Statesmanship: Obama versus Bibi

[Valin]

Power Line:

Scott Johnson

Sept 25 2016

 

Walter Russell Mead assesses the statesmanship of Barack Obama versus that of Benjamin Netanyahu in the American Interest post “The real Middle East.” The subhead provides this précis: “Precisely because he has a colder view of international affairs than Obama, Netanyahu’s leadership has made Israel stronger than ever.” In the heart of this post he writes:

 

(Snip)

 

The reason that Bibi has been more successful than Obama is that Bibi understands how the world works better than Obama does. Bibi believes that in the harsh world of international politics, power wisely used matters more than good intentions eloquently phrased. Obama sought to build bridges to Sunni Muslims by making eloquent speeches in Cairo and Istanbul while ignoring the power political realities that Sunni states cared most about — like the rise of Iran and the Sunni cause in Syria. Bibi read the Sunnis more clearly than Obama did; the value of Israeli power to a Sunni world worried about Iran has led to something close to a revolution in Israel’s regional position. Again, Obama thought that reaching out to the Muslim Brotherhood (including its Palestinian affiliate, Hamas) would help American diplomacy and Middle Eastern democracy. Bibi understood that Sunni states like Egypt and its Saudi allies wanted Hamas crushed. Thus, as Obama tried to end the Gaza war on terms acceptable to Hamas and its allies, Bibi enjoyed the backing of both Egypt and Saudi Arabia in a successful effort to block Obama’s efforts. Israel’s neighbors may not like Bibi, but they believe they can count on him. They may think Obama has some beautiful ideas that he cares deeply about, but they think he’s erratic, unreliable, and doesn’t understand either them or their concerns.

 

(Snip)

 

Mead is an acute student of American foreign policy and international affairs. He is an excellent writer to boot. Read the whole thing here (access it if necessary via Google here).