-the iraq status of forces agreement was a bad flub.
-we have ( along with the sunnis) counted all along on Israel to do what its going to do, take out as much of irans nuke manufacturing capacity as they can before the UN and select moronic nations gang up on them. The balloon may go up, IF hamas still sees iran as viable patron. Hezbollah is watching Syria very carefully, IF Assad goes down big and a sunni majority takes control, that may pop a few of those balloons and be a net positive overall but there will be further bloodshed along the way.
Like it or not a) I am not sure how much obama can really do about any of this, but due to poor handling of the events there over his 3 years, leads to (b).....
b) the arabs had a great deal of more respect for bush, as they feared him a great deal more. fear is a form of soft power that can be used, they don't fear obama, getting bin laden and drones galore not withstanding.
c) nor korea, has played administrations, big time, bush especially in the later years of his admin. IF there is a time to mess with them, its now, while the young chub tries to gather all the nebulous powers at be in his hands. he has not done much on that front.