In case you haven’t noticed, everything’s going to hell.
I can’t say that I’m surprised: in a comment a while back, for example, I wrote that the administration of “this awful man — this grotesque incompetent, this subversive fraud, this preening and malevolent narcissist, this despiser of American tradition and implacable enemy of everything the U.S.A. was built upon and once stood for … will be looked back upon as the final turning point, as the time in history when the arc of American greatness turned at last from ascent to irrevocable decline, and ultimately to decay and disintegration. It will be seen as the moment when, under the leadership of a vainglorious man of low character, full of seething resentment and base ambition, the fatal and inevitable weaknesses of democracy finally overcame a once-great nation and people.” I do have to say, though, that the accelerating rate at which we are now tipping into the abyss is pretty impressive.
The latest unraveling (leaving aside, for now, the Bergdahl debacle and the government-assisted invasion of our southern border) is the conquest of much of Iraq by jihadist blitzkrieg (led, as it happens, by a chap we let go in 2009). Along the way, Allah’s advancing army have helped themselves to captured American weapons — including tanks, missile launchers and Blackhawk helicopters — and to almost half a billion dollars snatched from a bank in Mosul.
The Obama administration appears to have been caught utterly flat-footed by this, but as to whether that is simply due to astonishing incompetence, or to something darker, I frame no hypotheses. At any rate, when it comes to foreign affairs, every single place this administration has touched has ended up in flames. (And waiting in the wings is the insatiable succubus Hillary Clinton, whom I suspect couldn’t even run a quilting bee without ruining countless lives. We are well and truly doomed.)
Our reader Bill K. sent us a note earlier today, linking to a dark post about all of this by Richard Fernandez. It begins:
Ernest Hemingway observed that people went broke gradually at first then all of a sudden. Barack Obama’s career, for so long without visible means of support, has now moved onto the “all of sudden stage’ of bankruptcy.
You can read the whole thing here. Do.
I will say this: having awakened some years ago from a brief ensorcellment by the universalist delusion known as ‘neoconservatism’, I understand that there are really only three useful options in a place like Iraq:
a) Rule it ourselves, as a sovereign colonial power;
b) Rule it by proxy, by buying ourselves a dictator and making sure that he stays bought; or
c) Complete encapsulation, combined with occasional pulverization when the inmates get too bumptious, and an end of all Muslim immigration to Western nations.
We’ll do none of these things, of course. We’ll launch a few airstrikes, maybe, just to bounce the rubble a bit (and of course we’ll mount a major Twitter offensive), but we haven’t the will for a), the cunning for b), or the wisdom (not to mention the balls) for c). So things will just get worse. As the fight moves toward Baghdad and the east — in other words, into the heart of Shi’ite Iraq — expect ISIL to face heavier slogging as the Sadrists push back, and Iran joins the fray. (I say ISIL, but you’ll also see them called ISIS. And just when we were finally done with all that Gaddafi/Qadafy, etc., business…)
One bright spot: the Kurds, whose pesh merga fighters are some of the toughest S.O.B.s on the face of the Earth, have taken advantage of the power vacuum to move on their ancient capital of Kirkuk. More power to ’em; the world is a quieter place when populations disaggregate into their traditional homelands, though getting there is never pretty.
23 Comments
If, as you say, everything is going to hell, then “this awful man” deserves to lead the journey from the front, not phone it in from behind the golf course.
He has won this dishonor the old-fashioned way — he earned it!
Here in Israel it looks like a twisted dream. If the Islamists have their way they’ll have themselves a little theocracy from the Syrian coast to Baghdad, a notion which seems more feasible as time goes on.
We’ll handle it properly if it comes to that of course… But as a citizen-soldier I’d rather not have another nuisance on my northern boarder. Of course we’re already dealing with the first few acts of this new nuisance, but I’d rather not have it develop from IEDs to rockets and missiles. Whatever.
Hmmm …
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/06/13/230280/shiites-rally-in-iraq-as-top-cleric.html
Can you be a little more specific, JK?
Iranian and Iraqi news organizations were filled with reports that the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ al Qud’s Force, the cross between an intelligence agency and special forces that is often deployed to pursue Iranian foreign and security policy, had arrived in Baghdad to direct the fight against the Islamic State …
Right. And we’re calling on Maliki to make an “inclusive” government work (i.e., a democratic, secular government that embraces both Sunni and Shi’a).
Iran, on the other hand, will back him up without that condition.
From the President’s speech:
He might as well ask Maliki to jump over his own knees.
Apparently … he just did.
I do hesitate to comment, being eager to preserve the peace, and confident that someone else would step up, and point out the obvious. It hasn’t happened.
Malcolm, you’re a fine writer and your description of this “awful man” is compelling. Really though, how can you blame Obama for the current mess which was completely set up by George W., ably assisted by Tony Blair and other minions?
It is American adventurism that has caused this crisis, busting into countries which were stable (not idyllic, but functional) and this is the aftermath. Inevitable and predictable.
Everything is going to hell. It’s terrifying. Just don’t lay all the blame on Barack Obama, because it belongs elsewhere.
Please do check out Cranmer’s blog. A very eloquent piece in the last couple of days, from a generally right wing blogger, which says everything that I think, succinctly. I think the post is entitled “We reap what we sow”. Indeed.
Musey, I’m sure you speak for more than a few readers, and you raise important points that needed airing out. You certainly shouldn’t be shy about commenting. (There’s a sharp irony, given the context, that your primary interest in keeping out of the thread was to ‘preserve the peace’…)
I’ve read the ‘Archbishop Cranmer’ post you recommended. The central point, around which the whole argument revolves, is established here:
This wants a thorough going-over, both on its own terms and with regard to how the Obama administration has handled similar situations (in Libya, for example) and the situation it inherited in Iraq. It probably deserves a post of its own. I’ll get to it shortly.
Musey?
Something in your comment really gets my goat (since I’m pretty sure you ain’t Southern – irks me).
And do please note, of all Malcolm’s commentors I should be the last to resort to (being for one thing, the most unqualified) for defense.
Musey, re-read the post. When you reach this sentence pause … and just weigh the import.
One last thing Musey. Something you likely don’t know that I do know.
Malcolm’s seen this. And since I know him to be thorough – I’d wager he’s read from Agreement between the US and the Republic of Iraq right through to page 24 whereon appears the signatures.
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/122074.pdf
JK, I dare say that anything I write here will “get your goat” and I am familiar with the expression, although obviously I am not a Southerner. It’s 7am here and I have a house full of people, breakfast to be made, and a soccer match to watch so I’ll try to look at those documents later.
Malcolm, thanks for your response and for taking time to look at the Cranmer article. He certainly struck a chord with me.
Okay, I’ve had a look at this agreement. I’ve not been thorough JK but I’m sure you will forgive me that. Also, the signatures are illegible. However, first impressions are that this document was a stitch up written by the dominant power, setting out the rules which must be obeyed. I do not understand why you directed me to this document, or what it is supposed to prove. But then, you are known for your whimsical contributions to every discussion. No offense intended.
Did you Musey, take note of the document’s date? There’ve been three Ambassadors since, Christopher R. Hill, James F. Jeffrey, Robert S. Beecroft. Signatures look anything approximate to those I’ve supplied?
It’d be Musey in your case I’m thinking, totally outtareach were you even to try.
None taken.
Here ya go Musey. Just the last three (or somewhat less) minutes of this:
http://www.mclaughlin.com/video.htm?i=1013
No JK I didn’t take note of the date, because it is irrelevant.I looked at the substance of the text and made a snap judgement, so I could be wrong in my hasty analysis.
I would answer your question if I could understand what you meant. You are “totally outtareach” for me, and I reckon, most sane people. Talking gibberish may be very satisfying for you, but you can’t expect to get a cogent response from those who do not have a clue what you are talking about. So I won’t even try.
Recall your Musey “issue” with our host’s post?
You might Musey, rather than “not even try” consider a blogpost a banquet instead of a Tupperware Party at which you focus in on very particular item[s] which color-match whatever goes with your blouse.
Heck. You might (attempt) taking my goat cheesedip to spice your celery.
JK, on some level, I think you are clever. You are also incomprehensible. You add spice and you entertain, but you never make any sense.
All that’s left to say is, take your celery and dip it into the goat cheese dip. It will most certainly spice up your life, but I should warn you that it may be painful.
Do you speak from experience, Musey?
Henry, I have lived a very boring life so I don’t speak from experience. It’s just a bit of insight into a life that I never lived but maybe, could have.
Musey,
I am sorry that you feel your life has been boring, though I note from another post that you have been victorious at times on the tennis court.
May I ask why you haven’t lived the life that you might have?
Henry, I’m totally unfulfilled. Should have been PM but I can live with my failure. Boring is good.
Talking of PM’s, I hear that Tony Abbott is prancing around the US. Do persuade him to stay.