FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 04, 2011
If Obama Was Smart, He'd Give His Allies "A Piece Of The Action"--Just Like Captain Kirk
The problem with Obama's foreign policy is that it is nothing more than Chicago politics writ large: you negotiate with your enemies when you have no choice, but your allies--whenever their interests get in your way, they are expected to do what you want anyway: even if it requires them to fall on their sword.
What Obama needs to do is to stop following the example of Chicago politics, and take one step back to the days of Chicago mob politics--and follow the example of Captain Kirk.
Remember the classic episode "A Piece of the Action," when the Enterprise visits a planet that has modeled itself after a book entitled Chicago Mobs of the Twenties.
Resolving the problem they find themselves in requires Kirk and the crew to stop the mob war between the various bosses by giving each of them "a piece of the action" rather than giving power to one of them and then "rubbing out" the rest as they prefer.
This is a lesson that Obama would do well to learn, especially when dealing with Mubarak.
Just consider the similarity between the head mob boss, Bela Oxmyx, and Mubarak:
Obama's willingness to abandon his allies--at least he doesn't rub'em out--is just not good diplomacy, nor good politics.
Allies who get dumped on tend to desert you and then join forces with their own allies--against you.
Remember the classic episode "A Piece of the Action," when the Enterprise visits a planet that has modeled itself after a book entitled Chicago Mobs of the Twenties.
Resolving the problem they find themselves in requires Kirk and the crew to stop the mob war between the various bosses by giving each of them "a piece of the action" rather than giving power to one of them and then "rubbing out" the rest as they prefer.
This is a lesson that Obama would do well to learn, especially when dealing with Mubarak.
Just consider the similarity between the head mob boss, Bela Oxmyx, and Mubarak:
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Obama's willingness to abandon his allies--at least he doesn't rub'em out--is just not good diplomacy, nor good politics.
Allies who get dumped on tend to desert you and then join forces with their own allies--against you.
They know they can get a piece of the action without you if need be.
Don't believe me? Just look at the Muslim world today.
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Note: A little theme song to Obama's style foreign policies, as he makes President Mubarak an offer he can't refuse:
