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Obama’s ‘Dangerous Currents’
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This WSJ editorial points out that the lack of action from the Obama administration has led to the current situation in the Middle East with Russian intervention, the wave of refugees from Syria, and the increasing sectarian conflict. It cites from president Obama's address to the UN General Assembly that "the nations of the world cannot return to the old ways of conflict and coercion," yet failing to take action in the Middle East to prevent this from happening.
How the Obama administration's policies in Syria, Iraq and towards Iran, have increased sectarian and religious conflict, and have pushed back democracy and economic development in the Middle East
06/10/2014
By allowing reckless intervention by Putin's Russia in Syria, and by its policies in the Middle East after the Arab Spring, the Obama administration has starved the hopes of an entire region heavily oriented towards a young demographic for participatory democracy and economic development, leaving it to descend into religious conflict, and then into sectarian conflict.
Grouped Articles
Sunni Militants Drive Iraqi Army Out of Mosul
New York Times 06/10/2014
Mosul Falls to ISIS, Endangering Iraq’s Democracy
New York Times 06/11/2014
U.S. Scrambles to Help Iraq Fight Off Militants as Baghdad Is Threatened
New York Times 06/12/2014
Veterans Watch as Gains Their Friends Died for Are Erased by Insurgents
New York Times 06/13/2014
Obama Finds He Can’t Put Iraq War Behind Him
New York Times 06/13/2014
Iraqi Shiite Cleric Issues Call to Arms
New York Times 06/13/2014
The Obama presidency and the earlier decisions for Iraq and Syria as seen in September 2014 and May 2015
09/20/2014
In early 2014 op-ed pages of the NYT and WSJ are used by Hillary Clinton and General Jones, former Secretary of State and former National Security Advisor, calling into question Obama's failure to act decisively in Syria and Iraq. By September 2014 the policy appears to be unraveling. Hardly any reporters or critics mention that all the Syrian democracy forces needed was the "no fly zone" offered to Libya. Timely decisive use of American airpower early in the conflict would have enabled the success of the democracy forces in Syria. General Keene called for this in an op-ed on 5/22/2013 and the WSJ editorial on 8/29/2013 refuted claims that this would cost $1 billion. Actually Gen. Keane stated that all that was necessary was to destroy the 50 runways and the air defense system of the Assad regime, which the U.S. had capabilities for even with the Russian support to Assad. It also would have met the early misguided efforts of the Putin government to exert influence in regions against the will of the people in the name of Russian nationalism, which extended following Syria to Eastern Europe. It would have kept U.S. ground forces out and gradually stabilized the region with democratic governments in Syria and Libya- with U.S. economic support and guidance during a transition period. Truman was coming out of the Second World War when he faced and responded to the efforts to extend communist regimes in Greece and southern Europe within a few years of the global conflict. Truman and General Marshall accomplished in Europe what Obama failed to do in North Africa when a challenge as well as an opportunity presented itself. Truman also listened to exceptional leaders in his circle of advisors. The U.S. has strategic interests in the Middle East and concern for the welfare of the region and its people. This was neglected in preference for involvement in Afghanistan, where involvement is only for the purpose of keeping a failing state from becoming a haven for terrorism. A permanent settlement between India and Pakistan c
Grouped Articles
Wall Street Journal 09/20/2014
New York Times 02/07/2015
U.S. to Give Some Syria Rebels Ability to Call Airstrikes
Wall Street Journal 02/18/2015
The Too Little, Too Late Presidency
Wall Street Journal 02/18/2015
Gen. Martin Dempsey Leaves a Legacy of Caution
Wall Street Journal 05/06/2015
First Batch of Hillary Clinton Emails Captures Concerns Over Libya
New York Times 05/21/2015
U.S.-Russia relations under the Obama administration.
01/05/2009
The efforts to build a better relationship, and achieve goal for a nuclear weapons free world.
Grouped Articles
In Cold War Echo, Obama Strategy Writes Off Putin
New York Times 04/19/2014
U.S.-Russia Relations Come Full Circle After Ukraine
Wall Street Journal 04/21/2014
Promises of ‘Fresh Start’ for U.S.-Russia Relations
New York Times 04/02/2009
Wall Street Journal 04/28/2014
‘America Must Always Lead,’ Obama Tells West Point Graduates
New York Times 05/28/2014
Kerry to Meet With Putin in Russia on Tuesday
Wall Street Journal 05/12/2015
Russia's support for the Assad regime in Syria
01/05/2009
Russia's support for the Assad regime comes from a sense of keeping its superpower status and opposition to unilateral interventions by the U.S., Britain and France. Russian arms sales are an insignifcant factor. Russians see the secular regime of Assad preferable to an expansion for Islamist related democratic parties in the Middle East, especially considering the problems in the Chechnya region of Russia. The Russian government has failed to grasp the needs of the younger generation in the Middle East to have a voice in their government especially after years of neglect and military regimes.
Grouped Articles
Why did Mr. Obama overrule his advisers on Syria? - The Washington Post
Washington Post 05/09/2013
A Veteran Saudi Power Player Works To Build Support to Topple Assad
Wall Street Journal 08/25/2013
For France, U.S. delay on Syria fuels doubts - The Washington Post
Washington Post 09/07/2013
With the World Watching, Syria Amassed Nerve Gas
New York Times 09/07/2013
What Putin Has to Say to Americans About Syria
New York Times 09/11/2013
Obama Is Lost in the Mideast Bazaar
Wall Street Journal 09/12/2013
The insurgency in Iraq in 2014 against the Maliki government's sectarian policies- the Islamic state of Iraq and Syria
06/10/2014
Mosul on the border with Syria is taken by the insurgents ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) who operate on the Syrian side against Assad. Mosul is Iraq's second largest city with different ethnic groups. Foreign fighters operating in Syria have joined the ISIS. Maliki had lost support in Mosul with his increasingly sectarian policies favoring Shiites and marginalizing Sunnis. The Iraqi forces lack training and are poorly organized compared to the insurgents fighting the Assad regime in Syria. The U.S. lost any chance of maintaining peace in the region with policies of the Obama administration distancing itself in Iraq, Syria and towards Iran's non-sectarian democracy movement. With moderates left in the cold in the region, sectarian influences are taking control and undoing the hard work of previous administrations. The hopes of the heavily young demographic oriented Middle East region in 2011-2012 for economic progress are now fading first into religious extremism and then into sectarian religious conflict, with Putin's government in Russia allowed by the Obama administration to pursue reckless policies in Syria against the interests of people in the region. A no fly zone or action of the kind taken in Libya at very small cost to the U.S. was not taken by U.S. president Obama. The failed reelection bid of Sarkozy in France left Britain's prime minister Cameron with no allies to pursue prudent policies in Syria that would have advanced democracy and economic development in the entire region.
Grouped Articles
Sunni Militants Drive Iraqi Army Out of Mosul
New York Times 06/10/2014
Wall Street Journal 06/11/2014
Iraqi, U.S. Forces Trade Barbs Over Failures
Wall Street Journal 06/12/2014
Mosul Falls to ISIS, Endangering Iraq’s Democracy
New York Times 06/11/2014
U.S. Said to Rebuff Iraqi Request to Strike Militants
New York Times 06/11/2014
Sunni Fighters Gain as They Battle 2 Governments, and Other Rebels
New York Times 06/11/2014
Iran and Russia in the Middle East in 2015 and the Obama administration's policies
09/29/2015
Grouped Articles
Wall Street Journal 09/29/2015
Russia’s legislature authorizes Putin to use military force in Syria - The Washington Post
Washington Post 09/30/2015
American public opinion on Syria's Assad regime
06/06/2012
Grouped Articles
What if the U.S. doesn’t intervene in Syria? - The Washington Post
Washington Post 05/09/2013
Why did Mr. Obama overrule his advisers on Syria? - The Washington Post
Washington Post 05/09/2013
New York Times 05/05/2013
With the World Watching, Syria Amassed Nerve Gas
New York Times 09/07/2013
Wall Street Journal 09/29/2015
Assad's Fall Is In America's Interests
Wall Street Journal 06/06/2012
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