US President Barak Hussein Obama promised a new America; he has delievered.
The new president of the United States is not a tireless advocate for freedom lovers abroad and the security of his country at home.
He allowed himself to be photographed with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez who actively plots to diminish US influence in Latin America and undermine Colombia´s democracy. At the same hemispheric conference in April, the US president endured a tirade by Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega enumerating the supposed crimes Washington had perpetrated in the sweep of Latin American history.
His attorney general, Eric Holder, has unleashed a vindictive investigation of CIA interrogators who produced actionable intelligence to smash terrorist attacks inside the US during the previous presidential administration. Saving American lives and thwarting terror attacks used to be a priority for a US president.
No more. The interrogators will now be interrogated with a noticeable chilling effect on the practice and comforting those subject to it. It is curious to note that Mr. Holder´s old law firm represents and provides legal defense counsel for Yemeni terror detainees at Gitmo.
The US Democrat Party traditionally has opposed any missile defense shield whether for the homeland or not. US President Obama´s decision to abandon the Bush-era missile defense shield housed in the Czech Republic and Poland to protect Europe from Iran´s increasingly iniquitous missile threat fits the pattern.
However, the immediate satisfaction to appease Russia in an empty chance to get help with UN sanctions on Iran rewards Moscow on two fronts. The US slap of two Nato allies genuflects before Moscow´s tough demands on a youthful US president. Additionally, Moscow basks in seeing its ex-Soviet states knocked back a peg or two by the very country that gave much to liberate them from tyranny. The new democratic states in Central Europe will not easily forgive or forget Washington´s betrayal.
US President Obama too easily cossets his enemies and dismisses his friends. US presidents are normally more informed and more careful.
President Obama´s moves to this point weaken the US in an increasinly less secure world. While dumping on allies is easy, the big test, as GSM has reminded its readers, is the challenge posed by Iran. We invite you to read on in part two.
