Short answer: bad leadership. Let’s look at a similar situation from history—JFK and Nikita Krushchev’s standoff over Cuba. Even though many people cite the Cuban Missile Crisis as a token of JFK’s ability to negotiate tense and difficult international situations, what most people don’t point out is what got JFK into that situation in the first place—his pathetic performance at the Vienna summit he himself had called for.
Krushchev just beat the garbage out of him verbally for a few days, and left the summit very pleased with himself. In Krushchev’s mind, JFK was someone he could easily outwit. JFK came off as “too intelligent and too weak,” as a boyish political amateur with little experience and no stones.
Krushchev would probably never have instigated the Cuban Missile Crisis, or built the Berlin Wall, if he had not been sure that JFK’s numerous insinuations of retribution were ultimately hollow. In 2008, long before Putin started rattling his sabers over Crimea and the Ukraine, Obama regularly quoted one of JFK’s time-tested phrases: “Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.” In fact, an article in the New York Times from 2008 points out the unflattering similarities between the negotiation styles of Obama and JFK. The article concludes with a prescient warning:
. . . While there were many factors that led to the missile crisis, it is no exaggeration to say that the impression Khrushchev formed at Vienna — of Kennedy as ineffective — was among them.
If Barack Obama wants to follow in Kennedy’s footsteps, he should heed the lesson that Kennedy learned in his first year in office: sometimes there is good reason to fear to negotiate.
Well, I can say with confidence that even after a term and a half in office, Obama has not learned that lesson. And we’re losing the new Cold War because of it. Obama’s threats mean nothing. As an article in the Wall Street Journal makes clear:
Is there any reason for Russia to think Mr. Obama means business? What were the costs to Russia for harboring Edward Snowden? When the Kremlin was considering in June what to do with the fugitive NSA contractor living in a Moscow transit lounge, Mr. Kerry warned that there would be “consequences” for giving him asylum. He got asylum; there were no consequences.
Two months later, Mr. Obama was happy to accept Russian mediation for a face-saving deal on Syria’s chemical weapons rather than impose the consequences he had promised if Bashar Assad used them. A few months after that, the administration quietly eased its enforcement of the Magnitsky Act sanctioning corrupt Russian officials.
It’s probably asking too much of this president to see a connection between his Syria capitulation and this month’s events in Ukraine.
It’s not just Syria. It’s everything. Obama thinks he can outsmart the universe. Kind of like JFK. But when it comes down to it, he doesn’t have the courage or the conviction to follow through—unlike JFK (whatever his faults). Obama is weak. And he makes the US look weak. And in this new Cold War scenario, the other world powers vying for a shot at hegemony are much more likely to play chicken. And when they do, you can bet the Presidency we’ll lose.
Perhaps Obama the commie is in cahoots with Putin the commie and all this is not an accident. Stop voting for progressives, (commies), in any party and vote for more freedom, liberty, and return to Constitutional government.
I was thinking the very same thing. It’s the only thing that can explain why obama is acting like he could care less about the situation. All commies are liars.
I see no reason to suppose Obama is a Communist. It’s Islam he promotes throughout the world.
Islamofascism…. Ring a bell? The Soviets have a LONG HISTORY of promoting Socialism in Middle Eastern countries as a means for the fundamentalist/”extremists” to throw off dictators in favor of Caliphate- oriented islamofascists. When the Nazis were defeated, this left a vacuum in the Middle East filled quickly by the Soviet Union and carried on by Russia. History would be a good thing to familiarize yourself with.
Why do you think that he cares less? Is he having long meeting with his advisers just to decide what pizza to order. If a President didn’t care (Ronald Reagan), maybe he would take frequent naps and delegate almost everything to his cabinet and advisers.
You just described Queen Barack, woonie.
How can Obama be a commie when Comrade Lyndsay Graham and Comrade John McCain favor Putin over a sitting President? Even the usual suspects on Fox favor Putin. For Sen. Graham, it’s about a possible primary challenge from the extreme right. This gives a look at how the extreme right would rather side with Communists over Americans.
If the President favored Putin, the extreme right would call for his impeachment. Sorry, Republicans, we’ve been on to your game since 2009.
I never said the word Democrat. There are plenty of progressives on both sides of the aisle. If you study the goals of communism, you will see that the progressives are following the teachings of Marx and he pushed communism. Under communism the education is run by those that want to indoctrinate those in schools. Communism and socialism can’t work because eventually you run out of other peoples money or the workers finally get tired of being raped on payday. I would rather die under free enterprise that to live under communism.
My comment was a criticism of the behavior of Republicans. They’ve been making fools of themselves since they attached themselves to the extreme right. Their method of dealing with The President is childish and without toleration. They don’t even know to govern or how to promote a successful economy. Moderate Republicans have been waiting for the extreme right to flame out but there’s 2 main obstacles; rich donors and religious zealots. Religious zealots want everyone to bend to their will. It has characteristics of tyranny and dictatorship. The rich donations were made even more hideous with the decision on Citizens United. You can’t be free if only the rich and one religion wants to control you.
Socialism and capitalism does work when both are balanced. You and everyone are both. Without taxes, the structure of society AND family units break apart. How many families are strong enough to keep it together when both parents are either out of work or can only find min. wage jobs? Damned few. How successful will families be under corporate rule?
I know a lot about 20th century economics. I am a living and breathing example of being a socialist and an active participant in capitalism. When taxes are applied fairly, the middle class will have disposable income. I use mine to invest. Others put it in a pension fund. Part of my niche is value investing. When others drop out of investments based on emotions, those stocks go down. It’s an opportunity to target companies with great track records and moving in. I live within my budget and I’ve never been in credit card debt. It took years for my friends to talk me into getting a credit card. I just didn’t want anyone knowing my financial business.
I understand about your criticism of the Repubs. If you are upset over rich donors to the rep party, you need to look at the rich donors to the dems. If we would return to the strict use of the Constitution we would all have lives. Congress is not allowed to spend on just anything they want and the Pres is not allowed to pick & choose the laws he likes. Art. 1 Sec. 8 is a list of things Congress can make laws for. That is their job description and that is the list of “general welfare” items. If they could do whatever they want then there would be no reason for a list and the 10th Amendment says only the enumerated powers, not total control. Our present President IS a dictator. He has been making and changing laws without any authority to do so. We disagree on many things. Our schools have been taken over by progressives and now they teach socialism. Our taxes are too high to pay for all the socialism and the large uncondtitutional government departments. Government is force and does not equate to freedom ever.
Wow! Do we ever disagree about socialism. A President cannot write laws on his own. Obama never has. It’s unconstitutional and The President has been a target of false and nasty accusations from the right. Calling poor people lazy is insulting. They’re not all like the stereotypes that your politicians and your myopic parents have taught you. Republicans exploit, not help. Republicans use propaganda to hurt any group that doesn’t vote for them. It’s about power, money and votes. Wealthy Republicans take in millions of “entitlements” that they don’t need.
I went to public school and it was not like how you described. BTW, which laws did Obama, write, sign and put into law? NONE. Otherwise you’d have a list from Republicans in Congress.
You are incredibly ignorant to call Putin a commie.
Putin is a commie. What do you think he is?
Putin the commie – Ron you are delusional.
He spent quite a while as a KGB in the Communist government there, so what would you call him?
If you low information dimwits think this country is going to war with Russia over the Ukraine you’re dumber than I thought
Well the article is about how weak of an international influence Obama is, not about the start of a war. Though a weak international leader can lead us into war if not careful. The fact you missed it is not surprising. Like most liberals, you just are no where near as smart as you think you are…..
Obama is weak? Don’t tell that to al Qaeda (that’s been decimated) or Bin Laden (who’s been killed). I know teabaggers love to jump on “the black man in the white house” for ANY reason they can but seriously their is only so much the west can do about what Russia does in the Crimea
Bin Laden is dead (even though Obama barely hard part in it), but Al Qaeda is not, far from it.
Has nothing to do with race… Liberals can not get over race issues and why you all always bring it up. It has to do with Obama being a weak leader period. Your examples were all started by Bush, just the timing of the changing of the guards that put some events under Obama… The military killed Bin Laden, not Obama. He just gave the final OK to proceed when they knew where he was. For Obama to take credit it for Killing him is a sign of just how weak he is. When Bush had similar type of events he gave credit to the people that carried out the task. Saying something like, “Our brave boy in the xxx captured Saddam Husein.” Obama actually used the word I, I kill Bin Laden. No he did not, the military killed him.
Obama twice successfully prevented the raid which killed Osama. The third time they requested permission after they were already nearly to the villa where Osama lived. It was too late then for Obama to prevent the raid. It’s amazing that he would try to take credit for what he was so eager to prevent.
WTF! Crimea is NOT in our sphere of influence – if Putin invaded Mexico or Canada, fine we could legitimately gripe about that, but Crimea is NONE OF OUR BUSINESS!
Based on what research?
Idiots, like you, never learn anything.
Did Bobbie get booted again? LOL.
Let’s hope so. Sick of his warped mind.
How would you have handled Putin if you were President? Like Lyndsay Graham, John McCain and Fox who supported Putin?
How would you have performed better than “Bobbie”?
A little defensive of Bob, aren’t you, woonie?
“Why we’re losing the new cold war” because our incompetent weinie president can’t even bring himself to admit there is such a thing! Just like there is no such thing as radical Islamic terrorists in his eyes either! The man (and I use that term loosely here) is the sorriest excuse for a leader that this nation has ever had the misfortune to be cursed with!
No the Reason were losing is YouTube ;( Illuminate-What they have done and Plan on doing) then Youtube;( Selling their Soul:Luciferian Contract ,) and here is why ,YouTube 🙁 Undeniable Evidence Aliens Do Not come from other Galaxies.) If you REALLY want to know the Real Truth for a Change.
So, Tod, you don’t think Obama has anything to do with it? I don’t have time to watch your stupid conspiracy videos.
Obama is crazy my ex girlfriend was smarter than Obummer and thats a LOT to say. I am thinking about Giving Mrs. Obama and Obama the honor of being the names of 2 of my zombies on Zombie Cafe. Can’t ya just see obummer mumblig brains brains brains and attacking a human and eatting them . Zombama . Yes, Barrack H. Zombama
JFK had his hands full being a rank nobody really in politics or anything else, while Nikita S. Krushchev played hard ball for decades, failure or weakness on his part would have gotten him a bullet to the nap of the neck. Putin would like to put the Soviet Union back together, its not ever going to happen, its dead. The current Russia is a lot weaker than it pretends to be, This business with Ukraine is nothing new, this sort of junk been going on in that part of the world for better than 1000 years now. Its about Food, not Navy Bases for a Navy that is in not much better shape that it was in the Last days of the Soviet Union dam near 25 years ago. Ukraine has the best farming land in the region, its more like Iowa than anything else. Russia has little farmable land considering the size of the country, This was a Problem for both the Soviets and Tsar’s alike. Nothing new. NAZI Germany wanted living space, what they wanted was Ukraine for the food. This is an age old thing. Our current leader ship could not be trusted to run third shift at a 7-11, and while Putin is no Krushchev it is at least competent were our big O is well a community organizer what ever the heck that is. Have to give Putin his do in picking his time.
Yes, JFK was inexperienced. Having said that, he figured out a better negotiation tool than his generals in October, 1962. The generals wanted to attack Cuba and the ships. The generals had decades of experience combined and aggression was their only advice to JFK.
The Russian culture doesn’t like losers. That’s how you negotiate with them. Give them something and they give back. Of course, Republican & military hawks have never changed. I’d trust Obama over them.
I wanted this to be a separate comment. Do you know how too few posters on the internet know anything about The Ukraine? They should do research like you have done. I knew about the huge amount of grain that they grow and how Stalin took all their produce. I’m still learning this week and trying to figure out if Americans can get support from other countries. So far, Hungary, Poland and Turkey are nervous about any instability in that region.
You seem to forget what St. Ronald of Reagan couldn’t do in Poland, or what the Shrub couldn’t do in Georgia. Obama’s ability to act is limited by reality, but you racist nut-jobs can’t judge him by the same standard on account of your racism.
Yup, The Raygun myths need to be exposed every time Republican hypocrisy counts on keeping Americans out of public schools and having a mind of their own. Reagan liked to delegate everything to his cabinet while he took numerous naps. George Bush II wasn’t concerned about where Bin Laden was and Obama tracked him down.
Did you noticed the quiet muted tones from Republicans after Bin Laden was killed? If Bush had done that The GOP would have declared a national holiday!
Yeah, Gaybama rejected capturing Bin Laden twice. The day it finally happened they had to drag his commie ass off the golf course. Of course Obama took complete credit for capturing and killing him (all by his little sissy, faggot self). What a useless little queer we have as President.
All Obama is capable of doing is getting buggered in his gay bathhouse by old white guys in exchange for cocaine. Of course he has his Presidential knee pads on. I bet you and woonie are members of his Low Down Club.
If the right likes the aggression of Putin. Why don’t Republicans send Chris Christie to take his place? Fox can broadcast from the Kremlin. If Republicans like Russian aggression, they’re welcome to pack their bags and leave for Moscow now. They can use THEIR international experience and apply it to “Comrade Land.”
I hear Moscow Mooch is going on vacation to China for a week. Wookie, the transvestite, should feel right at home there.
In the 1920’s Stalin sent subversives to America to undermine it from within so that the Russians would have a window of opportunity to annihilate us from the resulting weakness and chaos. Those subversives birthed hippies and “Progressives” as well as the ACLU. Indeed, they were playing chess and our ADD leaders continue to play Tiddly Winks.
Because, just like our spending problem and the terrorists problem, Obama and Democrats refuse to acknowledge that it exists!!!!
New cold war? Communism is dead – why is there even the idea that a cold war is needed – oh, yeah – New York Jews are not happy about Putin’s attitude toward international bankers.
Harvard Jews looted Russia; Putin put an end to it.
Zionist Jews encircled Russia with NATO; Putin created a buffer.
That we had such leadership.
New cold war? Huh? Minkoff, are you some type of neocon paranoid about Russia? Russia is a capitalist country now – communism is dead. Why do we need a new cold war -oh yeah, defense contracts.