The presidency is a funny thing. You always get the unexpected!
Anti-communist Nixon goes to China and sits down with Mao.
Who would have believed that?
Democrat Clinton signs The Defense of Marriage Act, NAFTA, the China trade deals and welfare reform.
When did ever say that during the campaign?
Conservative Bush supports TARP.
And so on!
Here is another: Iraq will now become Pres Obama's favorite Middle East democracy.
After all, isn't Iraq the Middle East democracy holding elections and letting women participate?
Isn't Iraq the country with lots of newspapers and diversity of opinion?
Isn't Iraq a wonderful role model for all of those Muslim countries that Pres Obama wants to have relations with?
"Imagine yourself as Barack Obama, gazing at a map of the greater Middle East and wondering how, and where, the United States can best make a fresh start in the region.
Your gaze wanders rightward to Pakistan, where preventing war with India, economic collapse or the Talibanization of half the country would be achievement enough.
Next door is Afghanistan, where you are committing more troops, all so you can prop up a government that is by turns hapless and corrupt.
Next there is Iran, drawing ever closer to its bomb.
You're mulling the shape of a grand bargain, but Israel is talking pre-emption.
Speaking of Israel, you're girding for a contentious relationship with the hawkish Benjamin Netanyahu, the all-but certain next prime minister.
What about Israel's neighbors?
Palestine is riven between feckless moderates and pitiless fanatics.
Lebanon and Hezbollah are nearly synonyms.
You'd love to nudge Syria out of Iran's orbit, but Bashar Assad isn't inclined.
In Egypt, a succession crisis looms the moment its octogenarian president retires to his grave.
And then there is Iraq, the country in the middle that you would have just as soon banished from sight.
How's it doing?
Perplexingly well."
Iraq is now the best thing going for the US in the Middle East.
Success in Iraq is now in Pres. BO's interest. (It won't hurt Pres. Bush's legacy either!)
What about all of those campaign promises about "calling in the generals"?
They will go out of the window with the campaign promises about lobbyists!
With respect to Iraq, Pres BO will be Bush III.
Success in Iraq is now vital to Pres. BO.
It sounds sensible to me.
Of course, I didn't spend the last 12 months irrationally screaming "yes we can" to every anti-war promise! I didn't buy into unspecific "hope and change" either!
