Mindless Equivocation and Hubristic Hypocrisy

"The United States has alienated its allies, dismayed its friends and inadvertently gratified its enemies by proclaiming a confused and disturbing strategy of preemptive war. With our allies disunited, the world resenting us and the Middle East ablaze, we need [new leadership] to restore life to the global war against terrorism." - Jimmy Carter

Funny how those words ring so true, but at the wrong time. The sad reality is that those words, uttered by Jimmy Carter, were said in 2004 in the Presidential campaign of John Kerry, and designed as an attack on then-President George W. Bush.

It was slightly more than a year after the start of the Iraq War and an insinuation of the myth that America waged that war unilaterally, which is not true despite the breathless claims of leftist politicians and pundits. At its inception, the campaign in Iraq - and its predecessor in Afghanistan - was waged by more than sixty nations, all of which were cavalierly dismissed by the Democrats.

The mantra was dutifully parroted by a decidedly left-leaning media, who all pushed the notion that "Bush acted alone". One can only imagine how unappreciated the participating nations must have felt. Hurt feelings aside, the larger issue is the ability of the Progressive movement to lie with impunity and manipulate the dialogue unchallenged in the press, a press that not only provides cover for the Democrats, but eagerly disputes any attempt by the sane to point out inconsistencies in the Democrats' positions.

The evidence abounds, from Obama's "most transparent administration" despite his numerous closed-door sessions, to the sudden doctrine that borrowing and massive spending lead us to prosperity, and the selective memory and reasoning of those now in power. Consider the actions of Obama regarding Libya, where the president committed U.S. forces to combat with virtually no Congressional consent and a fragile coalition now in rapid backpedal.

How does the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, respond? On the weekend talk shows she reaches back to point out U.S. precedent in military engagement and foreign policy. And she did so by claiming a truth she once vehemently denied. Pressed on why we went into Libya when that country posed no threat to the U.S., Clinton whipped out the facts (the real ones this time). Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press, she said:

"We asked our allies, our NATO allies, to go into Afghanistan with us 10 years ago. They have been there. And a lot of them have been there despite the fact they were not attacked."

Good for the goose, the gander not so much. Will Chris Matthews or Lawrence O'Donnell call her on such a blatant act of hypocrisy? Will the New York Times OpEd pages howl in indignation? Highly unlikely, which only means that unless I can convince someone like Michael Moore or Alec Baldwin to read this piece, only the choir will see it. The Left and its mindless minions will continue their inexorable march to America's ruination.

Returning to the words of the 2004 version of Jimmy Carter, think about Obama's treatment of French President Nicolas Sarkozy or Britain's Gordon Brown. Remember the shameful reception given to Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, and the administration's belittlement and berating of Israel's internal affairs. Think now of who did more to destroy our relationship with America's friends and allies.

And which president has done more to "gratify our enemies".

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