While listening to Jay Carney, the white house Press Secretary, I couldn’t help but be reminded of Baghdad Bob.

That was the name pinned on Saddam’s official Press Minister.

Baghdad Bob sat before a TV camera back in the early days of the war and told his people that there were no members of the United States military within 300 miles of Baghdad.

The truth was something else to be sure. At the time, there were indeed Members of the United States military directly outside the building from which he was broadcasting, We had that building surrounded.

Yesterday, in the white house Briefing Room, Jay Carney stood in front of a TV camera and told US that the, “Protests are not directed at the United States.”

Where exactly does one begin.

First of all, calling what is happening in more than a dozen countries, “protests” is a gross understatement.

At best, they are riots.

At worst, they are acts of war.

But “Protests???”

Second, Carney HAS become our version of Baghdad Bob.

If the attacks against our United States Embassies and Consulates, If the burning of our school in Tunisia, If the murders of 2 United States diplomats and 2 United States Navy Seals, If the ripping and burning of United States flags before replacing them with flags of al Qaeda, If the chants of “Death to America” are NOT directed at the United States…

To whom, EXACTLY, are they directed???

At yesterday’s service as the bodies of our fallen from Libya returned, Hillary Clinton made remarks. After remembering Chris Stevens and the others, Hillary than, again, made strong remarks disavowing the U.S. Government having a thing to do with the “movie.”

There is, I believe, a reason for this constant denial regarding the “movie” and the apologetic tone regarding the “movie” from the State Department.

It is the Obama administration, in abject desperation, trying to find someone or something on which to place blame.

The “movie” in question had not one single thing to do with these attacks. Not one.

The catalyst for the attacks and murders of our people was 9-11.

The reason these attacks took place and have gained steam is a a result of a complete lack of leadership on the world stage.

As Obama, Biden and various other Members of the administration in concert with the liberal Obama-backing press tell us, and the world, over and over that “bin Laden’s Dead and GM is Alive” or, “Ask bin Laden if HE’S better off than he was 4 years ago,” touting their score against a terror network, one thing is blatantly clear.

The fact of the matter is this, and the event of this past week are clear examples of it…

Obama is not leading on Middle East or North African matters…al Qaeda is.

Obama isn’t even leading from behind.

This administration has, through a doctrine of apologies and appeasement, placed themselves and us, as a nation, in the unenviable position of following the leader.

We, as a nation, no longer act, we react.

While Obama campaigns on greater entitlements and higher taxes, while he demonizes the rich and success and attacks Mitt Romney…the world stage, throughout his time in office, has taken a back seat.

Those who perpetrate attacks upon our Embassies and kill our Patriots stationed there are ACTING.

When Obama and Hillary, along with the liberal press excoriate a “movie” as the cause, they are REacting.

As the anniversary of 9-11 approached, al Qaeda ACTED because they saw no upgrade in security at our Embassies.

On September 13^th, two days AFTER the Embassy attacks began and 4 of our Patriots were murdered…Obama sent 2 war ships and extra Marines and terror fighters to the region as a REaction.

Every attempt of appeasement toward our enemies and those of our allies is a Reaction to our enemies and those of our allies ACTions.

On the other hand…

Each and every apology offered by Obama during his time in office to other nations is a REaction to America’s ACTions when we employed  LEADERSHIP.

When Obama insisted on the Muslim Brotherhood having a seat at the table, it was a REaction to those who ACTed to throw Mubarak out. Now, the Brotherhood RUNS Egypt and soon, they will hold the decade’s old Israel/Egypt peace accord as a bargaining chip in a choice of ACTions ,waiting for Obama to REact to is possible dissolve.

When Obama tells Israel to return to their pre-1967 borders, it is a REaction to the Palestinian Authorities ACTions in the U.N..

When Obama tells our enemies exactly when we will leave the battlefield, it is a REaction to the enemy’s stepped up insurgent ACTions.

And when Obama blames the current attacks against United States Embassies on a “movie” it is a REaction to his competition in the upcoming election’s ACTions in pointing out his lack of leadership.

Obama’s foreign policy is an abject failure and the reason for it is a language barrier.

While the current administration speaks the language of appeasement, our enemies speak the language of violence and intimidation.

While the current administration worries about hurting the feelings of our enemies, our enemies plot to kill Americans.

While the current administration tries to talk the bad guys out of doing bad things, Iran accepts the delay to increase the speed at which they can attain the weapons that will wipe out our allies.

As a candidate, Obama let us in on his foreign policy intentions.

“I truly believe that the day I’m inaugurated, not only the country looks at itself differently, but the world looks at America differently…If I’m reaching out to the Muslim world they understand that I’ve lived in a Muslim country and I may be a Christian, but I also understand their point of view…My sister is half-Indonesian. I traveled there all the way through my college years. And so I’m intimately concerned with what happens in these countries and the cultures and perspective these folks have. And those are powerful tools for us to be able to reach out to the world…then I think the world will have confidence that I am listening to them and that our future and our security is tied up with our ability to work with other countries in the world that will ultimately makes us safer…”

Just because of his presence, our problems in the Muslim world would be a thing of the past?

And now, as a candidate for a 2nd term, Obama chides Mitt Romney for HIS lack of foreign policy experience???

For the very life of me, I cannot point to a single foreign policy success from this administration. Not one.

Those who would point to the ending of the war in Iraq or the timetable to get out of Afghanistan are confusing military operations with foreign policy. Leaving the theaters of battle on a politically mandated schedule is a REaction to those who will fill the vacuum we leave behind.

Bin Laden?

No.

Again, the bin Laden strike, like the drone attacks on terrorists, is again, a military operation but clearly not foreign policy. Removing a single terrorist is akin to removing a single land mine from a vast minefield.

North Korea? No success there.

Snubbing Netanyahu and turning our backs on Israel at every opportunity? No success there either.

Meaningless sanctions against Iran? Replacing Mubarak with the Muslim Brotherhood? Walking guns to Mexican drug cartels?

No.

Telling Medvedev you’ll have more flexibility after the election?

Certainly not.

Our foreign policy is supposed to be good for us and our allies…Bad for our enemies and those who just don’t like us. This administration has emboldened our enemies and left our allies questioning whether or not they can trust us.

Leadership…True leadership, requires elements which this administration lacks.

Core values. A belief that the American way, capitalism, works. A steadfast belief that liberty and freedom are the end game.

The knowledge that peace is gained and maintained through strength.

Above all, leadership requires action…Not reaction.

Leading from behind is just another way of saying that you’re bringing up the rear.

Craig Andresen

The National Patriot

Weekend Edition 9/15/12