It Is What It Is

Not to worry, Judi. It appears that the Obama administration is practicing the Art of Zen (it is what it is) in its foreign policy with regard to North Asia. Perhaps he's been assured by the Chinese themselves that they have things well in hand. Perhaps it's just too far away (where exactly?) to bother with when there are problems much closer to home in being POTUS.

Obama is simply continuing the policy so often articulated by Madeleine Albright who consistently lamented the fact that the U.S. was the only super power. Obama looks around and identifies the most determined dog as the one to follow. In this way, Obama, supine, (in his own mind) eliminates all threats to America.

He is, however, beginning to realize that America’s enemies need America more to be an enemy than they want peace. From Caracas to Tehran, it has become abundantly evident that slurs against America are what keep tin horn dictators in power. (Hell, it even works at home!) This, apparently, is the lesson Obama missed at Columbia. Not to be caught flatfooted, Obama (a fast learner) now thinks that that’s alright as well. We’ll continue playing the role (of enemy) while making it absolutely clear they have nothing to fear from us.

Understandably, world leaders from Tel Aviv to Seoul are a bit confused. They did not anticipate the abrupt U-turn Obama is delivering. It is this confusion, mixed with some measure of incredulity, that has so far kept the geo-political world from collapsing. Once everyone comes to realize what has happened in America, all hell is guaranteed to bust loose.

Bolton is behind the times. He is not keeping up with the ‘change’ bit. By using phrases like ‘incomplete’, ‘random’ or ‘non-policy’* to describe Obama’s handling of foreign affairs, he confirms that he still has both feet planted firmly in the old paradigm and fails to understand that what was once regarded as ‘failure’, is now lauded as ‘success’ and vice versa.
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*I’m assuming that this is the thrust of the words Bolton used as I have been unable to watch the video at my end.