Obama’s Piss Poor Presidency

A commenter asked on Presidential what I meant by Obama’s “piss poor” presidency. I gave it short shrift and it deserves better ... so here is more — the urine that the “chosen one” managed to spread around during his pampered eight years:

- His initial apology tour ... disparaging his country
- Gutting our military
- Significantly deepening the domestic racial divide
- Doubling our notional debt burden by $10 trillion
- Spending $1 trillion on [non] “shovel-ready jobs”
- Cash for clunkers
- Attempting to destroy our coal and oil industries
- Relying on monetary and not fiscal levers for economic recovery
- Tens of billions lost on Solyndra and other crony  “investments”
- The stupid Paris Climate Accord
- Oblivious to huge trade deficits with China, Mexico and the EU
- Frequently disrespecting Israel
- The Benghazi debacle
- Allowing Hillary’s private email server
- Politicizing our intelligence agencies
- Obamacare which is slowly being fixed by Congress and the courts
- The Iranian nuclear deal giving it $150 billion and  $1.6B in hard cash
- Giving lip service to defeating ISIS ... possibly even arming them
- Reneging US commitment to put missiles in Poland
- Colluding with the Muslim Brotherhood and Black Lives Matter
- Unconstitutional DACA executive order
- Pardoning spy Chelsea Manning
- Swapping deserter Bowe Bergdahl for five senior Taliban bad guys
- “Fast and Furious” gun running to Mexico cartels
- IRS discrimination against Tea Party groups
- Spying on political opponents and the media
- Selling 20% of US uranium to the Russians
- Russian reset including allowing them to annex Crimea
- Not arming the Ukraine with anti-tank missiles against Russia
- Not making NATO countries meet their committed military spending
- The very expensive Afghanistan “surge” producing nothing
- Not confronting North Korea’s for its bad behavior

Enough? And I’m sure I forgot quite a few!

Useless as Tits on a Bull

Russia brazenly annexed the Crimea and is proxy-fighting in the Ukraine.

Venezuela has been in free fall for years.

Hong Kong is in open revolt against China’s duplicity.

Ecuador is aflame.

Turkey has invaded Syria.

There is an Ebola crisis in West Africa.

North Korea is edging back toward open hostility.

World trade equanimity is full of flaws.

Iran keeps trying to trip the wire.

Where is the UN?

Oh yes, I forgot, they are distracted by Greta Thunberg ...

Headlones

Pelosi schedules call with Dems on Sessions firing

Fed leaves rates unchanged after noting slowing in business investment

Stacey Abrams refuses to concede in GA [gov. race]

Chris Christie for attorney general?

Ruth Bader Ginsburg hospitalized after fall

Bill market's biggest buyer is back -- companies buying back stock at a record pace

War vert slaughters 12 at [CA] 'Borderline' bar

Report: Tesla staff forbidden from calling 911 for injuries

CNN personalities accuse White House of posting altered video

Treasury Department issues new sanctions for Russian Crimea activity

President moves to restrict asylum access at birder ...

Texas Democrat celebrates re-election victory in jail cell

Ham Handed

This morning on TV's  “Morning Joe” someone (I think it was David Ignatius) labeled Vladimir Putin’s current tactics in the Ukraine as “ham-handed.” Clearly, if it is shown that it was a Russian-supplied missile that shot down Malaysian flight MH17 over the rebel-held area of the Ukraine, then Russia will find itself even more isolated from Europe and the benefits that Western financiers can offer it.

Also clearly Putin and Russia have been overplaying their hands recently with their annexation of the Crimea and their trying to parlay Russia’s large natural gas reserves into greater political and territorial leverage. I think Putin may have believed that he had more sway with the United States than has turned out to be the case. Perhaps if President Obama had not whispered to Russia’s then-President Medvedev back in 2012 that he should tell Putin that he would “have more flexability” with Russia once he got reelected? (See: The Blaze Story).

Now, two years later, one may associate the loss of 298 innocent lives on a Malaysian airliner with that then ham-handed Obama indiscretion.

Afterward: Cartoon from reddit:

War Drums

One must pause to consider seriously what might transpire if Russia decides to go beyond even the Ukraine and invade a member of NATO … such as the Czech Republic, Poland, or perhaps Estonia.  The United States and the rest of the European NATO members (see: NATO Membership) are obliged by Article 5 of the NATO Alliance Treaty to respond in kind … see: NATO Article 5.  The question is would they or we? 

The combined standing European troops of the NATO countries number some five million … and including the United States, over six million.  This would be pitted against a well-trained, well equipped and brutal Russian Army of some 1.5 million.  Of course there is a major difference … these European NATO troops are composed of numerous social and gender experiments ill-equipped and ill-trained to shed blood for any cause let alone a serious tangle with the Russian bear … particularly if such a tussle is over a former SSR.

We have seen the reluctance of even the Ukrainian troops to respond to the recent Russian belligerency in the Crimea. Therefore I am just a bit dubious as to how these same Ukrainian troops might react to a full-scale Russian invasion of Western Ukraine.  And this zeitgeist may well be duplicated in other Eastern European countries which in fact are NATO members ... but which are not that far removed in time from the subservience they were forced to experience under the Soviet Union’s domination.  I hope I am wrong if such a situation transpires, but somehow I would not stake a lot of credence in the stalwartiness of such forces opposing such a Russian invasion.

Of course, I also do not have a lot of faith that President Barack “Another Red Line” Obama would also not go wobbly in such a situation. Let us not forget that, during the height of the Cold War, America’s major deterrent was atomic weaponry which we forswore to use to counteract a much more massive Soviet army if they were to invade Western Europe.  I am reasonably certain that this “mutually assured destruction” option is no longer an arrow in Obama’s quiver. If it were, I think he might have brought it up by now.

The consequences of a Russian invasion of one or more NATO members which were former SSRs and an inconsequential NATO response would not only begin to reassemble the Soviet Union …  it would also effectively kill NATO. This would be a disastrous legacy for Obama … not that I think he would take such a failing too much to heart.

This then is a dangerous game of chicken that Russian President Putin seems to be contemplating. But, if he is using his Barack Obama/Hillary Clinton/John Kerry interactions over the last five years as his measure of the resoluteness of the United States, I am afraid we may be in for some very bad times.

A House Divided

There are more than a few political commentators who are mewing that, since the majority of Crimeans (but not the 96% as the recent voting indicated) believe that this part of Ukraine should be reunited with Russia, who are we or others to object? Interesting point … but then one must also ask why were not the Confederate States allowed to secede from the United States back in the early 1860’s? Why cannot all or part of Montreal split from Canada whenever it chooses? If Scotland soon votes to depart the United Kingdom should this be opposed or even penalized in some way?  Venice, from Italy?

As long as we are exploring the notion of national self-determination, why cannot Chechnya or other predominately Muslim republics secede unopposed from the Russian Federation? Isn’t what is good for the sow bear also good for the boar bear?  Why are not Tibet or other western Chinese provinces allowed to go their own way independent of Bejing’s tight control?

And how about the real poser … what if large portions of the American southwest, including California, now that they are predominately Hispanic, vote to rejoin Mexico?  Should this be permitted … or even encouraged? One could argue that this might significantly shift the United States’political balance rightward … and also relieve much fiscal stress on other neighboring American states.

President Abraham Lincoln once said, “A house divided cannot stand.” But as that other U.S. President, slick Willy Clinton, might have added, “It all depends on what your definition of ‘house’ is.”

Barack’s Brackets

With all the unnerving turmoil in the world … the Crimea, Venezuela, Syria, Iran, North Korea, Egypt, Flight 370, etc. … it is comforting to know that our President Obama has not forgotten his job one ... his picks for the Sweet 16 brackets in the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament … see: Breitbart Sports Story.  Leaders of the free world must feel assured that the hegemony of the United States remains intact and that neighboring despots will not overrun them anytime soon … at least not before the Final Four.

Under President Obama leadership … from behind … the United States has gone from being the world’s policeman to the world’s climate carper.  Good job Barack ol’ buddy!  ... but won’t you be sorry when China annexes Hawaii? But, then again, maybe not ...

Egg on Our Face

The picture in the following New York Times story says it all. Our feckless Secretary of State, John Kerry, rattles the non-saber … warning Russia that there just might be some possible consequences, maybe, if it doesn’t  get out of Crimea by Monday while his equivalent from Russia, Sergey Lavrov, piffles at Kerry’s blunted bluster … see: NY Times Story.  Meanwhile Russia moves troops into Eastern Ukraine ahead of today’s Crimean illegal referendum … see: Another NY Times Story while our President Obama urges Congress to tighten rules about overtime pay … see: Fox News Story. Overtime pay!?

Can we look any sillier on the international stage? We not only have egg on our face … we have an entire breakfast … a sausage egg McMuffin, orange juice, coffee …all dribbling down our chins and onto our Hello Kitty bibs.

What do all those high-priced buffoons in the White House and at Foggy Bottom do all day?  Couldn’t we have had a stair-step strategy pre-planned for just such a obvious move by Russia?  We have a wide range of possible actions we might have taken in response to this Russian invasion of a neighboring country.  But all we do is talk … talk which only emphasizes that any military action on anyone’s part is off the table.  We can’t now freeze Russian assets for that money has long fled the West.  But what about putting an anti-ballistic missile shield in Eastern Europe?  What about letting other Eastern European nations join NATO?  What about some serious consequences in Russia’s client state of Syria? And we had and have many many more options. Where are they?

One can’t help but speculate that all this U.S. incompetence may not be purposeful on our dear leader's part …

Afterward: For more equivalent (but better put) analysis on this situation see: The Diplomad's Comments.

After Afterward: When I originally wrote this blog entry I suggested that Poland and the Czech Republic be admitted to NATO.  My bad! As it turns out, they are already members (along with Hungary) since 1999. So are the Baltic States ... see: Nato Membership ... which makes things a little dicey if Russia goes after one of them.

The Russian Connection

This blog has considerable readership in Russia … which has always puzzled me since my politics are mostly antithetical to the brand currently being practiced there.  Perhaps the KGB (its secret police whose famous graduate, Vladimir Putin, is currently attempting to restore the Bear to a much larger den) believes that my opinions are somehow representative of America.  Shh, don’t tell them how askew my political thinking is.

Nevertheless, Russia is in the process of taking back the Crimean peninsula and the warm-water Black Sea port of Sevastopol, … which Nikita Khrushchev so thoughtlessly gave to the Ukraine way back in 1954. This might cost Russia more on the world stage than it expects. Even our fearless leader, Obama, might throw a snit on his 19^th hole. This aggression is occurring despite the fact that both the United States and Russia had guaranteed the integrity of the Ukrainian borders (including the Crimea) back in both 1994 and 2009.  Oops!

So far the United State’s response has been subdued and rather wandering. As a result, talking heads and Op-Ed pundits are climbing over each other offering our “leadership” much and varied advice. Here are a few ossified opinions on this whole brouhaha (not that my opinions aren’t.)

Henry Kissinger believes that the Ukraine is not worth any hostilities and must become a “bridge” between Russia and the West  (I think kind of like Switzerland’s status during WW II) … for his specific recommendations see: Washington Post Op Ed.

Zbigniew Brzezinski (President Carter’s chief appeaser … err, adviser) thinks Russia may be trying to duplicate Hitler’s seizure of the Sudetenland before WW II.  He, surprisingly suggests that the West should risk hostilities and bolster the Ukrainian military with armaments ... but also simultaneously seek rapprochement with Russia over the Ukraine's future … see his suggestions here: Another Washington Post Op Ed

But the opinions that I respect the most swirl around that Diplomad blogster, W. Lewis Amselem, and those that comment on his writings … see: The Diplomad Blog

A few comments in this link that I particularly like are:

Putin of course knows what realpolitik is and uses it to advantage, act first, allow limited diplomatic discussion after. He has also perceived that a country that will not secure its own borders is unlikely to assist others to secure theirs (think UK, Germany, USA, the entire EU) -- "Cascadian" commenter 

"Despite his upbringing as a Communist, he is now devoutly religious and wants to see religion restored to Russian life. As the jihadis have discovered, they have in Putin a rival as ruthless and religiously committed as they, and not bound by the conventions of political correctness." I believe you [the Diplomad] have put your finger on Putin's next international gambit once the dust from the Crimea mess has settled. I've been wondering lately who, if any, is going to stand up for the persecuted Christians of the Middle East and Africa. It certainly won't be the pro-Islam Obama or the post-Christian leaders of Europe. I believe it will be Vladimir Putin. He will speak out on behalf of the persecuted Copts and Nigerians. He may even begin sending them aid and weapons. And Christians around the world will flock to his banner, bringing the idea of Moscow as the "Third Rome" to fruition. -- “Anonymous” commenter

My own simple suggestion would be for the United States to immediately reverse itself and place its anti-ballistic missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic ... to which we had previously committed (and Obama had reneged on).  This way Putin will quickly see a real cost to his colonial expansionism.

Tabula Rasa

Attendees at the Democrat National Committee convention were asked on camera to list Hillary Clinton’s accomplishments while she served as Secretary of State.  Not surprisingly, despite enthusiastic support for her presidential candidacy, not a single person could bring one specific accomplishment to mind … watch the video here to see how politics always seems to trump policy: CNS News Video.

I personally don’t think that Hillary had a totally blank slate in her tenure at Foggy Bottom and during her many days hop-scotching the world.  If asked this same question, I would have pointed to the fact that Myanmar (Burma) made a few hesitant steps toward greater freedom with a nudge from her … see the last bullet in this blog: Ship of State Disasters.  However, as also noted in this blog entry, she also made a mishmash of most other things she touched then (including, as we have witnessed from recent events in the Crimea, her “reset” with Russia.)

Does this diminish her in the eyes of the most? I suspect you, dear reader, are among “the most,” you tell me …

AWOL

President Obama skipped his National Security Meeting today which dealt with the current and critical emergency in the Crimea and the Ukraine ... caused by the movement of a large number of Russian troops into this region … see: Weekly Standard Item. Is Obama our Commander in Chief or not? I believe he is and, as such, I can't fathom any possible reason for such a clear dereliction of duty. 

Or perhaps Joe Biden was prophetic when he was overheard on an open mic early in 2012 … speaking to the then President of the Russian Federation, Demitry Medvedev, confiding that, once Obama was re-elected, he would have much more flexibility in dealing with Russia. Medvedev nodded and responded by saying he would pass the message on to Vladimir Putin, the next (and current) President of Russia.

President Obama could not be any more "flexible" or detached than the behavior he is currently exhibiting. (Perhaps he was doing his all-important March Madness brackets?) This shameful indifference in this time of international crisis (see: Washington Pos Story), were he an actual member of the armed services, would most likely cause a general court martial hearing to be convened.

But this won’t happen because, as we all know, we are now living in a Liberal vortex ...