Obama, the judge of weakness

Obama’s standard response to our foes’ aggressive attacks on its neighbors, or throwing their weight around, is….. wait, ready for it….they are operating “out of weakness.”

Now that Russia has sent it’s military and air force into Syria to help Assad, Obama and the administration claim Russia acted out of weakness.

“Mr Putin had to go into Syria not out of strength but out of weakness, because his client, Mr Assad, was crumbling and it was insufficient for him simply to send them arms and money. Now he’s got to put in his own planes and pilots. Iran and Assad make up Putin’s coalition at the moment. The rest of the world makes up ours. So, these are hard challenges, they are ones we are going to continue to pursue.” He predicts Russia will get into a quagmire.

The line gets as old and tired as any of Obama’s tactics do. But its the standard line whenever he is challenged that the opponent is operating out of weakness. There could be an incoming nuclear warhead and he’d declare the source is weakness. Hopefully we won’t have that proved. At least now every enemy and ally of ours knows what the verbal response will be.

Putin invaded Crimea, Obama said he was acting out of weakness. Russia bullies its neighbors and Obama defines it as weakness. Once in a while, Obama could try a new script. Change it up a bit at least.

And when Romney suggested Russia is still a threat and a foe, Obama said the 80’s called and wants their foreign policy back. But Obama’s foreign policy, if you can call it one, is making such great strides isn’t it? Right after Putin annexed Crimea he set his sights on Ukraine. Evidently feeling weaker than ever, he injected Russia there.

Sure desperate people do terrible things. But opportunists are willing and ready to seize an advantage at the proper moment, for maximum gain. That someone gives and creates those opportunities for them is an egregious error.

In March 2014, Kerry ran out to deliver the talking point on ABC’s Face the Nation:

“You just don’t in the 21st century behave in 19th century fashion by invading another country…. That’s not the act of somebody who’s strong.“ Kerry said Putin was acting out of “weakness” and “desperation.”

Obama claimed Putin and Russia was “acting out of weakness, not out of strength,” regarding their annexing of Crimea. Countries usually invade other countries when they feel weak. So the script, regardless what Putin does, is to say he’s operating out of weakness. Obama can’t change their narrative.

Now Obama is flexing his mouthpiece, again. Josh Earnest lectured:
“Russia is not flexing its muscles when it comes to Syria, but it’s propping up an investment about to go south.”

Obama said on Putin’s intervention in Syria:

“I want Russia to be successful. This is not a contest between the United States and Russia. It is in our interests for Russia to be a responsible actor on the world stage that can share burdens with us … because the problems we have are big.”

Just once, I wish Obama wanted us to be successful. But that could make us appear exceptional, and we can’t have that.