Posted on 08/30/2014 5:46:53 AM PDT by Bruce Buckley
They DO have a strategy, but they prefer to appear indecisive. That’s because the strategy would likely provoke even greater criticism than the false confession of endless dithering.
The actual strategy is detente first, and then a full alliance with Iran throughout the Middle East and North Africa. It has been on display since before the beginning of the Obama administration. During his first presidential campaign in 2008, Mr. Obama used a secret back channel to Tehran to assure the mullahs that he was a friend of the Islamic Republic, and that they would be very happy with his policies. The secret channel was Ambassador William G. Miller, who served in Iran during the shah’s rule, as chief of staff for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and as ambassador to Ukraine. Ambassador Miller has confirmed to me his conversations with Iranian leaders during the 2008 campaign.
Ever since, President Obama’s quest for an alliance with Iran has been conducted through at least four channels: Iraq, Switzerland (the official U.S. representative to Tehran), Oman and a variety of American intermediaries, the most notable of whom is probably Valerie Jarrett, his closest adviser. In recent months, Middle Eastern leaders reported personal visits from Ms. Jarrett, who briefed them on her efforts to manage the Iranian relationship. This was confirmed to me by a former high-ranking American official who says he was so informed by several Middle Eastern leaders.
The central theme in Obama’s outreach to Iran is his conviction that the United States has historically played a wicked role in the Middle East, and that the best things he can do for that part of the world is to limit and withdraw American military might, and empower our self-declared enemies, whose hostility to traditional American policies he largely shares. If we look at the current crisis through an Iranian lens, our apparent indecisiveness is easier to understand, for it systematically favors Iran’s interests. Tehran’s closest ally is Syrian dictator Bashar Assad. If Assad were to be overthrown by opposition forces hostile to Iran, it would be a devastating blow to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who has committed tens of thousands of fighters (from Hezbollah, the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij) to shore up the Damascus regime. Everything Iran does in the region revolves around the necessity of preserving Assad’s tyranny.
Obama surely understands this. It therefore made no sense to bomb Syria in the otherwise baffling about-face on the “red line” a year ago. In like manner, the refusal to take decisive action today against the Islamic State caters to Iranian and Syrian concerns. Remember that ISIS was supported by Iran and Syria as a weapon against anti-Assad and anti-Iranian forces (from the Kurds to the FSA), none of whom is receiving serious American support.
It is exceedingly unlikely that Mr. Obama will do anything that would threaten Assad’s rule or Iran’s power. To do so would be tantamount to abandoning his core strategy of creating a U.S.-Iranian alliance that would make Tehran the major regional power and Washington a friendly kibbitzer and adviser.
It is even more unlikely that Mr. Obama and his spokespeople will confess to actually having a strategy, because of the political firestorm that would result. Better to be thought a fool than to remove all doubt, after all.
UPDATE: Thanks to Instapundit for the link. A day without Instapundit is like a kiss without a beard.
While every one was thinking that OBAMA was an idiot, for playing golf and letting everyone think he’s out of the loop, on major issues, WATCH WHAT HE’S DOING IN HIS LEFT HAND. With his left hand, he was negotiating with the UN on CLIMATE CONTROL. He was also trying to figure out a way to grant AMNESTY to approximately 5 million illegal immigrants. You always have to watch the left hand, which is hidden from every one’s eyes.
But you're right. For Ledeen to be correct, the big story here would be a sudden new found love between Shia and Sunni, for which there is little evidence in Iraq, for example.
Have any links of what have read this a.m. or opinion(s) based upon what has been read this a.m. out of qatar?
Exactly!
“”Let everyone see what they really are.””
We already know that there are some pretty blind people in this world....they will not accept the facts no matter what! The majority of those are currently serving the administration - not the country!
This is nothing new. In every generation there have been people who have been willfully blind. For too many, it’s just easier to be a coward.
It's why it's so easy to be a liberal. You don't have to think about anything, and you're instantly a victim, and a member of the club if you parrot what you see in the media.
Reality is going to slap these people hard, when the realize that not only was 0bama not one of them, he was not one of any of us.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/f2d9bbc8-bdbc-11e2-890a-00144feab7de.html#axzz3BtvXZyv3
http://tcsnews.com/long-arm-qatar/
http://tcsnews.com/us-qatar-declare-war-israel/
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-the-phenomenal-wealth-of-hamas-leaders-1000957953
Made me check into Iran and Qatar’s relationship. Iran-Shiite and Qatar is Sunni. I always get the two factions mixed up.
http://defence.pk/threads/iran-qatar-to-establish-joint-free-trade-zone.331294/
http://news.yahoo.com/iran-qatar-cooperate-against-terror-182648352.html
Because of the administrations hidden (to the blind) agenda I try to get as many dots as I can for an impressionist painting of what has happened before Benghazi and after the capture of Ben Laden.
Anyone who pretends the scum in power doing nothing in this case is any less a part of their plan than all the open and egregious violations of the Constitution they've committed are part of their plan is either stupid or they're happy to see the Republic crumble further.
This article is complete and utter BS.
My only question is who paid to have the article written?
uh oh.
Thanks Huldah. Finished this set of links. Very insightful with many dots and connection lines standing out.
I’m going to see how many people live there. :) Statistics can be very deceiving.
2 million. I wonder how many live in Saudi Arabia and are they allowed to be armed. I think the Prince of Saud is trying to politically force the Iranian in the administration to bomb Syria and protect him.
What don’t you like about it?
Both articles reinforce the theory of burning both ends of the candle for all three countries with the fire dancing on each end of their candles held and the middle is being squeezed as the fire burns deeper toward the middle of the candle. Sound as though iran is also about to receive weaponry via qatar. Also seems saud and qatar royals have agreed to corporate and saud is being allowed to watch from the sidelines while the press is told saud and qatar royal are having a disagreement which qatar royals are allowed to deny and saud plays Israel to possible gain intelligence?
No wonder was allowed to post that ... question is/was not accurate.
A kick to my own backside by me! Five head butts into brick wall for punishment, self!
I guess it’s always about the money, eh?
http://defence.pk/threads/iran-qatar-to-establish-joint-free-trade-zone.331294/
Not certain ... Could be more sinister perhaps ... and with the three countries mentioned am suspecting sinister.
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