Dennis Ross, Politico: Why Middle Eastern Leaders Are Talking to Putin, Not Obama
Russia’s less dominant militarily but more willing to act, and that has changed the dynamics in the region.
Thhe United States has significantly more military capability in the Middle East today than Russia—America has 35,000 troops and hundreds of aircraft; the Russians roughly 2,000 troops and, perhaps, 50 aircraft—and yet Middle Eastern leaders are making pilgrimages to Moscow to see Vladimir Putin these days, not rushing to Washington. Two weeks ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to see the Russian president, his second trip to Russia since last fall, and King Salman of Saudi Arabia is planning a trip soon. Egypt’s president and other Middle Eastern leaders have also made the trek to see Putin.
Why is this happening, and why on my trips to the region am I hearing that Arabs and Israelis have pretty much given up on President Barack Obama? Because perceptions matter more than mere power: The Russians are seen as willing to use power to affect the balance of power in the region, and we are not.
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WNU Editor: President Obama's outreach to Iran .... against the wishes of every American ally in the Middle East .... has overturned decades of U.S. alliances and understandings amongst our closest allies. Whether this was the right move or the wrong move is not the issue .... it was how it was done that has fundamentally changed how Israel/Saudi Arabia/Egypt/the Gulf States/Jordan/etc. now view the U.S., and especially how they view President Obama. They do not trust him any-more .... and in this void steps Putin .... a leader who has a reputation of sticking with his allies as well as being willing to help those who ask for it. My prediction .... from now to the last day that he is office President Obama will do what is necessary to preserve the Iranian nuclear deal, and to keep U.S. military involvement in the war against the Islamic State to a minimum. But by pursuing these policies he will only further distant and alienate many Middle Eastern leaders .... pushing them even further to find some common ground with Putin.
Update: On a side note .... I wrote a post on September 15, 2015 titled .... When It Comes To The Middle East All Roads Now Lead to Moscow. It is comforting to know that it took Dennis Ross .... one of Politico's top reporters on U.S. foreign policy and a former top U.S. State Department official under numerous Presidents .... only 8 months to discuss something that was first pointed out in this blog only 8 months ago.
3 comments:
Russia has acted tactically and strategically in the ME,
Under the neo-cons, the US has chased fairy unicorn gnomes in the ME, has wound up sucked into quagmires and consorted with the worst of evil.
Obama had maybe a year after his election to "reset" Iraq and Afghanistan, but instead, wound up "captured" by the neo-con's and neo-libs, with a population that was war fatigued.
Well, Obama has a pen...
Why All Roads In The Middle East Now Lead To Moscow
Because Obama is an inffectual, know-nothig douche
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