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Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Clarity That Would Have Been Useful in 2008

After 8 years of being beaten with a clue bat, Richard Cohen finally gets a clue about America's diminished reputation in the world:

That coolness, that no-drama Obama, cost lives in Syria. Instead of rallying the United States to a worthy cause — intervening to save lives and avoid a refugee crisis that is still destabilizing Europe — he threw in the towel. The banner he flew was one of American diminishment. One could agree. One could not be proud.

Since the end of World War II, American leadership has been essential to maintain world peace. Whether we liked it or not, we were the world’s policeman. There was no other cop on the beat. Now that leadership is gone. So, increasingly, will be peace.
Holy cow, a bit late to the dance, eh Mr. Cohen? Now he notices?! Was he in a coma for the last 7+ years?

But I should be grateful rather than disdainful. It is good to see that the "reality-based community" may be highly resistant to reality--but it is not immune to it finally penetrating their hopey/changy defenses.

Yes, while embracing the judgment of "no-drama Obama," our president was in fact better described by a failure to react to defend our interests. Call it "Drama? No Obama."

Amazingly, President Obama only got upset when his legacy rather than the interests of America were threatened.

I hope President Trump can restore our reputation among our allies and foes.

But I fear that the price of rebuilding our reputation will be a war that breaks out when a foe doesn't believe we will, after years of shrinking from threats, stop them.