America in decline: Under the Obama adminstration it is the truth that hurts.

America in decline? Yes, I would have to say that this is true, especially
when we look at the first year under the Obama administration. How much
evidence does one need to come to this conclusion or how much do you
want?  Enter Barry Rubin from Rubin Reports.

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Rubin Reports
Barry Rubin


Increasingly the idea of an omnipotent United States, whose wrath must be feared and protection is worth cultivating, is sharply on the decline in today's world. Which is, after all, what President Barack Obama is doing in practice. But he should be careful what he wishes for because that's what's happening.


The implication is American weakness in three respects, saying in effect, we won't pressure you directly, we won't do anything and we cannot stop our ally from acting either.

This is the approach taken by an administration that wants to avoid the use of power at almost all costs, and dozens of other examples can be cited to demonstrate that point.

Take the Dalai Lama, for example. When he visited Washington the last time, Obama—reversing the behavior of his three predecessors—refused to meet with him. And, by the way, the United States has borrowed so much money from China that Beijing is probably more likely to pressure Washington than vice-versa.

What the Obama Administration has repeatedly signaled other countries can be defined along the following lines:

--To enemies: We are sorry, let’s engage, we’ll make compromises and work out all our problems.

--To key neutrals with whom the United States has ok relations (like Russia, China, and Pakistan): We need you more than you need us.

--To friends outside of Western Europe: We won’t necessarily back you against your enemies. To me the single most shocking example is the refusal to back Iraqi complaints about Syrian sponsorship of terrorism (which also killed Americans) against it, but there are many more.

--To Western Europeans: We won’t ask you to do anything you don’t want to do and if we do you can safely ignore us.

Is this above classification 100 percent fair? No, exceptions can be found. But it is not a distorted picture either. Continue reading

http://rubinreports.blogspot.com/2010/02/is-america-declining-power-its-friends.html