I have to be a little grumpy over the Egypt analysis. What I noticed happening is that the Administration backed the Muslim Brotherhood, making a tremendous propaganda effort the portray them as moderate and defended them when they were overthrown. And the way I heard it they did scold the military for being undemocratic after they bounced Morsi and tried to pressure them over weapons supply causing the Egyptians to turn to the Russians for the equipment and the Saudis to keep up the financial drip. I really must have missed something if the Administration is still on its feet re Egypt. I also see the Israel Palestinian negotiations very differently. I think it has been clear since before the founding of Israel and crystal clear since they were given back Gaza that the Arabs will only settle for a one state solution eliminating Israel. That Israelis are now talking about a unilateral Israeli solution seems to me the only rational response to this latest exercise in futility.
I think your analysis of Obama is really helpful. You have put your finger on his great weakness – he is not an original thinker. Listening to him debate healthcare with Hillary in the 08 primary one got the impression that he had thought about it a lot as he debated the one politician who had clearly thought about it more than any other. Nope, he turned it over to Pelosi and Reid and didn’t understand management well enough to put someone in charge of getting the computer program done on time. He has an uncanny ability to deliver the the terminal verities of the 20th century left as if they really were eternal. Evidently Mr. Rhodes shares some of the blame. That telling stories business is revealing indeed. The Israelis blew up a large Syrian supply of missiles in a stand off attack from Lebanon not long after the Syrian conflict got into top gear. Missiles that could reach Israel they said. If Obama can use drones to kill jihadis favorite goats and wives I don’t see what was to stop him nailing those 50 known chemical weapons sites with some very accurate bombs dropped by very large invisible bombers after that red line was crossed. Same for Bozo Harem – turn loose the schoolgirls or, you, know, you will find yourself on the wrong side of another red line. Or very large, black, and grumpy Navy Seals. In my view he is an unoriginal idealist who mostly sees the world through the lenses of post colonialism and political correctness which makes him pretty reality proof. Evidently he is handled by people he thinks he agrees with rather then ones that can effectively engage world. He even said he didn’t need another George Keenan, who not everyone will recall got it through Truman’s head that it was impossible to do quid pro quo with Joe Stalin. Obama is kidding himself that he can do exactly that with the Iranians.