As the final days of the Obama administration approach, it’s appropriate to review the record. WARNING: NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART!
Russia
Remember when the newly elected president and his secretary of state declared a “reset” with Vladimir Putin? Who better to make America forget the cold warrior, cowboy Bush than a man who was literally raised to be a progressive, anti-war activist? And while “W” said he could see a partner in peace in good ole Vlad — this president was determined to simply placate the Russian president in hopes of making peace with the newly ascendant bear.
Such indulgence has not worked. Today Russia runs amok in Ukraine and across much of the Middle East through its proxies in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan, and Iran. U.S. allies have taken notice: America’s consistently passive response to Putin’s aggression has encouraged Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE to question American resolve throughout the troubled region — especially with regard to Iran.
Last week, media reports surfaced of increased Russian troop deployments to the Ukrainian border. No “reset” dividends for the good guys…
Cuba
In March, a triumphant Barack Obama arrived in Havana “to bury the last remnant of the Cold War.” Fifty years of Cold War antagonism notwithstanding, this American president was determined to ignore the voices of Cuban dissidents — and open the island nation to all sorts of travel, trade, and hard currency goodies from their American friends.
But no sooner had Obama left than those persistent Castros returned to their old hobbies of arresting, torturing and beating up pro-democracy dissidents. State repression has only worsened since Obama’s alleged new era of cooperation. Seems Mr. Obama forgot to remind Raul that “normalization” was supposed to lead to the restoration of the most basic of human rights. Oh well, the Cuban Gulag might still be operational, but you can bet all sorts of folks can’t wait for those shiny new casinos to reopen on Havana Beach…
Iran
After the fact confessions from the likes of Obama alter-ego Ben Rhodes confirm what many observers suspected all along: Mr. Obama was intent on striking a nuclear deal with the Iranian Mullahs seemingly regardless of consequences.
As a result, Iran enjoys renewed international legitimacy, an intact military infrastructure and $180 billion in sanctions relief. The U.S. has been rewarded with nothing but increased harassment of U.S. Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz and renewed scorn from the Iranian propaganda machine.
Today, Iran doubles down on anti-American, anti-Israel rhetoric while Mr. Obama “settles” a $400 million, 47-year-old “debt” (in cold cash) at precisely the same time five American hostages are set free. All just a fortuitous set of circumstances assures the Obama State Department.
Want to wager how many additional concessions Ayatollah Khomeini can exact from a legacy preoccupied Mr. Obama over the next four months?
Guantanamo Bay
The president and his progressive acolytes regularly proclaim that the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay is a useful recruiting tool for terrorists the world over. Hence, his campaign promise to close the military prison.
But it has proven exceedingly difficult to find other “homes” for the worst of the worst terror soldiers. Further, all those pesky headlines about former detainees popping back up on the battlefield ready, willing and able to kill American soldiers is enough to give (some) Democrats in marginal seats the (electoral) jitters. Still, Mr. Obama’s determination to secure closure by the end of his tenure means only 61 terrorists remain behind bars.
Yet, terror recruits have multiplied during the years the prison has been winding down, and no American “cred” has been earned by the high-profile prisoner transfers. Terrorists do not need Gitmo or any other prison to hate us; they hate because we prosper in our pluralistic democracy.
Syria
Not so long ago, Mr. Obama was keen on U.S. non-intervention in Syria. But such inaction opened the door to all kinds of bad outcomes, including Russia’s propping up of the brutal Assad regime through a bombing campaign against pro-western, anti-Assad forces and the deepening of an already brutal refugee crisis. The war-torn country has also served as a vital recruitment venue for the Islamic State. Here, Putin’s ability to fill a power vacuum bolsters Russia’s Middle East presence at the same time American influence continues to wane.
China
Seems not a week passes without another incident in the South China Sea. But a panel of jurists at the Hague has recently rejected China’s island-grabbing ways — a setback for an aggressive Chinese government determined to expand artificial island building in troubled waters. Few believe the panel will be able to enforce its judgment, however. And, true to form, additional provocations have followed, including the sending of Chinese warships into waters claimed by Japan.
Such aggressive action has generated little overt resistance in Southeast Asia and Europe, but ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is increasingly nervous about such muscle flexing in their neighborhood.
Conclusion: Mr. Obama has proven to be the anti-Bush alright. Yet, his legacy is not “peace in our time” — but more like a reminder of what superpower passivity invites: Assad survives; ISIS proliferates; refugees flee; allies fret; and Putin is empowered. Let there be no mistake — Mr. Obama has left the world, especially the Middle East, a far more dangerous place than he found it.
Gov. Robert Ehrlich is a Washington Examiner columnist, partner at King & Spalding and author of three books, including the recently released Turning Point. He was governor of Maryland from 2003 – 2007.
