How's that re-set going Barack? Peter Wehner counts some of the many ways in which Russian President Vladimir
Putin has outflanked US President Barack Hussein Obama.
Russia is defying America by granting Edward Snowden, who exposed some
of the most classified secrets of our government, safe haven as he
continues to elude capture.
...
This comes on top of Russia defying America’s wishes in the Syrian
civil war, with Russia once again reasserting its presence in the Middle
East after having been essentially expelled from there in the 1970s (a
product of Henry Kissinger’s masterful diplomacy).
Russia was an early and strong supporter of the Assad regime, while
America is a late and weak supporter of the rebel groups. President
Obama wants Russia to help us; Putin wants Assad to win. And thanks in
good measure to Russia, Assad (and hence Iran) is winning.
The Syrian debacle comes in the aftermath of Obama scrapping in 2009 a
missile-defense system the Poles and the Czech Republic had agreed to
house despite Russian threats, as a way to pacify Putin. (“The U.S.
reversal is likely to please Russia, which had fiercely opposed the
plans,” CNN reported at the time.)
Add to that Putin’s support for Iran’s nuclear ambitions and his crackdown at home. (The Washington Post writes
that in “an attempt to suppress swelling protests against his rigged
reelection and the massively corrupt autocracy he presides over, Mr.
Putin has launched what both Russian and Western human rights groups
describe as the most intense and pervasive campaign of political
repression since the downfall of the Soviet Union.”). Taken all
together, you can see that the Obama “reset”–which at the dawn of the
Obama administration was described as a “win-win” strategy for both nations–has been a rout for the Russians.
The best line I saw about Russia's behavior in the Snowden affair was this one on Twitter (I've added a link to the Super Bowl ring story):
Oh and how's that re-set Barack?
What are we becoming, America? Are we goosestepping toward the fourth reich? Race wars and human rights deprivations..Look in the mirror and see the beast for who it is. Look in those eyes when the mask is off. Who are you really? What if the monster is YOU?
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