Sorry just back in the loop - Obama "Blew It" on Egypt?

[underpants]

The result has been a foreign-policy debacle. The president has alienated everybody: not only Mubarak’s cronies in the military, but also the youthful crowds in the streets of Cairo. Whoever ultimately wins, Obama loses.
http://www.newsweek.com/2011/02/13/wanted-a-grand-strategy-for-america.html#

This is trumpeted by
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/02/obamas_egypt_bungling.html

and the LA Times
On Egypt, Obama blew it
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-02-03/news/bs-ed-obama-egypt-letter-20110203_1_barack-obama-fighter-jets-president-obama

:shrug: Okay so some people here never like anything anyone does but is this something of the last few days (kid has been in the hospital since Sunday) ??? :shrug:

[Forkboy]

1. American Thinker is one horrid site, not to be trusted by any sane human.

The L.A. Times has been no friend to Obama either. Don't read Newsweek very often (only in waiting rooms lol), so I can't say what their slant is.

My own feelings are mixed on it, and I don't really feel that Obama deserves much blame or much credit. I think events caught them (and damn near everyone else) by surprise, and after that it was just finger in the wind time as much as leadership. It seemed pretty tepid to me, but others mileage may vary.

[tridim]

2. I read similar articles while the Egyptians were chanting "O-Bama! O-Bama!" on live TV.

It's just RW propaganda, created by people who hate all other people.

[underpants]

15. Thanks for restoring my recent memory

I almost lost it there.

[damntexdem]

3. It's one of the few areas where Obama has not blown it recently.

So naturally, that is where the RW attacks.

[hlthe2b]

4. This is some newcomer to Newsweek trying to make his name...

Since Newsweek was sold to Sidney Harman (the stereo guy) for $1.... I'd say they have little or at least unclear credibility on the foreign affairs front.

[jenmito]

8. Yup. And the comments posted below the article show almost all of them are disgusted by

this newcomer, Niall Ferguson.

[Exilednight]

22. Yeah, he's a newcomer who has written five books and six documentaries.

Not to mention that he has written for The Sunday Telegraph and is the contributing editor to the Financial Times.

Yeah, he's a real newcomer. :sarcasm:

I don't always agree with the guy, but I don't easily dismiss him either. What he says is worth considering.

[OnyxCollie]

24. Neweek has no credibility because Sidney Harman bought it?

Sidney Harman (the stereo guy), is married to former Rep. Jane Harman, who was a member of 7 committees (Energy and Commerce, Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism, Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment (Energy and Commerce), Subcommittee on Health (Energy and Commerce), Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment) and chairs the Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment which is a sub-committee of Homeland security.

I think it's you who has little credibility on the foreign affairs front.

[jenmito]

5. Niall Ferguson, who wrote that Newsweek cover story, was on Morning Joe a couple days ago and

just made his anti-Obama bias was way too obvious to take him seriously. He said he feared Obama would be a terrible president due to his lack of experience and his fears have been realized.

[Badfish]

9. I saw that.

Could have been Beck speaking , they sounded the same. The guy is a Obama hater.

[jenmito]

11. Yup...

it's like everyone on Morning Joe, including Joe himself, was in disbelief listening to what he was saying.

[phleshdef]

6. To be honest, the whole thing was done and over before anyone had time to blow it or not blow it.

Shit like this is just more typical political ADHD.

[Blue_Tires]

19. +1

[Deep13]

7. Yeah, I don't think the USA had anything to do with the Egyprian revolution. nt

[jenmito]

10. It had SOMETHING to do with its success. Our defense dept. was in close contact with

their military, just as Biden was getting tough with Suleiman about his comments that Egypt wasn't ready for democracy and other similar comments, along with Obama's remarks.

[killbotfactory]

12. Obama recognized the demands of the protestors as legitimate

He called for a transition to democracy, and stated they had a right to be heard.

Meanwhile he used our influence with the Egyptian government to keep lines of communication open, and to make sure the army was not about to slaughter the protesters and to keep Mubaraks thugs from successfully repressing the protesters.

If we had a president who valued stability over democracy, and used our influence to convince the gov't and military to crack down, things could have ended up going horribly wrong.

What the hell do these people want him to do? Parachute into Cairo and handcuff Mubarak at gunpoint?

[LeftyAndProud60]

13. I swear I've heard more about Obama being incompetent a lil too much. Far more than Bush. And it's

only been 2 yrs. Incompetent is a code word for me, and I'll let some of you guess what it's code for.

[underpants]

14. "Boy" ish?

"Arrogant" (uppity) was used during the campaign

[GoCubsGo]

21. You are correct. It IS a code word.

Just like "dithering", and claiming that he "botches everything he touches." And, just like "He has accomplished nothing." Consider the source, and how much they love to project their own failings on others.

[Godhumor]

16. Last article is from February 3rd, American Thinker is a cesspool

And the Newsweek author has been covered in other posts.

Obama was extremely well received in his speech to the people of Egypt. Whether people here want to recognize it, is completely inconsequential.

[WolfoftheWild]

17. Obama did great. Just ask the Egyptian People.

Have no doubt, if it wasn't for Obama reaching out to the Egyptian military behind the scenes,
Mubarak would still be in power.

[opihimoimoi]

18. Obama went there 2.5 yeaqrs ago.....hugh speech....I suspect it sparked the Freedom Fever

[FrenchieCat]

20. We won't know till we read it in the history books......

which is usually how it works.

Good thing too.

[karynnj]

23. A bit of perspective

The Newsweek article is written from a perspective that sees American foreign policy in the Middle East through the eyes of Israel. In essence, the article suggests that it is bad that Mubarak is out. (It was written before he left). Note that the heyday of American foreign policy to him was under Nixon and Ford - contrasted with Carter.

The second one is a very RW wing site, so I didn't bother to go to it.

The third was from early February - written before Mubarak fell. The perspective is a Pakistani, who remembers how the US supported Musharraf for years.

It will take time before it is known what the new Egypt will act like, but it seems clear that this was something that the Egyptian people did for themselves and there is great pride in that.