U.S. President Barak Obama was elected - and re-elected - by promising "change."
He made good on his promise.
ISRAEL, once a loyal ally that marched to America's drummer, now has growing political and economic ties with the enemies of the U.S.: China and Russia.
While Israel still buys military gear from the U.S. - and then adds its own pieces of the puzzle to improve the imports - it also can look to other vendors; primarily Russia and China, both of which make highly serviceable aircraft.
Submersibles are from Germany and while perhaps not the "latest and greatest," they suffice for Israel's needs. (Israel never has bought subs from the U.S.)
The AK rifles from Russia are as good as, and easier to maintain, than the U.S. made AR rifles. Ask any terrorist organization why they prefer the Russian product. The Chinese, doing what they do best, are manufacturing an AK knock-off.
AND THEN THERE IS THE "ARAB SPRING."
Because the powers that be in D.C. insisted everyone should have an "American style" democracy - funny, the U.S. is NOT a democracy despite what we've been told since kindergarten - Obama & Company agitated and funded malcontents to overthrown existing governments.
Granted, the governments were dictatorships and a few of the dictators - Bashar Hafez al-Assad and Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti to name the two best known - were notoriously cruel, others, such as Muammar Gaddafi, were less so.
Washington, in it arrogance, fails to understand that not every country can operate under a U.S. style government.
Yet, interestingly enough, Obama & Friends have no problems with China, which "owns" America NOTE 1, or Saudi Arabia, which holds billions in U.S.IOUs - how much only the U.S. Treasury knows - and it isn't telling.NOTE 2
Apparently Obama's advisors either don't know the history of the region or they choose to ignore history - in the same was a former Secretary of State ignored laws and stored classified emails on an unsecured server (when she's president she can give herself a pardon).
The Middle East - the the Indian sub-continent as well - are populated by tribes, not all of which got along peacefully.
Over the years, the Brits and French, as well as the Dutch and Germans in Africa, drew borders that suited them, disregarding the local tribes. Indeed, with the exception of Canada and the U.S., everywhere the British established borders, there has been, and continues to be, conflict:
- India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan
Ireland
Middle East, with help from the French NOTE 3 (Sykes-Picot)
Gaddafi ruled over the tribes within Libya's borders, just as the Alaouite dynasty has ruled Morocco since 1672; neither was a "democracy" and both ruled over disparate, sometimes warring, tribes. Both France and Spain at one time laid claim to parts of Morocco, but the presence of both is relegated to history books.
When the Algerians voted in the anti-American Islamic Salvation Front, the U.S. remained silent while the military cancelled the results of the election.
Somehow Obama failed to overthrow the Algerian government even though it failed to comply with America's sense of "democracy." Likewise Egypt.
Nor did Obama challenge the Saudis (perhaps because the U.S. is so far in debt to the royal family, ibid.). The Emirates also were exempt from Obama's "Arab Spring."
On the other hand, despite apparently many Iranians who want freedom from the mullahs, and despite the rush to nuclear weapons, Obama rewards the rulers by cancelling sanctions and encouraging other states to do likewise.
No one can say that Obama failed to deliver on his promise of change.
Trouble is, they are changes the world could have done without.
Note 1: See Investopedia: The Reasons Why China Buys U.S. Treasury Bonds
CNN Money: China is dumping U.S. debt
Barron's: China's Sale of U.S. Debt -- Beginning of the End?
Note 2: See
- Bloomberg: Saudi Arabia's Secret Holdings of U.S. Debt Are Suddenly a Big Deal
CNN Money: Saudi Arabia's money ties to the U.S. are massive...and murky
LA Times: Saudi Arabia is threatening to sell $750 billion in U.S. assets. Talk about an empty threat
Note 3:
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