Feb 01 2011
This Time I Hope Obama Gets It Right (On Egypt)
A lot of conservatives hope President Obama will fail at all he does – apparently that makes them feel better about themselves I guess. Nothing like feeling superior when someone else falters.
But unlike Rush Limbaugh, I know Obama’s failures can come at a huge price. This time, when it comes to Egypt, I am more than happy for President Obama to get it right, and get the credit. The only available options are:
- A fledgling Democracy arises as Mubarak steps aside and supports a peaceful transition
- The West bungles this opportunity (as it did in Iran last year) and throws the Egyptian people to the Islamo Fascists
Having a son in the military I of course want the first to be the focus of our efforts. If you support the military then of course you will push for the first to be the goal. You will not let the fear of an election’s outcome make the 2nd option the defacto result. Fear of election outcomes were in play in Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan – all unfounded.
The protests have been peaceful and respectful. No apparent blood lust, little focus on the West. It is Mubarak who needs to go, not Egypt’s future with the West and the new Middle East.
If Egypt can transition peacefully and democratically then President Obama will get the credit and his place in history. His economic plans will still have been a failure and his Obamacare is still going to be rejected. But helping Egypt get through this moment of history would be a major success. Here’s hoping it turns out the best possible way for the Egyptians, the Arab world, the Muslim community, the US military and our President.
The path of failure is too horrible to ponder.
AJ I THINK YOU HAVE RUSH WRONG. He wants Obama’s policies to fail when they hurt the United States, like the trillion dollar “stimulus”. With Rush there is one thing everybody knows, he loves this country and has a very soft spot for those who fight for us.
The whole Middle East could blow up and it is very dangerous, I think more dangerous then we can imagine. Jordan is in trouble as well. Everybody is hoping our leadership can help, not that there is much we can do. I think we all know that as well.
I want obama to fail at letting islamists (Muslim Brotherhood) into the government of Egypt(see lucianne.com article). I cannot see how a group whose state goal is to destroy the West is good for that government. History tells the story in this regard and it is not good.
HOWEVER, I DO want him to succeed in helping Egypt move toward more freedom AND stability…An ALLY for the West (and other freedom loving countries).
How will Obama deserve credit for standing on the sidelines, doing nothing, and just vaguely hoping that other people figure out how to make things work?
Now I do think that the Egyptians don’t want a mullahcrocy like the Iranians have, and that some kind of stable government willl arise. That’s not guaranteed, of course, but it’s a strong possibility, and Mubarak’s government (in spite of what Joe Biden claims) has been a typical, nasty dictatorship that was shameful for us to support all these years.
But whatever happens to Egypt now, it’s certain that Obama will have had nothing to do with it. In fact, if things do work out we’ll have to be thankful that things worked out in SPITE of him, not because of him.
AJ, I don’t think it is correct to label all conservatives with a broad brush. As far as I have encountered, conservatives are EXTREMELY WORRIED about the country/world for their children and grandchildren and want it fixed NOW. And, as far as I know, conservatives in congress have praised obama for executing Bush’s policies in the military. George Bush was extremely kind to many on the Left who were indecent and beyond aggressively trying to humiliate him. I don’t see ANY of that from the Left, I have to tell you.
To clarify, I don’t see any kindness from the Left towards those who disagree with them. And I don’t see anything NEAR the animosity that was displayed toward Bush being done to obama.
Iraq sent planes to Egypt to rescue their people. Free elections in Iraq, that’s kinda interesting. It must be George Bush’s fault.
Someone wondered how it would look if Egypt was lost on Obama’s watch. I’m thinking, not as bad as loosing Israel.
Obama says he encourages the Brotherhood to participate in Egyptian government as long as they denounce violence. I wonder what AYMAN AL-ZAWAHIRI thinks of that idea?
I don’t necessarily want the boob to fail (maybe on crap like ObamaCare I did) but I just think it is inevitable.
I, too, do not see any past evidence of Obama’s wisdom that can comfort us. He will not handle this.
Beautifully written article, AJ!!!
While I admire your hope that our President will be successful, I doubt that he holds the necessary prior beliefs that would allow for that outcome. I believe that he believes, and has said so in his statements, that attempting to foist American views and values on foreign nations is a form of imperialism. And, to be avoided.
We are all exceptional.
.
AJ,
You still do not get it.
Obama’s goal is to damage the USA in any way possible.
Prove me wrong, by showing Obama’s action that has not done so.
Some may say it is due to his “inexperience”.
I find that very, very difficult to swallow, when we talk about ALL of his actions.
Not even one that benefits the USA.
Period.
Obama is the enemy…period. He plays “nicely” with the enemy, and fools many people…including some conservatives.
All you have to do is FOCUS on his foreign policy of HONDURAS…to see he plays “nicely” with the enemy…all the while pretending that he supports democracy.
Too many people comparing Eqypt to Iran…ohhh no no no…you need to look at Honduras…and how he tried to take THAT DEMOCRACY and hand it to the commies all the while “pretemding”…and WORSE…Hillary was lock step with the foreign policy blunder….
THANK GOODNESS…the Honduran people had TRUE democratic will and Christianity as guidance…and not a bastardized cult like religion such as Islam….and Sharia law
Excellent point, AntiVenom. When I told a liberal friend of mine about what happened in Honduras they were shocked. Typical.
They are sooo used to being treated like mushrooms…(kept in the dark and fed crap.)
AntiVenom’s mention of the Obama policy with the Honduras reminded me of something. Didn’t Obama once campaign for his cousin, Odinga, who was pushing for Sharia Law to be adopted in Kenya?
Egypt official: White House demands contradictory
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/02/AR2011020204452.html
Obama Approach to Mubarak Exit Questioned as Violent Clashes Erupt
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/02/02/obama-approach-mubarak-exit-questioned-violent-clashes-erupt/
Honestly, as far as conservatives goes, I haven’t heard anyone say they hope Obama fails on Egypt. I have heard a lot of critique; but, even the critique is all over the place and sometimes even opposite itself. From my own perpective, I honestly don’t know if Obama has done well or not. I don’t feel like I have all the info, intel, cultural know, etc to really judge. However, my gut tells me that Obama is trying not to let “a good crisis go to waste”. I’m hardly ever comfortable with Obama on foreign policy issues. This is no different. I do hope it turns out well at the end of the day though.