Wednesday, September 30, 2015

The Power Vacuum in the Middle East and the Power Vacuum in the World - Enter Russia

How long have we read of the power vacuums that allow terrorists to rise to power?  When there are no good guys to maintain law and order, the bad guys take over and make their own, brutal laws.  The Taliban in Pakistan, ISIS in Syria, ISIS in Iraq, the Houthis in Yemen, and the Boko Haram in Nigeria are all examples of this phenomenon.  These examples are proof that power vacuums do provide a path to power by horrible people.

Now we are witnessing the power vacuum on a global scale.  The United States of America used to be revered as the world power that maintained law and order globally – as well we should.  However, President Obama did not believe that this was an appropriate role for the United States.  He decided that walk softly and carry a big stick was not America’s role.  Instead, he believed that burying the stick and apologizing for ever having had the stick was appropriate. 

President Obama’s repeated demonstration of weakness (the removal of troops from Iraq, the meaningless red line on chemical weapons in Syria, the non-response to the Crimea invasion, the deal with Iran, and more than anything else; allowing the sequester to remain in place to the detriment of our military power) has belittled America’s role as the world’s good guy.  Sure, America is still a good guy, but who cares?  It no longer swings a big stick. 

Thus, President Obama has created a global power vacuum that is now being filled by Vladimir Putin and Russia.  Thank you Pope Francis for “God bless America.”  Right now, I am praying for God help America and the rest of the world.

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