to see how the country reacts to a U.S. president who backs down in the face of aggressive behavior. You don’t have to be a highly degreed, geopolitical strategic thinker to see this type of encounter coming. Its on the horizon.