The Obama Technique for "Solving" Problems

To put it in a word: dither.

In all the crises in the Middle East, Obama was slow off the starting blocks to embrace the people's revolt. Instead he emphasized "stability and security" which meant embracing dictators and brutal methods to crush popular revolts.

In each case, he finally came around to accepting the people's calls for change. But in Libya that move to say that Gaddafi "had to go" came after the the momentum of popular revolt had peaked. Now that the situation has turned and Gaddafi is on the offensive, the official US position is that it "wants to help" the newly organized (actually very disorganized) popular government, but first the US needs to "consult". As the consultations go on, Gaddafi's army brutally retakes city after city.

The slow "decision-making" in the Obama administration means that the US will finally be prepared to move to defend the popular revolt as the last of the citizens is marched to a firing squad and Gaddafi "liquidates" his problem.

What kind of "leadership" gets in front of its troops after the war is done? Well, that the Obama style of "leadership".

Here's a relevant article on MSNBC:

Gadhafi son: 'Everything will be over in 48 hours'

A rebel fighter cleans the ammunition rounds of an anti-aircraft weapon in Ajdabiya on Tuesday.

AJDABIYA, Libya — The Libyan army told people in Benghazi to lay down their arms on Wednesday as its troops advanced closer to the rebel stronghold for what could be the decisive battle in the uprising against Moammar Gadhafi.

This Johnny-Come-Lately approach to "leadership" is the same style that Obama has used to deal with the Great Recession.

The only time I've seen the Obama administration move quickly was the Shirley Sherrod case where Obama moved with blinding speed to immolate one of his own when he feared a smear attack from right wing fanatics. Of course that kind of "leadership", where you sacrifice your own troops to save you own skin is sometimes interpreted as "cowardice", but for Obama that counts for "leadership".

America deserves better. It has suffered through incompetent and slimy presidents since 1963. I can't name one who would be in a Hall of Fame for presidents. George Bush was an unmitigated disaster. Obama is merely incompetent which makes him look like a sterling "leader" compared to "the Decider" and "Mr. Mission Accomplished" as president. Meanwhile, that country has slid from great power into a mess of indebtedness, self-destructive confusion with no industrial policy and no energy policy, and into rancid, bitter, vindictive partisan politics. Tragic.