By Rodney Beard
I read several blogs and newspapers everyday, typically the ones that more closely share my views, and I have several writers that I like in particular. This morning I read an opinion by one of my favorites, Dana Milbank, which slightly disturbed me because it was about our President and seemed petty, at least to me.
In Milbank’s opinion piece he used terms like “chillax message” and “happy talk” to describe how our President is trying to communicate a not so positive message about a range of negative and freighting issues from the rise of radicalism to the economy. When the President said that the world is better off relative to security, having been messed up for far too many years and the fact that social media and the “details of hardship” can be actualized immediately, Milbank implied that was a “pep talk” or “essentially counseling” us to remain focused on something we can and should do something about…domestic recovery.
Our President is absolutely correct in saying that we all have more concern for world affairs now because we get it literally in the moment, and there is not that much hidden from us anymore because of social media in all of its instant forms. I also agree with our President that “we don’t have a strategy” for Syria against the Islamic State. I would add that “and we never will.” Why? There is no positive solution to that age old hatred and strife that exists in the Middle East. They will never stop fighting and killing each other, and there is no good option to bring any peace, ever, in the Middle East. All of that has to be fulfilled, its biblical prophecy.
He also said that, “In short, Americans would worry less if Obama worried more.” Well, that’s his opinion, and I would vociferously disagree with that assessment. In my opinion, I would “worry” much more if our President didn’t at least appear to have a handle on all of those things that we know are absolutely beyond his or anyone else’s control. Can you imagine how worried we would all be if he looked worried, and showed a lack of confidence and faith that his plan is probably NOT going to work?
“They” say “he looks weak,” but I think he looks stronger because of his cautious, contemplative and deliberate nature. I like that he never seems panicked by the monumental issues he has to deal with, and I loved it when he was transparent enough to say what no one else will about Syria because he was absolutely correct. Ok?
Add to the aforementioned, having to deal with Iraq to step up to the plate and protect their own interests in that never ending nightmare of broken government coupled with a cowardice army that we trained and outfitted. Then think about having to acquiesce to Iran in the midst of “de-nuclearising” them so that they won’t fire on Israel. Now think about the fact that to defeat ISIS, which is a no-brainer, and having to partner with Assad who needs to be put down for sure, just to get it done. We haven’t even mentioned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and that is some very serious stuff as well because Putin is crazy and none of us wants WWIII.
President Obama knows the entire back-story that we never will despite social media. He knows things that if we knew, we would actually “be (very) worried” yet; his demeanor to me is outstanding. Our President is confident in his plan, calm in his delivery, and resolute in the midst of major calamity such as the world has never seen before. What more can we ask of or desire in a true leader?
President Obama knew what he was signing on for even though no one could have imagined how awful it would become. But you know what? I can’t imagine anyone else who could have been our President (Clinton, Romney, McCain) that I would trust more to represent me and my/our ideologies than President Obama.
So to all of his supporters (and Dana Milbank is one) I say, the President and the rest of the world is in what we all know is “a no win situation” when it comes to the Middle East. The best we can do is to “take care of home” and pray for the best for them, whatever it is.
Let’s get off of his back and on his side. He’s caught between a rock and harder place than any of us could imagine.
Rodney Beard…pastorbeard@comcast.net