![\"obama-world-burden\"](\"http:\/\/2helenahandbaskets.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/03\/obama-world-burden.jpg\" "\\"obama-world-burden\\"")
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For eight years, Democrats never missed an opportunity to disparage George W. Bush’s international dealings. We heard endless complaints about how our reputation had suffered around the world due to Bush’s fumbling, unsophisticated handling of foreign affairs. We were promised that – along with all the Hope! and Change! – that the Obamessiah would bring a complete turnaround in how this country would be perceived by the international community.<\/p>\n
Sure enough, in less than two months, world leaders are noticing the difference.<\/p>\n
It started with that good ol’ boy in Venezuela<\/strong>, Hugo Chavez, who castigated Obama for accusing him of obstructing progress in Latin America and exporting terrorism. Making great inroads in South America so far, huh?<\/p>\n Then we insulted the Russians<\/strong>: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s gift to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at their meeting in Geneva on Friday evening was meant to underscore the Obama administration’s readiness to “to press the reset button” in ties with Moscow. But instead of the Russian word for “reset” (perezagruzka) it featured a slightly different word meaning “overload” or “overcharged”. (peregruzka).<\/em> Yeah – giving the Russians a red button is a real breakthrough.<\/p>\n And, of course, the big promises to turn US\/Iran<\/strong> relations completely around. Let me tell you how that’s going. “They give the slogan of change but in practice no change is seen,” Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a televised speech. “What is the change in your policy? Did you remove the sanctions? Did you stop supporting the Zionist regime? Tell us what you have changed.”<\/em> Chalk up a winner there. Well, not exactly.<\/p>\n By now you’ve probably heard about the real classy reception the British<\/strong> Prime Minister Gordon Brown was given where he was treated like an insignificant third cousin. No fancy state dinner, no joint press conference – but hey – the Big O did give him a lovely parting gift of 25 DVDs of old movies. Too bad that they don’t work in the UK video players and the PM is virtually blind. Hey, how was BO supposed to know that? <\/p>\n And as hard as it is to believe, Obama managed to screw up his inaugural meeting with the Irish<\/strong> PM because he can’t seem to make any kind of public appearance without TOTUS. After an embarrassed Brian Cowen realized he was giving Obama’s speech, the President returned to the podium and promptly thanked himself for inviting everyone to the party. Smooth move that one.<\/p>\n He’s sure not making any inroads in Afghanistan<\/strong> where he’s called for a meeting with “Taliban moderates”. Their response was a sneering suggestion that complete withdrawal of foreign troops was the only acceptable solution for them. Big changes coming in that part of the world real soon.<\/p>\n All of the above exercises in revamping our place in the world and re-establishing the United States as the beloved leader among nations now that Barack Obama is in charge of our foreign policy pale in comparison to the recent effort to re-invigorate our relationship with France<\/strong>.<\/p>\n BHO in all his cosmopolitan wisdom, wrote to Jacques Chirac to tell him about his desire to “work with him” for the next four years. In a letter described by Chirac as “very nice,” Obama wrote, “I am certain that we will be able to work together, in the coming four years, in a spirit of peace and friendship to build a safer world.”<\/p>\n Unfortunately, Obama does not seem to know that in May 2007, Nicolas Sarkozy was elected as the French president, succeeding Chirac who did not run for a third term. And now we learn that President Sarkozy is irritated because Obama has so far refused to arrange to meet him personally in the next few months.<\/p>\n So far there are still a few countries and leaders the Obama White House hasn’t managed to insult, upset, ignore, or otherwise p.o., but I’m quite sure that will be changed. With this kind of track record, the United States’ reputation in the world is most likely to be a VICTIM of Change.<\/strong><\/p>\n Not to worry – The One has the nation’s economy under control though.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For eight years, Democrats never missed an opportunity to disparage George W. Bush’s international dealings. We heard endless complaints about how our reputation had suffered around the world due to Bush’s fumbling, unsophisticated handling of foreign affairs. We were promised … Continue reading