The Collapse of Obama’s Diplomacy
One of the websites I rely on for alternative points of view is http://www.watchingamerica.com/News/. Some are pro-USA, some more critical.
The Collapse of Obama’s Diplomacy
By Eric Leser
The American administration has given up the role that the United States has traditionally played in world affairs for the last 70 years. The extent of the consequences is yet to be seen, even if they are already felt from Kiev to the China Seas.
Translated By Simon Wood
17 April 2014
Edited by Brent Landon
Is diplomacy made up of good intentions and great speeches? No. And one doesn't have to read Sun Tzu, Thucydides or Machiavelli to know this. We have been reminded once again of the disaster that is the foreign policy of the Obama administration.
Obama has, however, delivered some nice speeches. In July 2008, having just assumed office, in front of an ecstatic crowd of 100,000 people in Berlin who came to acclaim him, he promised “to rebuild the world.”* In June 2009 in Cairo, the president of the United States announced a “new beginning” in the relations between America and the Arab-Muslim world and offered a “greeting of peace.” In September 2009, this time in front of the United Nations General Assembly, he affirmed, “No one nation can or should try to dominate another nation.” And a few days later, Barack Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”
Less than five years later, these good intentions lie in the dungeons of history, swept aside by setbacks, concessions, humiliations and forgotten promises. The instances of weakness make a long list for an America that remains the biggest economic and military power in the world. We had almost forgotten ...
Much more here: http://watchingamerica.com/News/237344/the-collapse-of-obamas-diplomacy/
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You are also in a protected group so tread carefully.
Thanks Starry.
Anyone besides crazy ole' tin foil hat me ever wonder if the Culinary Institute of America was/is actually a CIA front? LOL! Wikipedia says it was founded in 1946.. perfect timing, n'est c'est pas?
I kid, i kid.. 
I have deep criticisms of our U.S. foreign policies and geopolitical machinations, but I don't see it from this writers perspective at all.
The Arab revolutions, supported by Washington, foundered with the sole exception of Tunisia. The United States will have seen in passing their Egyptian, Saudi, Turkish and Israeli allies distancing themselves or turning their backs on them. And what to say of their mistakes and of their impotence, finally, regarding the torturer of Damascus, Bashar Assad, in spite of their proclaimed will to see him leave office? And of the announced “red line” regarding the use of chemical weapons against its civic population? There has been more saber rattling and constant concessions regarding the Iranian nuclear program. The difficult negotiations in progress in Geneva should allow an agreement of frontage with Tehran, and the end of economic sanctions against a control of the Iranian nuclear sites because the White House wants an absolute success. But it will simply be a facade without the dismantling of the Islamic republic's secret military program of nuclear armaments. Since the beginning, the parties involved in the negotiations have acted as if it didn't exist.
As an aside, I tried to figure who this "Watching America" organization was, impossible from it's website, claims to be "neutral" when obviously it isn't. I noticed a "Blue Republican" logo sponsor which I've never heard of before. I suspect it's a Neo-Conservative organization.. or tied to that milieu of Neo Cons tied the Foreign Relations Council etc. Could be wrong.
I was headed over there but as it so often happens, got distracted on other topics and didn't follow up.
It's interesting, we're hearing a lot of "voices" from outside of the U.S. (as well as internally) expressing extreme disappointment with Obama's "soft" approach to conflicts.. whether regarding Syria, to Iran, to the Crimea, Nigeria and on and on. we drone where we can get away with it, Pakistan, Yemen, Somali and elsewhere no doubt, which is absolutely unacceptable to many of us.
On the other hand Obama has so far refused to be baited into outright military interventions (vis a vis launching invasion/bombings/storm trooping) a lot of imperialistic talk, but no actual military attacks, which I applaud, but so many are salivating for him to do, here in the states and abroad.
What I think I'm reading and hearing, is a sort of bemoaning that the U.S. isn't behaving in it's traditional "exceptionalist" manner, and shame on us. it's been years since I've followed the Foreign Relations Council war hawks spouting off their policies and recommendations on anything. But as it happens, on the eve of the Crimea referendum, the sitting members of the panel on Leon Panetta's institute's conference were all practically sobbing, cued with Panetta's opening remarks "We Lost Crimea".
Hopefully I can be forgiven for any momentary lapse of open minded thought with regard to opinions which seem straight out of the mouths of William Kristol and his ilk.
Having said all that.. I DO really appreciate being made aware of an array of thought especially from out side the country.. it's important for many reasons, in seeking to further and broaden my understanding of divergence of world views.. And this is a website, I've never seen before, it appears that Noam Chomsky is featured in the archives.. so I look forward to exploring that place more.. 
oh yeah, regarding the "Blue Republican" logo, it does look like an ad on second view.. there's "Ending Left vs Right" meme attached. Interesting.
we want that in this group. No red baiting helps us keep the group think out, but we definitely are interested in socialist progressive ideas for the future. Happy reading
