There is a debate in Washington over whether America should exert a lighter or heavier influence in world affairs. President Obama has tried a middle path: He wants to exert heavy influence over world events with the light touch of America’s benevolent hand.

It isn’t working. This becomes ever clearer as he learns repeatedly, the hard way, that his superstar status and intellect give him no more pull over the actions of foreign leaders or the attitudes of foreign peoples than his predecessor. And, oddly, this reality seems to surprise him every time.