The wolves are advancing is how David Brooks of the New York Times phrased it in the context that the United States' inability to influence global conflicts and events. Clearly, he was referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin, but he was also referring to the rival militia violence in Libya. To further extrapolate, the wolves can include Assad in Syria and Iran - anyone that is ignoring what ever side or position the United States takes. No fear of consequences. Mr. Brooks explained that since WWII the United States was able to exert pressure throughout the world to keep a global order.
[He also mentioned that the United States was able to do this despite some small wars. We need to remind Mr. Brooks about small wars... Fifty-eight thousand died in Vietnam, no small war. Nor was Korea.]
But could he be also referring to Israel?
Despite the calls for a prolonged cease fire from Secretary of State John Kerry, the United States voice is being largely ignored. The concerns that the Obama Administration has about the civilian casualties in Gaza go noted but then put aside. As Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) assessed, Israel isn't going to agree to such a cease fire just to give Hamas a chance to reload.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel has accepted five different cease fires, and Hamas has even broke one that they called for, but say that this latest 24-hour one does in fact take hold, the sides are so far apart that it will have zero effect. The Prime Minister wants the total elimination of Hamas - that's the goal plain and simple. Anything short of that doesn't work for Mr. Netanyahu. We're not saying this because we agree or disagree, but simply based on what he stated. When he says that he wants to weaken, discredit and demilitarize Hamas, all those parts add up to the elimination of Hamas.
Mr. Netanyahu said that the Egyptian initiative is the only one on the table and it outlines the Palestinian Authority having political control over Gaza, not Hamas. You can understand Israel's retaliation in the face of rockets being fired into your country and wanting to eliminate the secret tunnels. But the pictures don't lie - parts of Gaza City (see below), its most populace areas, are devastated. NBC's Richard Engel described it as punishment.
Both sides are clearly to blame for what happened at the UN school in Gaza - Hamas for making it a military target and Israel for making it an indiscriminate one even though it was clearly marked as Chris Gunness, UN Relief and Works Agency Spokesperson, said. But as we've said before, there are no conditions in which Hamas would recognize Israel's right to exist, and if they continue rocketing into Israel, we better get used to these pictures and these tragedies like the one at the UN school.
Senator Schumer candidly said that he thinks it's 'dubious' that the United States can dictate outcomes around the world, no where more evident than in Europe with Ukraine, Russia, and Putin the ego wolf. His government plays large hand in the responsibility of killing 298 people aboard a commercial flight and he hasn't altered his behavior in the slightest. Russia is still solidly supplying the separatists in eastern Ukraine with no sign of abatement.
The U.S. is having little influence on Europe's willingness to act, and Mr. Schumer used an ominous analogy to illustrate the point saying that Europe can not employ the 1938 policy of appeasement, drawing a correlation between how Europe responded to the Nazis and how they are responding now to Mr. Putin. However, one thing is for sure, Europe should listen to the U.S. and go hard on the sanctions because Mr. Putin will continue to use military force in all areas he thinks he can. And he knows that Europe will simply stand by and watch him do it as long as he doesn't cross a certain line; that line by the way being Poland. Mr. Putin has a giant dictatorial ego, but he is not stupid. But if he were, then Europe would be immediately asking for U.S. for help.
With that said, he shouldn't have been allowed to do as much as he's done, and the European Union needs to act.
Then there's Africa in slow disintegration, one country at a time. It's been a fools errand to try and maintain a diplomatic presence in Libya since the tragic death of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. It shouldn't be seen as a political opportunity or a criminal offense, but simply as a sign, one that says the United States has relinquished any influence it has over the events there. Period, end of sentence.
As the panel agreed, the United States can not withdraw from its leadership role around the world, but as Ruth Marcus commented, the American people no longer want the United States to serve as the world's policeman. The pressure that David Brooks talked about and the United States' ability to exert it to keep the peace has been discredited because of the horrible mistake it made in Iraq. It drained the U.S. of all its international mojo.
Round Table: Judy Woodruff, Co-Anchor and Managing Editor, PBS NewsHour; David Brooks, Columnist, New York Time; Nia-Malika Henderson, Reporter, Washington Post; Ruth Marcus, Columnist, Washington Post
Post Note: We may or may not come back later to comment on the interview with Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and the comments made by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX). The topic of poverty discussed with Mr. Ryan is certainly one of importance that we will comment on, and we find it disgraceful that Congress is about to go on a 5-week recess without the House voting on an immigration bill and a veterans' bill that both passed in the Senate. But hey, the above commentary is heavy enough for one Sunday.
No comments:
Post a Comment