A Different View of Obama's European Tour

Here in the United States, many of us have been dismayed by President Obama's behavior on his recent trip to Europe. My dismay started even earlier with his treatment of our closest allies, when the Prime Minister of England came to the United States.

I was further dismayed when our president, who represents the United States of America--that is US--went to Europe and told leaders in Strasbourg that America has been arrogant and derisive. (Like when the US engaged in considerable sacrifice to save Europe from the National Socialists of Germany and the fascists of Italy? Oh, I forgot, Obama means to bring European style socialism to the US. And as for fascism--well, look at the takeover of private companies). He cravenly apologized for our history while at the same time chiding Europe for the very anti-Americanism he was displaying. (Which is the real message?) And that bow to the tyrant of Saudi Arabia? Please. Americans are not subjects, we are free citizens. We bow to no man. If we, the citizens do not, then, as our representative, neither should Obama. No matter how much oil the king controls.

(For a detailed analysis of the meaning of the bow, see Ed Cline's discussion at the Rule of Reason ).

When is this man going to quit campaigning for love and adulation and actually own the presidency?

But apparently, these insults are small potatoes to us, compared to what was communicated to our democratic allies across the globe. For example, I read this from Caroline Glick at The Jerusalem Post:

"Somewhere between apologizing for American history - both distant and recent; genuflecting before the unelected, bigoted king of Saudi Arabia; announcing that he will slash the US's nuclear arsenal, scrap much of America's missile defense programs and emasculate the US Navy; leaving Japan to face North Korea and China alone; telling the Czechs, Poles and their fellow former Soviet colonies, "Don't worry, be happy," as he leaves them to Moscow's tender mercies; humiliating Iraq's leaders while kowtowing to Iran; preparing for an open confrontation with Israel; and thanking Islam for its great contribution to American history, President Obama made clear to the world's aggressors that America will not be confronting them for the foreseeable future.

Whether they are aggressors like Russia, proliferators like North Korea, terror exporters like nuclear-armed Pakistan or would-be genocidal-terror-supporting nuclear states like Iran, today, under the new administration, none of them has any reason to fear Washington."

Later she says this:

"AMERICA'S BETRAYAL of its democratic allies makes each of them more vulnerable to aggression at the hands of their enemies - enemies the Obama administration is now actively attempting to appease. And as the US strengthens their adversaries at their expense, these spurned democracies must consider their options for surviving as free societies in this new, threatening, post-American environment. "

The entire column is definitely worth reading as it elucidates a viewpoint that is different than how Americans, though equally dismayed, see the Obama European tour.

As for what America's enemies are thinking, we do not know for sure. And we are unlikely to find out via civilized means such as the press or blogs. If we do find out, the knowledge will come more suddenly and violently, as an exploitation of the percieved weakness of American leadership.

I fear for my country. I fear for the world.

G-d save the United States of America.