When the Pack Smells Weakness

When the Pack Smells Weakness

For the narcissist, it is particularly vexing to have others not share the same love he has for himself. This will usually create in him an obsequiousness designed to draw his detractors to view him as he does himself, but which invariably alienates them even further, causing them to become more antagonistic.

For a student in a small town school, this is not a big deal. For the President of the United States, it is critical.

When newly-elected President Barack Hussein Obama launched his Forgive Us Our Trespasses Tour around the globe, I – among many others – sounded the alarm that his target audience was not interested in overtures of peace but rather signs of weakness which they could exploit. We warned that the bad actors around the world were not cheering his new message of peace as much as they were applauding their long-awaited opportunity to misbehave at will with no deterrent standing in their way.

Signs of their emboldenment abounded, with the ratcheting up of rhetoric from Mahmoud Ahmedinejad concerning Israel to Hugo Chavez and Daniel Ortega arrogantly chastising the United States while its new leader sat passively and listened without protest or rebuttal.

Possibly the worst moment up to that point was the “gift” from Chavez to Obama of a book that our president accepted with a smile and a handshake from the wannabe dictator. Chavez may as well have said to Obama, “Please accept this gift which details how much your country sucks, and I thank you for agreeing”.

It was not to be the worst moment of all, however, as they continue to mount much as a snowball rolling downhill on a fresh, moist fall. In addition to the nauseating mea culpas delivered to foreign foes by this president have been the shocking shunnings of our traditional allies. Between his embraces of hard-line socialist and Islamic leaders, Obama has managed to sprinkle in some not-so-subtle snubs of Sarkozy and Gordon Brown, not to mention a classless encounter with the Queen of England.

Perhaps the most alarming betrayal, however, has been the nearly total abandonment of Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East and a long time friend. Thankfully, one New York congressman has not slumbered through the current session. Rep. Peter King (R-NY), has introduced a resolution in the House that would force the U.S. government to support the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Coming on the heels of the recent raid by the Israeli military on the first flotilla, sent from Turkey by alleged “peace activists”, King wants the U.S. to stand firm with her ally in the face of international criticism based on misinformation and propaganda. (The first casualty of such nonsense was long time White House Press reporter, Helen Thomas, who was dispatched via self-inflicted wound).

But King’s resolution could not come at a more opportune time, as Iran – perhaps seizing on the telegraphed impotency of Obama – has offered (threatened?) to have its Revolutionary Guard escort the next flotilla through the Israeli blockade. If this were to happen, it would most likely mark the beginning of the first naval war since World War II. The big question is whether Israel will fight it alone.

Perhaps the world has become spoiled by the comfort of the true leaders and commanders of military might America has historically wielded, and that may be well and good, since America has been the most powerful and benevolent country to ever inhabit the Earth. But it seems that – being in the middle of Obama’s only term – it may be time for a Churchill to emerge.

If not for another true leader, we may see the power structure shift dramatically. Much like Jack London’s White Fang losing his footing in the circle of excited sled dogs.