There's been criticism of the Obama White House for failing to send a high level emissary to the million-plus march in Paris over the weekend. The photos show the top leadership of our allies in the war against terror linked arm in arm, but no Obama, Biden or Kerry.
The White House now says it erred by only sending the ambassador to France and not a figure commensurate in stature with the dignitaries assembled at the head of the line. Not so fast.
The Obama White House made a point to the Muslim world and especially to Muslim extremists: the entire world -- not just the United States -- is united against terrorism.
The photos from Paris showed: it is not just the US, in this existential battle.
It is unclear, however, whether any Western nations seriously believe the war we are fighting is an existential one.
If we did, our nations would be focused on the root causes and not just the manifest results: horrendous misery in the Mideast, chronic poverty, and places that are perfect incubators for exporting terrorism across national boundaries.
Our governments could be leading the way to change our dependencies on Mideast oil and fossil fuels generally. These dependencies enrich despotic regimes, enable rule by terror in oil producing nations, and are wrecking the planet for humans. Period.
The point the grieving leaders avoid: that corruption flows in equal proportions to the wealth generated by oil.
This toxic cocktail -- wealth, oil, and corruption -- is feeding all the threats to our national and economic security. It is tragic that this point was also not on display at the protest mourning the victims of the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris last weekend.
Those top leaders linked arm-in-arm in Paris should ask the United States to help form a Marshall Plan to steer the world away from involvement with fossil fuels, but that is also not a march a US president or Congressional leaders will likely lead, any time soon. In fact, the results of the November 2014 election are committing us in the opposite direction.
Our war against terror is permanent because we can't stop wanting what harms us. Admitting that, is too much for any of the leaders in Paris, or, in Washington, DC to bear.
The White House now says it erred by only sending the ambassador to France and not a figure commensurate in stature with the dignitaries assembled at the head of the line. Not so fast.
The Obama White House made a point to the Muslim world and especially to Muslim extremists: the entire world -- not just the United States -- is united against terrorism.
The photos from Paris showed: it is not just the US, in this existential battle.
It is unclear, however, whether any Western nations seriously believe the war we are fighting is an existential one.
If we did, our nations would be focused on the root causes and not just the manifest results: horrendous misery in the Mideast, chronic poverty, and places that are perfect incubators for exporting terrorism across national boundaries.
Our governments could be leading the way to change our dependencies on Mideast oil and fossil fuels generally. These dependencies enrich despotic regimes, enable rule by terror in oil producing nations, and are wrecking the planet for humans. Period.
The point the grieving leaders avoid: that corruption flows in equal proportions to the wealth generated by oil.
This toxic cocktail -- wealth, oil, and corruption -- is feeding all the threats to our national and economic security. It is tragic that this point was also not on display at the protest mourning the victims of the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris last weekend.
Those top leaders linked arm-in-arm in Paris should ask the United States to help form a Marshall Plan to steer the world away from involvement with fossil fuels, but that is also not a march a US president or Congressional leaders will likely lead, any time soon. In fact, the results of the November 2014 election are committing us in the opposite direction.
Our war against terror is permanent because we can't stop wanting what harms us. Admitting that, is too much for any of the leaders in Paris, or, in Washington, DC to bear.
7 comments:
I agree. This isn't just a US problem and while the other nations were coming together, so to speak, I think Obama would have distracted, making it seem like the US is the cause of this problem, instead of the issues you cite.
It was a no-win for him. If he stood near Netanyahu people would complain that he's a hypocrite because he really hates Israel (I don't believe that) and the extremists would say that he's an Israel-lover and give them more reason to hate us.
If he stood near Abbas people would say, see, he really is one of them and he hates Israel and is aligning with terrorist groups.
I'm going to be kind to our President. Although I could cite all the reasons being repeated throughout the world, I will point out the two reasons I believe this administration once again, committed a diplomatic faux pas:
1. No Clue: Obama lacks the most basic understanding of international diplomacy. His administration does not defy him so they all appear as arrogant dunces.
2. Obama can't: He simply cannot denounce, attack or even accept the fact that Muslims are committing atrocities while shouting Allah Akbar!
How could he? He was raised in this faith. These are his deepest beliefs. Deeper than any feeling he can have for anything or anyone else are the basics he was taught as a child. In his heart, Barrack Hussein Obama is a Muslim. That is not a criticism or an insult. It is a fact. We are all a product of our upbringing.
Maybe instead of a photo opp, these leaders do something, like say, kill Osama Bin Laden? Oh wait...
A good start by Germany going very solar, props to them for that.
Bingo!! Ain't capitalism great?? Not.
So you don't think Obama should have gone? What about Biden, Kerry, or Holder? Holder was in Paris the same day for crying out loud!!
And didn't you hear that the White House said they made a mistake? I guess you will defend the dear leader even when the dear leader admits he was wrong!
I too thought it was hilarious that this blog, and some of the posters above, continue defending this huge mistake, even after the White House admitted it was a mistake.
Classic!
Sorry, but I disagree. Obama should have gone, and the message to the terrorist would have been, "I'm not alone but as you can see, all of these nations are with me".
Post a Comment