Oh, Bama!
The world waited on tenterhooks for some signals from the United States through their brilliant new, all-purpose President, that there would be encouragement and some form of intervention when the green rebellion began in Iran, when protesters braving the onslaught of the Iranian Republican Guard and their basiji compatriots-in-violence, took to the streets, calling for regime change, and the opportunity to experience their own brand of human rights up close and personal.A few choice words from the American Secretary of State, indicating that the thoughts of the free world lingered on the courage of the Iranian public brave enough to counter their fears of a brutally repressive crack-down. But anything substantive to encourage the protesters, and which would engender the wrath of the Grand Ayatollah, his minions and the president whom a corrupt voting process brought back to power? It did not happen.
The lethal hatred of those who administer the affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran was met with quiescent platitudes and an unstated non-interference policy. Yet when protesters entered Tahrir Square and a loyal and moderate friend of the United States was called upon to step down by angry Egyptians, President Barack Obama and his Secretary of State stepped forward to demand abdication and to abandon Hosni Mubarak.
And now, with the prospect of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi - whose vicious depredations on the West and whose slaughter of Americans, and funding of terror groups is legendary - clamping down lethally on Libyan rebels, the President of the United States was finally enticed by France and Britain to provide the prestige of power and military muscle to halt government troops.
To which decision both Democrats and Republicans in Congress have taken great umbrage, that their president has overstepped his authority. President Obama, struggling to find balance and to satisfy the demands of his close allies stricken suddenly with a need to protect Libyans from Libyans, impetuously made the decision that as commander in chief of the armed forces was his to make.
Perhaps President Obama will take the criticism to heart and understand that in reversing the path that his executive-branch predecessor took; conferring with Congress but ignoring the need to confer with his foreign allies; he has offended his own.
And he will do differently when he latterly approaches Congress to discuss invading Syria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan and Algeria to protect their nationals from their inevitable and brutal government crack-downs.
Labels: Africa, Conflict, Middle East, Political Realities, United States
posted by Pieface @ Saturday, March 26, 2011
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