It is a verbal middle finger: Barack Obama referred to Russia as a “regional power” that show weakness. In principle, the President has as right, but he overlooks an important point – his own fate depends on Vladimir Putin.
Barack Obama is regarded as extremely rational, sometimes even cool a bit. The US president has the reputation of always having under control. That he on Tuesday at a press conference in The Hague still wove a provocative jab at Vladimir Putin likes to show how much the man in Moscow falls the Americans now on my nerves. It was the verbal finger.
Russia, so therefore Obama said after the summit on nuclear security in the Netherlands, was a “regional power” that threatens their immediate neighbors “not from strength but from weakness.” Regional power – which is expected Putin, hurt the apologists of imperial tsarist empire. But Obama was not finished yet. Yes, the U.S. exerted influence on their neighbors, but: “We must not fall into the rule to have a strong cooperative relationship with them.” And of course Russia’s actions is a problem, but for the United States put the country by no means the “national security threat number one” dar.
Russia & US Debt:Regional power Russia? Obama is right
The U.S. president is right: Russia is nurmehr a regional power that is out of weakness on expansion. And a direct threat to the country for the United States , of course, not an invasion of Alaska is not exactly before now . But Russia is indirectly but just a great danger , especially for Obama itself, because Putin threatened its credibility as a leader and reinsurers of the West.
From the beginning of his tenure at Obama was poled to retreat : an end to the wars , more international burden sharing , multilateral conflict resolution, love to live build roads and schools instead of sending troops all over the world . ” Retrenchment ” Americans call it , after eight hyped- Bush years is wanted by a large majority. But how does it do in a crisis like the current one ? Is Obama as President retreat automatically a weak president? And Putin has in the case of the case even inspired the handle to the Crimea ?
While Obama may not understand as an opponent in the same league Putin , yet it is for the U.S. president in the weeks to decisive : the legacy of his tenure . That he ended the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan , is a merit – but still no profit .
“The political success for putting on Retrenchment President is not measured simply by how well he brings out the United States from the old entanglements,” noted U.S. expert on Russia and former ambassador Stephen Sestanovich. The key questions are rather: “How well he has new challenges under control?” The Iranian nuclear issue, the civil war in Syria, Egypt under the dictatorship of the military, China’s aggressive role against U.S. allies in Asia and now even Putin’s Russia: Throughout the limits of Obama be tested power. And almost all autocrats put the opposition in to America to stabilize their rule system inside.
Russia & US Debt:As were calling the fire department every day
Long joke Republican hawks in the U.S. about Obama’s supposedly naive attempt of a new start with Russia in 2009 (“reset” policy). Predecessor, George W. Bush, a similar Putin of complexes driven man is suddenly hailed as a strong president, even though he was not even brought in the Georgia crisis of 2008 sanctions on the series that come close to those of today. Obama’s fault but is that he has underestimated the revanchist factor in politics Putin: The is not about cooperation with the West, but a counter-proposal to the West. Putin is a man of the past, the Obama into the 21st Century wanted to pull. Mission failed.
Significantly , as Obama now emphasized during his European tour too self-evident to give rise only false ideas – on Tuesday it was time again . As he assured especially the Eastern European allies again that Article 5 of the NATO Treaty applies : you attack someone who is actively looking for . O-Ton Obama: ” We will defend against any type of threat . ” That sounds good . But it is as if one calls the fire department every day and assured that they will delete the eventual fire for sure. On the other hand, if Obama would not say the obvious , how would that then interpret the allies ?
The location is tricky. This much is clear: As Obama at the end comes out of the number – whether a strong or weak retreat President – that will shape the U.S. policy for years to come , and his successor or his successor will draw the lessons . Much now depends on the Europeans , is about one in Washington agree . Have Angela Merkel and Co. in the conflict with Russia, the cards in your hand : the EU and the U.S. agreed Show and are on both sides willing to take (economic ) burdens in buying – or frayed the transatlantic alliance ? At the end of the Europeans are with their decisions in 2014 also have an influence on the future foreign policy orientation of the last remaining superpower .
Obama is necessarily entered into a bet on Europe.
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