On Sunday the US shut 19 embassies across the Muslim world. They remain shut until at least Saturday. Something doesn’t feel right about all of this. While the Feds claim that there’s significant “chatter” amongst al Qaeda operatives, it doesn’t make sense why we would tell them when we’re shutting our embassy doors and for how long. If these guys really are planning an attack don’t you think they’ll wait until we announce our embassy is open again? Maybe the Feds are setting up al Qaeda, hoping they’ll increase chatter in order to move their attack date or otherwise discuss US actions. Nevertheless, something doesn’t seem right in closing embassies or in what’s going on generally in the middle east today.
Last year Obama told us al Qaeda was on the run. He bragged about killing bin Laden, he bragged about destroying al Qaeda’s network. Even before last years election al Qaeda operatives attacked our consulate in Benghazi killing four Americans including our Ambassador. As more information comes out about that attack it’s becoming more clear we were working with al Qaeda. In fact, we’re working with people affiliated with al Qaeda in Syria. It’s clear al Qaeda was never on the run, the Obama administration was working with them on issues of mutual interest. It begs the question why.
Al Qaeda isn’t going to defeat Assad in Syria. It’s becoming quite clear that the rebels aren’t going to win that civil war. This despite US support, though we should note that despite announcing action in Syria with great fanfare Obama has offered tepid support for Syrian rebels. Funny how we never hear about how our troops are doing in Syria or how our strategy is working. So with Syria a bust, is it suddenly acceptable for Obama and company to turn on al Qaeda? Do we not have mutual enemies anymore that require us to work with the Devil? Benghazi wasn’t enough to step away from al Qaeda, will defeat in Syria be the end of the relationship?
What threat is so great that we have to look weak on the entire world stage? After declaring al Qaeda on the run, now we’re on the run just a year later. If this is some sort of set up or some sort of show for American voter consumption we look awfully weak on the world stage. Let’s face it though, Obama and the United States have looked weak on the world stage for awhile. Obama’s 2009 Muslim apology tour aside, he supported the radical Muslim Brotherhood over a long time American ally in Egypt. Then when things got tough he ditched the Muslim Brotherhood. Obama removed troops from Iraq with great political fanfare but he left Iraq to Iran in the process. Iraq is a mess, just like Afghanistan which is now largely under Taliban control. Meanwhile in Russia Putin is just toying with Obama.
In short Obama’s foreign policy has been a complete disaster. He slowly shifted from Bush’s problematic foreign policy but in practice his shift isn’t any better than what Bush gave us. Bush at least projected American strength around the world, Obama is projecting weakness. Bush was clear who the enemy was. Obama works with radical groups like al Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood only to turn on them when things don’t go as planned. Bush never turned on our allies, Obama cuts and runs on the regular. Something greater is going on in the middle east, what it is really isn’t clear at this point. Whether Obama knows it exists or whether he’s trying to orchestrate something remains to be seen.
Leo McNeil 