barryqwalsh
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- Sep 30, 2014
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Obama: adept at politics but weak in leadership
In an election year it was inevitable Barack Obama would use his final State of the Union address to expound on the achievements of his presidency as he sees them and try to frame the race for fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton to win election as his successor. But in doing so he revealed perceptions he has about his own leadership and America’s position in a world beset by jihadist terrorism that do not augur well for anything but continuing malaise, especially on foreign policy.
No one can argue with Mr Obama’s contention that seven years since he was elected the US remains “the most powerful nation on earth”. But when he kicks back against what he terms “rhetoric ... about our enemies getting stronger and America getting weaker”, questions follow that go to the heart of his leadership of the free world at a time of such profound global challenges.
There have been successes, particularly on the US economic recovery, which has seen 14 million jobs created. While many in middle America feel they have been denied the benefits of the improved economy, Mr Obama was right, in his wholesale repudiation of Donald Trump, the Republican frontrunner for the White House, to maintain that those who say America’s economy is in decline are peddling fiction.
But Mr Obama’s failure, as the leader of the most powerful nation on earth, lies in his inability to use that power at a time of rampant global terrorism like that seen in the suicide bomber, grenade and shooting attacks in Jakarta yesterday. He dislikes what he calls “rhetoric” that “our enemies are getting stronger and America is getting weaker”. But perceptions of leadership weakness in Washington undoubtedly play into the hands of terrorists and Mr Obama does himself no favours by failing to recognise that demonstrable strength is what is needed in the war against Islamic extremism.
Incredibly, Mr Obama has sought to represent Syria as some kind of US policy success; yet the reality is that the grave challenge now confronting the entire world over Islamic State terror results incontrovertibly from the failure of US Middle East policy (some might ask, what policy?) which has been shambolic and unable to exert the influence needed to compel the Assad regime to make the democratic changes needed to pull the rug from under extremists. That has been compounded immeasurably by Mr Obama’s premature withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, an error he appears to be about to make again in Afghanistan. He has also been unable to thwart Russia’s re-emergence as a major player in the Middle East acting in cahoots with Iran and Hezbollah. Mr Obama boasts that he has been able to establish a coalition of more than 60 nations (including Australia) united in waging war against Islamic State terrorism. The reality is different. AsThe New York Times puts it: “when it comes to the war part of the war against Islamic State ... the coalition shrinks to a coalition of just a handful.” Most of the 60-odd countries do nothing. Mr Obama has been unable to get strategically vital nations like Turkey and the Gulf States to do much. Even European countries like Germany are limiting themselves to a strictly non-combative role. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that the Turnbull government has declined a US request to send more troops. Australia is already doing more than any country other than the US. Difficulty in getting countries to join the fight is another reflection of Mr Obama’s leadership failure. This is symbolised, too, in his inability to stand up to Vladimir Putin’s entirely illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and undermining of Ukraine in flagrant contravention of post-Cold War conventions. The White House’s vaunted “isolate Russia” policy has achieved little.
The nuclear deal concluded with Iran which Mr Obama spoke about with triumph has come at the price of close relations with Israel and the neglect by Washington of what should be the top priority of getting talks restarted with the Palestinians. Meanwhile, the ayatollahs go on supporting international terrorism, using Hezbollah and their own Revolutionary Guards to prop up the Assad regime and working closely with the crafty Mr Putin. Iran has also been test-firing long-range nuclear-capable ballistic missiles in flagrant violation of UN resolutions, with Washington offering only a muted response.
In our region Mr Obama’s welcome 2012 announcement of his “pivot to Asia” has seen little follow-up — and no mention in his address. The Trans-Pacific Partnership, he said, shows “China doesn’t make the rules in that region, we do”. Yet Beijing is brazenly challenging US strategic authority in the region in a way never before seen. Even North Korea seems to be getting away with thumbing its nose at Washington on nuclear weapons.
Mr Obama is a brilliant retail politician. But he has been unable to translate that into the strong leadership needed to meet the scourge of jihadist terrorism and to lead the world in the search for greater security.
Nocookies
- THE AUSTRALIAN
- JANUARY 15, 2016 12:00AM
In an election year it was inevitable Barack Obama would use his final State of the Union address to expound on the achievements of his presidency as he sees them and try to frame the race for fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton to win election as his successor. But in doing so he revealed perceptions he has about his own leadership and America’s position in a world beset by jihadist terrorism that do not augur well for anything but continuing malaise, especially on foreign policy.
No one can argue with Mr Obama’s contention that seven years since he was elected the US remains “the most powerful nation on earth”. But when he kicks back against what he terms “rhetoric ... about our enemies getting stronger and America getting weaker”, questions follow that go to the heart of his leadership of the free world at a time of such profound global challenges.
There have been successes, particularly on the US economic recovery, which has seen 14 million jobs created. While many in middle America feel they have been denied the benefits of the improved economy, Mr Obama was right, in his wholesale repudiation of Donald Trump, the Republican frontrunner for the White House, to maintain that those who say America’s economy is in decline are peddling fiction.
But Mr Obama’s failure, as the leader of the most powerful nation on earth, lies in his inability to use that power at a time of rampant global terrorism like that seen in the suicide bomber, grenade and shooting attacks in Jakarta yesterday. He dislikes what he calls “rhetoric” that “our enemies are getting stronger and America is getting weaker”. But perceptions of leadership weakness in Washington undoubtedly play into the hands of terrorists and Mr Obama does himself no favours by failing to recognise that demonstrable strength is what is needed in the war against Islamic extremism.
Incredibly, Mr Obama has sought to represent Syria as some kind of US policy success; yet the reality is that the grave challenge now confronting the entire world over Islamic State terror results incontrovertibly from the failure of US Middle East policy (some might ask, what policy?) which has been shambolic and unable to exert the influence needed to compel the Assad regime to make the democratic changes needed to pull the rug from under extremists. That has been compounded immeasurably by Mr Obama’s premature withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, an error he appears to be about to make again in Afghanistan. He has also been unable to thwart Russia’s re-emergence as a major player in the Middle East acting in cahoots with Iran and Hezbollah. Mr Obama boasts that he has been able to establish a coalition of more than 60 nations (including Australia) united in waging war against Islamic State terrorism. The reality is different. AsThe New York Times puts it: “when it comes to the war part of the war against Islamic State ... the coalition shrinks to a coalition of just a handful.” Most of the 60-odd countries do nothing. Mr Obama has been unable to get strategically vital nations like Turkey and the Gulf States to do much. Even European countries like Germany are limiting themselves to a strictly non-combative role. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that the Turnbull government has declined a US request to send more troops. Australia is already doing more than any country other than the US. Difficulty in getting countries to join the fight is another reflection of Mr Obama’s leadership failure. This is symbolised, too, in his inability to stand up to Vladimir Putin’s entirely illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and undermining of Ukraine in flagrant contravention of post-Cold War conventions. The White House’s vaunted “isolate Russia” policy has achieved little.
The nuclear deal concluded with Iran which Mr Obama spoke about with triumph has come at the price of close relations with Israel and the neglect by Washington of what should be the top priority of getting talks restarted with the Palestinians. Meanwhile, the ayatollahs go on supporting international terrorism, using Hezbollah and their own Revolutionary Guards to prop up the Assad regime and working closely with the crafty Mr Putin. Iran has also been test-firing long-range nuclear-capable ballistic missiles in flagrant violation of UN resolutions, with Washington offering only a muted response.
In our region Mr Obama’s welcome 2012 announcement of his “pivot to Asia” has seen little follow-up — and no mention in his address. The Trans-Pacific Partnership, he said, shows “China doesn’t make the rules in that region, we do”. Yet Beijing is brazenly challenging US strategic authority in the region in a way never before seen. Even North Korea seems to be getting away with thumbing its nose at Washington on nuclear weapons.
Mr Obama is a brilliant retail politician. But he has been unable to translate that into the strong leadership needed to meet the scourge of jihadist terrorism and to lead the world in the search for greater security.
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Nocookies
