When President Obama entered office he adopted a doctrine toward national security that mirrored President Jimmy Carter’s reliance on diplomacy and the United Nations. America’s enemies saw Carter as a paper tiger and by the second year of his administration the president saw almost unprecedented challenges to his leadership worldwide. Reading the world headlines today it seems like a case of deja vu all over again—adversaries are coming after Obama with a vengeance. North Korea has thrown down the gauntlet.
The White House has looked impotent in dealing with WikiLeaks—and now, news stories reveal that while Russia negotiated a one-sided New START nuclear deal with Obama on the one hand, they also snuck tactical nuclear weapons (in defiance of a assurances to the US) closer to NATO on the other.
According to The Wall Street Journal the “U.S. believes Russia has moved short-range tactical nuclear warheads to facilities near North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies as recently as this spring, U.S. officials say, adding to questions in Congress about Russian compliance with long-standing pledges ahead of a possible vote on a new arms-control treaty.”
More and more it looks like the Russians have played Obama like the Soviets played Jimmy Carter. Yet, it seems the President still does not get it. His top priority is still—ratification of New START. Meanwhile, the White House continues to live in La-La Land. Ben Rhodes, a White House deputy national security adviser, said Obama remains strong internationally. “There is not another leader who approaches his respect and authority,” Rhodes informed Bloomberg.