Showing posts with label Iran nuclear threat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iran nuclear threat. Show all posts

Friday, November 08, 2013

Angst Redux


Change produces anxiety.  Radical change produces angst.  Not that change necessarily is bad.  It’s just that its results are not necessarily predictable.  Take Obamacare for instance.  This is a radical remake of the United States’s health-care system … not just the way the insurance process works within it.  Therefore the American people (at least those who are paying attention) are suffering a bout of dyspepsia over this transformation … particularly since much of its consequences clearly have not been well thought through.  

It’s always been a puzzle to me that the Obama-ites are so good at the political processes … planning, polling, message construction, computer systems building, funding, communications, etc. … yet so inept at the policy processes.

Our current administration is fumbling so many fundamental policy issues that those who are watching things justifiably have great concerns.  Viz:

-        Our current handling of the nuclear threat from Iran is gone squishy.  Six months ago we seem to be putting the squeeze on Iran.  Now we are pulling a u-turn much to Israel’s consternation … see: Weekly Standard Story.
-        The United States military is undergoing a radical transmogrification under Obama.  In the last five years 197 top military officers have been summarily removed from their posts … including General Petraeus and General Ham.  For the disturbing details see:  Investors Business Daily Item.
-        President Obama has dramatically expanded the U.S. welfare state … despite his timid talk of entitlement reform.  Obamaphones, EBT cards, Medicaid expansion, etc. are costing tens of billions of dollars more than when he took office … see: National Review Article.
-        The many scandals that the Obama administration is playing Whack-a-Mole to keep off the front pages – Benghazi, Fast and Furious, IRS suppression of the Tea Party, NSA snooping, his extra-Constitutional executive orders involving immigration, global warming, gun control, etc.
-        [Add three or four more here of your own choosing.]

Barack Obama promised “hope and change” in his first Presidential campaign.  In fact he often added the word “fundamental” before the word “change” ... read this rather as "radical"… and he is surely living up to this pledge … a simple recipe for our current national angst.


Thursday, March 21, 2013

Hubris



After more than four years of dumping on the Israeli Prime Minister, Bibi Netanyahu, (refusing to meet with him in New York, making him exit the White House via the back door, etc.), President Obama has made a dramatic u-turn with his first trip to Israel and the Israelis don’t know why (see: Breitbart Story ).  Actually they do suspect why … Obama’s over-sized ego has caused him to try to reach around Netanyahu and influence Israeli politics directly with his charming personality and good looks.  This tactic has worked for Obama his entire life so why not pull a Cairo (as he did in the early days of his Presidency with his speech there) and make his case directly to the people … particularly the young people … see: FT Story.

Perhaps the looming Iranian nuclear threat is one reason he wants the Israeli citizenry on his side when he opts for containment rather than confrontation when Iran finally has the bomb (my on-going speculation)?  Possibly, another aim is that he wants the Israelis to embrace Egypt’s President Morsi and the Arab Brotherhood like he himself has?  And maybe he will also try to influence them to stop their West Bank settlement expansions?  We will have to wait to hear his speech to the Israeli students to understand all of his motivations for this seeming "humble-pie" trip.  But, be assured, President Obama has not left his hubris back in Washington.