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March 6, 2009
Exclusive: Obama Alienating Allies Left and Right – Including Our Greatest Friend, the UK
Europeans, including many in the UK, nearly wetted themselves in their excitement when Barack Obama was elected. Noted political and security expert Bono summed up the general feeling when he said the election was a chance to “relaunch Brand USA.” Unfortunately, the brand was relaunched under the moniker of “mystery meat,” a far cry from its previous “filet mignon” label.
Euro-litists were so sure that Obama was just the thing for an ailing world. Large dollops of hope and change with a smattering of “hip” mixed in for good measure. No more cowboy diplomacy – Obama’s one of us!
More fool they. He’s more like them than they bargained for, and now everyone’s about to pay the price.
Taking his role of leftwing pacifist more seriously than the dynamic duo of Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon could even dream of, one of Obama’s first international moves was to suck up to Russia. In return for their “help” with Iran – help we need like a hole in the head – he would renege on the agreement made during the Bush administration to build a missile defense system in Eastern Europe. This not only leaves Poland and the Czech Republic swinging in the breeze, but Michael Rubin notes that it also sets a dangerous precedent:
If, after all, Russian antagonism forces U.S. concessions over Poland and the Czech Republic, why not increase Russian belligerence in the Caucasus, Central Asia, or on the Korean Peninsula? If the Obama administration signals that Poland and the Czech Republic are on the table, why should Ukraine and Georgia not be? Why should China not expect to deal over Taiwan, or why should Iran -- another target of Obama's desire to engage – not demand concessions on Israel?
Speaking of Israel, what is that nation to make of Obama’s appointment of Charles Freeman to head the National Intelligence Committee? Freeman’s anti-Semitic bent is well known. It’s akin to Jennifer Aniston hiring Angelina Jolie to manage Aniston’s career. Can you imagine? I can’t either. I wish the cat fight that we might witness between the Obama administration and Israel would have the same entertainment value as the cat fight between Brad’s Women, but I cringe at the thought of giving our solid friend in the Middle East the equivalent of the two-fingered salute.
But the biggest slap in the face has to be how Obama has been acting toward British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. First, he returned a valuable bronze bust of Winston Churchill that had been reposing in the Oval Office in an open-ended loan since the aftermath of 9/11. According to the UK Telegraph, “The rejection of the bust has left some British officials nervously reading the runes to see how much influence the UK can wield with the new administration in Washington.”
Honestly, though, Obama’s sending Churchill packing shouldn’t surprise anyone. Why would he want the face of a security hawk, who earned a permanent pedestal in history, staring down at him every day? Maybe he should have asked for a bust of Neville Chamberlain to replace it, as it's more in keeping with his worldview.
And just this week, during Brown’s trip to Washington to meet with Obama and address Congress (an honor accorded only to America’s closest allies), Obama decided to bag the joint press conference in the Rose Garden after their confab in the White House, making do with a lame question and answer session where both men answered two questions each. Tropical Barry’s excuse was the snow that had fallen this week, but since when should a little snow get in the way of international friendship and cooperation? Especially with the nation that’s arguably our oldest friend.
Even worse was learning about the traditional “gift exchange” between the two leaders. Brown’s gift to Obama was a thoughtful conglomeration of items laden with special meaning: an ornamental desk pen holder made from the oak timbers of the Victorian-era anti-slave ship HMS Gannet, once named HMS President. (It’s the same wood from which the desk in the Oval Office is constructed.) He also gave him a framed print of the HMS Resolute, a ship that came to symbolize Anglo-U.S. peace when it was saved from ice packs by Americans and given to Queen Victoria. The final item was a first-edition set of the classic seven-volume Winston Churchill biography by Sir Martin Gilbert.
Obama’s gift to Brown was a collection of 25 classic American films. Wow. Did one of his aides rush out at the last minute or what? Rush Limbaugh pointed out that if Brown wanted movies, he could have bought them himself on Amazon.com. Not to mention they would have been delivered right to his door at 10 Downing Street, instead of having to lug them home in his suitcase.
And, not to be outdone, Michelle Obama’s gifts to the Brown children during her meeting with Brown’s wife Sarah were, shall we say, underwhelming. Sarah Brown arrived bearing dresses with matching necklaces from a high-end shop and a selection of age-appropriate books by British authors for Sasha and Malia Obama. Michelle presented Fraser and John model helicopters. Not just any helicopter, but Marine One – the same craft Obama has trouble boarding without bonking his head. Sarah Vine of the Times of London writes, “Not only did she demonstrate that she spent approximately three seconds contemplating the needs of the Brown boys (having an aide pop to the White House gift shop for a piece of merchandising does not imply a great deal of thought), she appeared to show a most uncharacteristic lapse of judgment.” I wouldn’t say it’s uncharacteristic. I think Michelle Obama is as big an egoist as her husband is, and therefore gives little thought to anything but what benefits her.
Don Surber comments, “Ah, smart diplomacy. Write love letters to the Russians and stiff the Brits.”
Frankly, it’s embarrassing. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a huge fan of Gordon Brown, considering his pathetic stance on the Islamism that is taking over Britain and his liberal policies in general that are going to be the death of a once-great nation. And that saddens me. But I am not in favor of treating Brown like some guy who just wandered in off the street either. Once we got over the whole growing pains thing, what with the War of Independence and the War of 1812, America and the UK have had a unique and solid relationship that has benefited both nations. The leader of our “cousins across the pond” deserves better treatment at the hands of our president, even if he is the Messiah and Gordon a mere mortal.
Are you missing George and Laura yet? I sure am.
Pam Meister is the editor of FamilySecurityMatters.org.
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