Posted 7:16 PM by steve

Obama is off visiting the dictators of the Middle East where supposedly a key part of his message will be "Stop saying one thing behind closed doors and saying something else publicly"

Let me break this down...

I'll start by stipulating they are saying one thing privately and another thing publicly (for example, that they criticize Israel in public while, in private, being far more critical of and concerned about Iran).

I then ask: are they unaware that they're doing so or are they doing so intentionally? If the former, then Obama would provide a useful service by pointing this out to them. But if the latter (as I believe is the case), then they obviously perceive a value in doing so. Any of you disagree with me?

Given this, is Obama going to convince them that they are wrong, that they're not getting anything of value out of doing so? I doubt it, while Obama may not value the benefits the same, as they are not unintelligent they may overvalue slightly the benefits they're receiving but they're unlikely to be looking at a pile of s**t and thinking there's a pony in there.

So, given that they're doing so on purpose and under the belief that it benefits them to do so, what does Obama do next? How does he get them to abandon something that provides them with value? Does he threaten to change the dynamic in some way, to impose a cost that dwarfs the benefits? I doubt this, while there are plenty of ways to do this, while Obama is willing - eager, even - to beat up on AIG executives, he is far less brave when it comes to the likes of this crowd

Given that he won't threaten them with sanctions if they don't stop, does he try to bribe them, by giving them something else of equal or greater value than the benefits he is asking them to do without? This is the likely path he'll take.

So what does he offer them? Does he think he could get away with offering them a relative handful of trinkets, something along the lines of some supposed Middle East expert who not too long ago argued that giving US visas to the Iranian soccer team and granting Iranian airliners landing rights in the US would get the Mad Mullahs to abandon their nuclear plans? No, even Obama can't be that stupid.

So... if he can't get away with offering them junk, what does he offer them? Israel?... Letting down our guard against terror attacks... ???

I can't tell if Obama is clueless... naive... arrogant... foolish... stupid...or all of the above.