Obama’s 3AM phone call from Egypt
posted at 8:48 am on February 11, 2011 by Steven Den Beste
With the events happening in Egypt, there’s been a lot of criticism of Obama’s handling of the situation, plus intimations that there isn’t any consistent policy involved.
Actually, I think there is a consistent policy here, but you have to know what to look for.
Obama fully adheres to the leftist idea that America has been throwing its weight around far too much. Americans are too arrogant; they think they know the right answers for everything, and Americans butt into internal politics in other countries far too often.
The whole point of the World Apology Tour was that Obama was promising that America was going to stop doing that. Instead of seeing America as exceptional, policeman to the world, America was going to stop thinking of itself as exceptional. America would assume its place as just one more country and mind its own damned business.
When things exploded in Egypt, and Obama got that legendary 3AM phone call, his policy was to stay neutral. Not because he was “voting present”, though that’s what it amounted to, but rather because he doesn’t believe it’s any of America’s business to interfere with what is going on in Egypt. It’s an internal Egyptian affair, and America shouldn’t be trying to pick a winner, let alone directly aiding any one faction. If America is a good citizen of the world, and not the world’s policeman, then America should stand back and let the Egyptians decide their own fate without getting involved.
In other words, for Obama “voting present” isn’t an indication of indecision. It’s an active decision, one he considers the right answer. It’s how America should behave when this kind of thing goes down.
And he can even point to the recent past for a lesson: Honduras in 2009. Obama did try to pick a winner, and he picked wrong. Had he stayed out of it, the result would have been better diplomatically for the US.
If he were allowed to, I think that he would have wanted to stay completely neutral in the case of Egypt, and waited for a winner to emerge, and then tried to negotiate with that winner. But it wasn’t possible, and so what we’ve been seeing is him bowing to pressure to try to choose a side, but doing his best to make that endorsement as tepid and tentative as he possibly can, so that if (as was the case in Honduras) he picked wrong, it didn’t end up poisoning the situation afterwards.
This idea of “America the stupid bully” is a staple of left-wing political thought. Remember “Ask yourself why they hate you”? That’s another manifestation of the same principle. For the left wing it is not just an article of faith, but a Known Fact that every time America interferes in the affairs of another country, the result is death and disaster.
Obama is nothing if not doctrinaire left wing, and I think this idea of “New America the former bully who learned its lesson and leaves everyone else alone” is the philosophical foundation of Obama’s foreign policy.
Of course, just as with all the other left wing policies that Obama has adopted, it doesn’t survive real world test.
This post was promoted from GreenRoom to HotAir.com.
To see the comments on the original post, look here.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Actually, the US was recently again trying to get Honduras to let Mel Zelaya back in. They want the Hondurans to drop the corruption charges so Mel doesn’t have to worry about being arrested, can go back to political rabblerousing and an eventual comeback.
Wethal on February 11, 2011 at 8:50 AM
… please leave your message after the beep…
madmonkphotog on February 11, 2011 at 8:53 AM
i disagree with this post because it seems that Obama is trying to encourage the protesters (he uses words like “freedom”, “democracy” etc) & call out Mubarack for using violence. It appears to me that he has indeed taken a side.
and I have scoured the internet for the past 3 weeks & I still can’t figure out who is doing what. Course, his intelligence is soooooooooo much better.
kelley in virginia on February 11, 2011 at 8:55 AM
Obozo is in so far over his head that he is making a laughingstock out of out country that we may never return to world leadership again. When your CIA Director uses MSM reports to make a declaration on Egypt, you know the incompetence in this administration is becoming dangerous on the world stage.
volsense on February 11, 2011 at 8:57 AM
Well I might buy that if I had not decided that Obama does not ‘throw weight’, he just throws words. He’s too lazy and too indifferent to bother throwing any weight around on anything he did not initiate(and even then he backs down if it takes too much to see it through). If he can’t toss the ball to someone else(recall Reid and Pelosi)for the heavy work and if his perceived charm can’t turn it around then he either dosen’t know any other solutions or doesn’t care or both.
jeanie on February 11, 2011 at 8:58 AM
I actually agree that Obama is keeping a distance to a great degree, but he hasn’t stayed neutral. He’s been pretty consistent on the side of the protesters and “change” in Egypt, but it’s been very understated for the reasons you point out: he doesn’t want the U.S. to be seen as the impetus for Mubarak’s removal. And I think a smart strategy.
I do question this:
I’m not sure how you can make this statement right now. The situation in Egypt is far from being resolved and it’s yet to be seen if Obama’s strategy will lead to a positive outcome.
Tom_Shipley on February 11, 2011 at 8:59 AM
Looking at Obama’s fecklessness and calling him a doctrinaire lefty is the best possible pro-Obama spin.
flyfisher on February 11, 2011 at 8:59 AM
I believe Obama is trying to get the most anti american regimes in power. He did that in Honduras, with Venezuela, with sitting out the Iranian revolt, with sitting out the Lebanon counter revolution, and now endorsing the MUSLIM brotherhood in Egypt. He is the enemy of liberty, and that policy is even worse than what occurred under Jimmy Carter.
eaglewingz08 on February 11, 2011 at 8:59 AM
Fortunately we have Hillary and Biden to back him up…9 am and I need a drink…
right2bright on February 11, 2011 at 9:01 AM
The problem, the world needs a leader, not a reader
tarpon on February 11, 2011 at 9:04 AM
Obama and his entire foreign policy team is in over its head and the world knows it. Everyone in his administration is on a different page and that is likely because there is no clear message or policy position from Obama. He doesn’t know what to do.
bopbottle on February 11, 2011 at 9:05 AM
I disagree with this article too.
BO says we shouldn’t interfere and then turns around and immediately picks a winner and a loser. He’s done it several times. He sucks at picking the winner though and it appears that he thinks that the winner he picks just should be the winner because he says so. Sure seems to me that he is acting on some kind of insider info.(and I think that is because he is lazy and indifferent) He looks like what he is, an incompetent buffoon.
ORconservative on February 11, 2011 at 9:06 AM
The thing that we should all be thinking about is the Chinese are sitting right behind the curtain watching and waiting. They are the major shareholder in the USDebt and when they have had enough stupidity and devaluing of their investment, they are going to pull the plug. Its not a matter of IF, its a matter of WHEN!
So, you all should be ready to grab your ass and hold on because our descent into becoming a ‘Second rate’ or ‘Third-world’ country is just around the corner.
belad on February 11, 2011 at 9:07 AM
Ring!
davidk on February 11, 2011 at 9:07 AM
Tom, tom, tom…even you, with all of your bias and support of Obama and liberal policies, even you should be able to see how ineffective Obama is. How befuddled he is, it is truly a tradegy…not so much him, that is a given he has no experience in foreign affairs, none. What is sad is people like you should be able to see how confused he is, I expect Obama not to recognize his own failings, but I thought there would be some hope that intelligent people would recognize…but I can see that being a liberal is more important than be objective and truthful.
Sad, very sad…an it just means each time he fails, people like you will dig it and support failed policy.
right2bright on February 11, 2011 at 9:09 AM
Obama did intefere. From what I have read, Obama told his emissary to Egypt to
tell the president of Egypt to step down NOW! Murabek
told the emissary where to go and wouldn’t take any further
calls. Then when the emissary saw this wasn’t working, he tried to smooth things over and said that the president of Egypt should stay on and help
the transition to a more democratic government. Obama
and Hillary told the emissary to “pound sand” and again
stated that the president of Egypt should step down NOW!
Then Obama’s head of national security said the Muslim
Brotherhood was okay, they are secular.
If Obama and his administration support the Muslim Brotherhood, they are intefering with democracy in the Middle East. The Muslim Brotherhood adhere to Sharia law and are a bunch of thugs intent on destroy Israel and the
US.
Amjean on February 11, 2011 at 9:10 AM
This just in from ABC; “Pakistani officials said President Obama’s national security advisor summoned Pakistan’s ambassador to the White House Monday evening to deliver a threat from the president:”
Maybe he is just nuts.
Another WTF moment brought to you by liberalism.
percysunshine on February 11, 2011 at 9:11 AM
This says it much better than I did -
I believe Obama is trying to get the most anti american regimes in power. He did that in Honduras, with Venezuela, with sitting out the Iranian revolt, with sitting out the Lebanon counter revolution, and now endorsing the MUSLIM brotherhood in Egypt. He is the enemy of liberty, and that policy is even worse than what occurred under Jimmy Carter.
eaglewingz08 on February 11, 2011 at 8:59 AM
Amjean on February 11, 2011 at 9:12 AM
or a paulite?
why?
sesquipedalian on February 11, 2011 at 9:12 AM
Wonder if China is willing to take the lead in any case. I don’t think they’ll bother except where it directly affects them. They might talk a good game but I don’t think they’ll take on the big daddy role that we have played all these years.
jeanie on February 11, 2011 at 9:13 AM
But, Mr Den Beste, isn’t it more accurately the case that “Mr It’s Wrong for One Country to Impose” has never failed to try his hand at imposing when it could help the lefty/revolutionary cause?
Chaz on February 11, 2011 at 9:13 AM
Victor Davis Hanson (HT: Instapundit)
Wethal on February 11, 2011 at 9:16 AM
Like some others, I think Barry’s use of the word “now” on national television is evidence of his choosing a side. Where I think he’s gone so utterly wrong on this is his public presence. He fails to grasp the political nature of the middle east, fails to understand America’s role in it, and it didn’t occur to him to seek the advice or counsel of Egypt’s neighbors. He ignores the reality of the Muslim Brotherhood simply as a measure of appeasement -because that has been his public face for any Muslim group yet to physically kill Americans- and believes that capitulation will win favors.
And let’s be clear -as Barry would say- when I say “he” I mean the White House, the CIA, the DNI, AND the State Department. Our entire foreign policy apparatus should be replaced over this. We need professionals in these positions, not campaign contributors and political rivals.
Our efforts in this debacle will likely do nothing but embolden our enemies by exposing our inherent weaknesses. Look for lots of money from the Arab world to flood the Obama 2012 campaign.
BKeyser on February 11, 2011 at 9:18 AM
Ring, Ring.
NoNails on February 11, 2011 at 9:18 AM
An outrageous chapter in US history. After little Bammie is out of office, our country needs to offer an apology to the government and people of Honduras.
slickwillie2001 on February 11, 2011 at 9:19 AM
Little did Egypt know.. they called the wrong number.
tinkerthinker on February 11, 2011 at 9:20 AM
All I can think of is a quote from the HBO mini-series “Band of Brothers.” It was the episode where Carwood Lipton is the focus, and he’s describing the new commander of Easy Company, Lt. Norman Dike. “Lieutenant Dike wasn’t a bad leader because he made bad decisions; he was a bad leader because he made no decisions.”
Just my $0.02.
RPL on February 11, 2011 at 9:20 AM
Its 3:00AM,Ring……Ring…….Ring…………..
Hello..yes,just one minute………
Obama,its the Muslim Brotherhood on line #1,(sarc).
canopfor on February 11, 2011 at 9:23 AM
-RING RING
“Uh…um…yeah what? Huh? No you’ve got the wrong number, this is uh…this is Carack Olama.”
Bishop on February 11, 2011 at 9:23 AM
I could agree with this post IF Obama wasn’t trying to make it sound like he’s heavily influencing Mubarak. But he is, and he’s trying to gain credit.
Normally, Mr. den Beste is spot on and sees things we don’t, but I don’t know about this one.
beatcanvas on February 11, 2011 at 9:23 AM
Hillary Clinton Ad – 3 AM White House Ringing Phone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yr7odFUARg
canopfor on February 11, 2011 at 9:24 AM
Disagree with the article. Obama has very much interferred.
Tell me one time in history (other than Obama and Egypt) when a few thousand (out of 80 million) people protested in the country of an ally to the United States and on the very first day the President of the United States was calling for that leader to step down.
From day one of the protests Obama has been calling for a change of leadership in Egypt.
Has Obama ever asked for a change of leadership in Iran, Libya, Syria or other enemy of the US?
albill on February 11, 2011 at 9:25 AM
Hello, MY NAME IS PEGGY !
stenwin77 on February 11, 2011 at 9:27 AM
PBHO is the cop from The Simpsons:
“Hello? No you’ve got the wrong number, this is 91…2.”
Bishop on February 11, 2011 at 9:29 AM
One just need to compare response to Iranian protets and Egypt protests to figure Obmmer out- when secular people protested against islamo faschist dictators in Iran – Obummer was mum. When islamo faschists started protests against secular dictator – Obummmer called for transfer of power – to Muslim Brotherhood. Do your math…
anikol on February 11, 2011 at 9:29 AM
Shorter version of what I said in the original Green Room post — Obama may want to dither, not make a commitment and kick the can down the road in hopes this will all work out on it’s own where he can still take credit (what he thought would happen 24 hours ago), but his high-level foreign policy crew that was openly pro-Palestinian in the run-up to the ’08 election are still there, and would still prefer an Egyptian leadership that takes a much tougher line towards Israel.
They know who they want running Egypt, even if Obama doesn’t, and the Saudis and Mubarak have both figured that out and figured out that Obama’s too wimpy to overtly punish them for Thursday’s knee to the groin. They can play wack-a-Barack because he never wants his fingerprints on a tough decision, and because there actually are a few adults in the foreign policy apparatus who remember what happened when Carter went all-in with the Iranian “reformers” in 1978-79 and aren’t ready to jump head first into a situation that could give the Muslim Brotherhood major control in Egypt.
jon1979 on February 11, 2011 at 9:30 AM
Egypt 2011
taking Cloward-Piven “off Broadway” to see how it plays!
PappyD61 on February 11, 2011 at 9:33 AM
Hmmm…
Secular uprising in Iran against a muslim theocracy: No support from Obama.
Uprising in Egypt against a secular government that will probably lead to an islamic theocracy: Obama’s on board.
bofh on February 11, 2011 at 9:33 AM
Cairo Speech(Transcript)
June 4, 2009
Cairo, Egypt
————
“A New Beginning on US-Muslim Relations and Palestinian Israeli Conflict”
*****************
http://www.asksam.com/ebooks/releases.asp?file=Obama-Speeches.ask&dn=Cairo%20Speech
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Interesting Timing,eh!!
The Lebanese Forces Official Forum
************************************
‘Obama met Muslim Brotherhood members in U.S.’
06-04-2009 06:22 AM
**************************************************
Combine with Obama’s addressing the “Muslim world” in a political context, a strange precedent since the US does not recognize political Islam. And from where?
From Cairo… where the MB is the main political Islam rival to the pro US regime!
What is Obama really doing??
U.S. President Barack Obama met with members of Egypt’s Islamist opposition movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, earlier this year, according to a report in Thursday editions of the Egyptian daily newspaper Almasry Alyoum.
The newspaper reported that Obama met the group’s members, who reside in the U.S. and Europe, in Washington two months ago.
According to the report, the members requested that news of the meeting not be publicized. They expressed to Obama their support for democracy and the war on terror.
The newspaper also reported that the members communicated to Obama their position that the Muslim Brotherhood would abide by all agreements Egypt has signed with foreign countries.
=================
http://www.lebanese-forces.org/forum/showthread.php?40182-Obama-Meets-Muslim-Brotherhood
canopfor on February 11, 2011 at 9:36 AM
Myopic and naive analysis.
Nonsense. He adheres to the Leftist idea that America has been throwing its weight around on behalf of the wrong parties and sides.
The Leftists said we couldn’t interfere in a “sovereign” nation’s business when it was Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. Obama said and did nothing when young Iranians revolted and turned desperately to America for moral support; he let one of the purest freedom-driven movements ever in the Middle East — in a totalitarian regime — twist in the wind. Indeed, Obama zeroed-out funds to the one US-sponsored organization monitoring human rights abuses in Iran.
But the international Left has been active in helping foment these protests in Egypt. The administration tacitly endorsed the role of the Muslim Brotherhood — an avowedly anti-American organization whose propaganda network extends throughout American higher education and with bloody ties to Islamic terrorism around the world — laughably (tragically, actually) mischaracterizing them as “secular.”
Obama said and did nothing for the young protestors dying in the streets of Iran because a mullah-driven and powerful Iran serves his and the Left’s hatred of, and ultimate goal to destroy, Israel. The circumstance in Egypt is similar. He has thrown his support behind a confusingly anarchic and Islamic-tinged movement in a sovereign nation and US ally which had honored its historic accord with Israel.
rrpjr on February 11, 2011 at 9:37 AM
…this is Carack Olama.”
Bishop on February 11, 2011 at 9:23 AM
Bishop:Hehe:)
===================
…this is Carack Olama Burackus!
canopfor on February 11, 2011 at 9:38 AM
Don’t we give a lot of money to Egypt? Something in the billions? I suppose this would give Obama credence if he had the stature to go with it. Everyone has pretty much figured out that O isn’t willing to back his stuff up with action–yet. That would require an actual gamble that might have to be defended, backed up and might come home to roost. Don’t think he’s a Muslim sympathizer,think he’s just in over his head, suspects this and is running scared and his ego will not let him admit it to himself. After all, he’s never failed has he and this is certain to be no exception. In the end it will all go his way says he.
jeanie on February 11, 2011 at 9:38 AM
At 3:00am Obama is told that the Egyptian common man is revolting against the oppressive government.
Under stress we tend to go fall back on our earlier experiences. So Community Organizer Obama’s ‘knee jerk’ reaction is to side with the revolutionaries.
Uniblogger on February 11, 2011 at 9:40 AM
Ron Paul, at least, would not go flipping off our allies, first, and then try to work to get hostile regimes in power or coddle tyrants.
This is not just Egypt.
Look at Lebanon where Hezbollah has gotten into power after numerous reports show that they were the ones behind the assassination of the Prime Minister there. What is our response? The dial tone.
Honduras was mentioned before on the lackluster response of this Administration, but what is the stance of this Administration on Jordan? Yemen? Tunisia? Algeria? The Greeks are starting to get worried about Turkey, do we have a response waiting in the wings, there, because we have a lot of stuff that was in the wings now hitting the stage and we are getting the dial tone.
How can any politician or bureaucrat, particularly in the INTEL world come out and say that the MB is mostly ‘secular’? How about guys like Zawahiri and bin Laden who ran cells for it and then went to Pakistan to make connections there with Hekmatyar and ISI backed terror organizations? Don’t mind that HAMAS was founded by the MB as its ‘armed wing’ back in the 1960′s… what part of this group is ‘secular’? The guy who killed Sadat certainly wasn’t, but was an MB member.
As for supporting rebellion and ‘democracy’ this Administration didn’t even whisper that about Iran. Why come out and support the uprising in Egypt in any way, shape or form by saying that Mubarak should exit the stage, sooner rather than later?
The tone of appeasement is in the air, and let us hope that Lebannon is not the 21st century Sudetenland. Because this isn’t just a single 3AM call… but a whole bank of phones ringing, now. An effort to appease those looking to overthrow things doesn’t get you peace, but war, as their success comes at the price of greater appetite.
We don’t have a President with the guts or the brains to say: we support the process of representative democracy and the peaceful transition of power within its framework as it yields good results over time. That would have to be practiced with all Nations we deal with to make it stick… not selectively… harder to do? Yes. Being President is not what is known as an ‘easy job’ and you must volunteer for it. To be effective you must mean what you say and not be selective in your outlooks and coddle some tyrants while trying to jettison others, because the US of A should have a problem with ALL tyrants and those seeking to build empires. We don’t have that at present. No good shall come of that.
ajacksonian on February 11, 2011 at 9:42 AM
Frankly, this whole mess is really starting to interfere with the WH social calendar.
Alden Pyle on February 11, 2011 at 9:42 AM
It’s hard for Bar to answer the phone when he’s wearing he’s Hulk Fists and playing
since the rule is that the left always sides with fellow commies and radicals you can be sure Bar and his breathren would be pleased with a MB takeover
possibly a battle for the canal to boot
traitor in chief
Sonosam on February 11, 2011 at 9:42 AM
It’s hard for Bar to answer the phone when he’s wearing his Hulk Fists and playing
since the rule is that the left always sides with fellow commies and radicals you can be sure Bar and his breathren would be pleased with a MB takeover
possibly a battle for the canal to boot
traitor in chief
Sonosam on February 11, 2011 at 9:44 AM
Come on, everyone knows that the phone rolls over to voice mail.
nor on February 11, 2011 at 9:45 AM
Exactly. Leftists are nothing if not authoritarian.
Buy Danish on February 11, 2011 at 9:48 AM
A few minutes ago on Fox, Michael Scheuer said this:
flyfisher on February 11, 2011 at 10:01 AM
Steven, is it that he & his fellow leftists seek merely to extricate the US from the affairs of other nations, or is it more accurate to say that he shares the leftists’ slightly less transparent goal to systematically undercut the power of US leadership in global affairs?
Because if it was his intention to not insinuate himself into the affairs of Egypt, he sure failed pretty spectacularly at doing so. He was telling them what to do every hour on the hour, for heaven’s sake, by demanding that Mubarak go, oops stay, no, be gone yesterday, then, er, stay again, then make an orderly transit later after tea & crumpets, whatever.
Even Kissinger was compelled to come out from the cobwebs to tell this Prez to put a damn lid on it.
There’s a big difference between declining to flex any muscles & taking no sides, and frenetically taking sides so incoherently that you ultimately alienate all parties and destroy your personal credibility and the credibility of your country’s entire diplomatic apparatus in the process.
That’s exactly what this POTUS has done.
He may not have been ham-handed with aggressively “Ugly American” demands, but he was certainly ham-handed with his aggressively “Feckless American” ones. He chose to flex muscles, alright, but only the most impotent atrophied ones.
Unlike the aborted freedom rebellion in Iran, this is the one situation where the world might have benefited from Barack Obama simply shutting his pie-hole and playing golf rather than playing world policeman, just as the International Left (and the isolationist right) supposedly would prefer.
But he didn’t. Instead he chose to insinuate himself in a way which was not only unhelpful to the people of Egypt & to regional stability but was actively destructive to America’s diplomatic power everywhere else.
So it sure seems like there’s a little bit more involved here than Barack Obama trying to adhere to the ostensible demands of his fellow leftists that the US simply mind it’s own business.
leilani on February 11, 2011 at 10:04 AM
There is no chance for a secular democracy in Egypt.
That is really all anyone needs to know, and we have known that from day one.
ORconservative on February 11, 2011 at 10:11 AM
Possibilities:
1. His Cairo speech about “hands off” was in the interest of fomenting dissent with the knowledge that the U.S. wouldn’t support Mubarak.
2. It really is a genuine hands off policy
3. It’s to show the world the consequences of a hands off America.
John Deaux on February 11, 2011 at 10:12 AM
Off-topic, yet on-topic would be the headline from yesterday’s Wall Street Journal:
“Germans in Talks to Buy Big Board”
America’s financial center will be taken over by the people we and our allies defeated in 1945. Leftists are too stupid to realize that as America’s world standing and influence diminish, we will become more like the former British Empire.
oldleprechaun on February 11, 2011 at 10:14 AM
He may be right but I can’t stand Michael Scheuer. I think he’s a bit of a crackpot and he’s not on my list of trusted analysts.
Buy Danish on February 11, 2011 at 10:17 AM
Hmm, dunno. Interesting thought, and yet, if he really believed this, why not say it? Why say anything at all, much less repeated/inconsistent pronoouncements insisting on this or that, from day to day?
Midas on February 11, 2011 at 10:19 AM
Many good comments here.
There’s a peculiarly passive-aggressive and subversive Leftist pattern at play in all this. He’s not playing world policeman, but world community organizer — keen for the chaos and the undoing of the established order while heedless of the forces being unbottled. This is not about the democratic freedoms of Egypt but about breakdown of the system. And he keeps his hands clean, like the lawyerly organizer who incites the riots in the streets but never involves himself directly.
rrpjr on February 11, 2011 at 10:20 AM
Agreed about Scheuer, but he’s worth listening to. For the record, he was part of a three-man panel. They were all in agreement. One of the other guys was Doug Shoen. Shoen believes, based on analysis of polling in Egypt, it’s “very likely” the Muslim Brotherhood will eventually take over.
flyfisher on February 11, 2011 at 10:28 AM
Many good comments here.
There’s a peculiarly passive-aggressive and subversive Leftist pattern at play in all this. He’s not playing world policeman, but world community organizer —
rrpjr on February 11, 2011 at 10:20 AM
rrpjr:Thats what the problem is,Obama cannot be seperated
from his Community Organizer Mold,
he’s political poisoned!!!!
canopfor on February 11, 2011 at 10:29 AM
@rrpjr Many good comments, yes, but yours at 10:20 might be the most succinctly cogent of them all.
leilani on February 11, 2011 at 10:29 AM
O.T. – How many of you knew this factoid:?
That would be attorney Lynne Stewart’s BFF, the Blind Sheikh, who, despite being on an a State Department watch list, was let in the U.S. in 1990 on a tourist visa and spent 3 years fomenting violence and issuing fatwas until the FBI finally began to monitor him in 1993, after the first World Trade Center bombing.
Buy Danish on February 11, 2011 at 10:35 AM
One more thing Scheuer said:
NOTE: that’s not quite a word for word translation, but it’s real close. I was typing as fast as I could type. It fairly represents what he said and believes.
flyfisher on February 11, 2011 at 10:38 AM
Speak of the devil, one of my very lefty facebook friends just posted a link to Michael Sheuer’s new book on Bin Laden.
Buy Danish on February 11, 2011 at 10:40 AM
Agreed. Supurb!
flyfisher on February 11, 2011 at 10:40 AM
Simple conclusion for me; WORST PRESIDENT & ADMINISTRATION EVVAH!
msmystery on February 11, 2011 at 10:43 AM
FIFY
Bruno Strozek on February 11, 2011 at 10:46 AM
This analysis overlooks statements by the WH about Mubarak needing to step down now. And by now they meant yesterday, as Robert Gibbs, WH spokesman, said emphatically.
hawksruleva on February 11, 2011 at 10:50 AM
That would be attorney Lynne Stewart’s BFF, the Blind Sheikh, who, despite being on an a State Department watch list, was let in the U.S. in 1990 on a tourist visa and spent 3 years fomenting violence and issuing fatwas until the FBI finally began to monitor him in 1993, after the first World Trade Center bombing.
Buy Danish on February 11, 2011 at 10:35 AM
Buy Danish:Lovely,with the crap thats going on in Egypt,
and all the jockeying going on for over two
years,
it feels like the run up to,gawd forebid,9/11!:)
canopfor on February 11, 2011 at 10:54 AM
My goodness. Christiane Ammawhatever is speaking right now saying that there is nothing ideological or Islamic about this uprising. “They just want democracy”
No wonder people think BO is handling this well. The reporting is completely false.
ORconservative on February 11, 2011 at 10:54 AM
There may come a day when we see headlines like this: “Disgraced former US President Barack Obama Spotted at a Discount Dollar Store in Chicago”
Key West Reader on February 11, 2011 at 10:57 AM
Trade Center bombing.
Buy Danish on February 11, 2011 at 10:35 AM
Buy Danish:From Egyptian Newpaper!!
=====================================
Suez protesters occupy government buildings
Ahmed Zaki Osman
Fri, 11/02/2011 – 15:36
http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/news/suez-protesters-occupy-government-buildings
canopfor on February 11, 2011 at 10:58 AM
Egyptian VP Speaking now,
Mubarak has RESIGNED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
canopfor on February 11, 2011 at 11:03 AM
China is much more subtle about how it
controlsinfluences puppet states. There is no need to be the world’s policeman because its Imperialism is done with the boot, not the dollar.belad on February 11, 2011 at 11:05 AM
I’m sorry but this is not what happened here, Obama and his co-horts tried to push Mubarak out with no credible decent government waiting in the wings to take over. If you want to assert this then use the example of Iran where he stood by and let the Green Revolution die. Honduras he tried to overule the government and tried to push for Zelaya’s return.
Obama’s foreign policy has been friendly to muslim dictators and a comeplete disaster otherwise. I am embarassed he is the POTUS.
CCRWM on February 11, 2011 at 11:24 AM
The President is flailing aimlessly. I don’t think there is any ‘strategy’ in his recent reactions to what is transpiring in Egypt.
zoyclem on February 11, 2011 at 11:27 AM
If I may…I will email this to Sarah for future campaign use…
CCRWM on February 11, 2011 at 11:30 AM
Ring Ring
Yes…
What?…
Oh no, Michelle and I took the girls to Hawaii again, and we just got back tonight. So what’s going on in Egypt? Uh, no, I don’t care…have Hillary call Mubarak tomorrow and ask him if he needs anything, then make sure that he doesn’t get it. In fact, if he does ask for anything give it to the Muslim Brotherhood “by mistake” instead.
No, I don’t care what the Muslim Brotherhood wants to do, just tell them it’s okay with me.
No, I’m going back to sleep. I’ve got 18 holes to play with Biden and Immelt tomorrow and I need my rest.
Yeah, yeah, whatever, I don’t care…yeah, good night
Vntnrse on February 11, 2011 at 12:21 PM
My take on Obama’s course of action in Egypt is to give Muslims (Brotherhood?) chaos and a shot at taking power by such contradictions as Mubarak must go to Mubarak should stay awhile. The dog that didn’t bark is Iran where he said we don’t meddle then in Egypt he says the ruler has to go without even knowing the source of power behind protesters. He helps Muslims come to power. Obama’s choice of DNI chief (Clapper) is about the stupidest choice anyone could have made. Why does he weaken our country with every move? Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a while so it can’t be just stupidity.
Herb on February 11, 2011 at 12:23 PM
Ring Ring
What now?
No! Tell Sonia she can’t be the fourth player with us! Kagan is gonna play!
As we can see, golf and vacation is much more important to thd big “O”….
Vntnrse on February 11, 2011 at 12:35 PM
Thirded if it hasn’t been already.
44Magnum on February 11, 2011 at 1:43 PM
rrpjr on February 11, 2011 at 10:20 AM: He may be operating as a community organizer, but it goes beyond not worrying about the result in Egypt or other countries. Obama, by his actions, is placing the US security at risk. That is because we are not now respected OR feared; I don’t give a tinkers dam whether or not we are liked, I just want half crazed lunatics running foreign government to be weary of what we will do if they take us on directly or with terrorism.
It was never proven but supposedly Bush the Elder told Saddam Hussein that is he used chemical weapons he would be nuked. I can’t imagine Obama sending such a message or anyone actually believing him if he did. He doesn’t even look the part, as they say, much less speak and walk the same way. His lies on domestic policy give call to judge he would do/does the same in foreign policy. He is not to be trusted or feared.
If I was in charge, and thank God I’m not, I would quietly tell those countries that practice terrorism/support that effort, that if we are attacked as in 9-11 and we could not readily determine who supported the players, they would be targeted without warning. But that is just me; a guy who wants to see his grandchildren live in a free America.
amr on February 11, 2011 at 2:45 PM
The only problem with this analysis is that it’s not supported by the facts on the ground. When he got the 3 AM call, Obama told Mubarak to do a whole lot of different things.
SilentWatcher on February 11, 2011 at 8:18 PM
If Ron Paul was President, he would have missed this 3 AM call too.
Regardless if he’s an isolationist or non-interventionalist…the result would have been the same as Obama’s response to this revolts in Iran, Tunisia, Egypt and across the Middle East.
Conservative Samizdat on February 12, 2011 at 3:24 PM
Wasn’t it because Barry didn’t think that Mubarak was oppressive enough?
SagebrushPuppet on February 13, 2011 at 5:52 PM