THE CONTINUING DISGRACE – AT 8:18 A.M. ET:  It's hard to fathom it, but President Obama continues to get high marks in the polls on foreign policy.  Presumably, this is because Americans are focusing on the killing of bin Laden and Gadaffi, and ignoring virtually everything else.

But the everything else is coming home to roost.  First, this country has now essentially capitulated to Iran's nuclear program.  A recent, devastating report by the UN on that program, linking it to clear signs of weapons development, has elicited a mighty ho-hum from the appeasement lobby in Washington.

First, despite a recent charge by Washington that Iran tried to murder the Saudi ambassador to Washington on our soil, using a huge bomb that could have killed hundreds of Americans – this in addition to the nuclear issue – the happy Obamans refuse to do anything meaningful to hurt the Iranian regime.  An August letter signed by 92 senators, calling for action against the Iranian Central Bank, has been dismissed, with unnamed Obamans telling the press that it might hurt the world economy.  Ah yes, it might.  But it might also paralyze the Iranian regime and help bring it down.  Oh, and there's also been no indication that we'll lift a finger to help Iranian dissidents.  Indeed, some clique in this administration, possibly including the president himself, seems to have a soft spot in its heart for the murderous mullahs of Tehran.

And now we have Leon Panetta publicly lecturing our Israeli allies about the unintended consequences of a military strike on the Iranian nuclear facilities.  This comes only a week after Obama, apparently with forked tongue, assured us that all options are on the table.  You know, maybe the administration should consider the unintended consequences of allowing Iran to get the atomic bomb, which is now clearly in prospect.

At the UN, the US has acquiesced in a watering down of a resolution criticizing the Iranian nuclear defiance.  The resolution contains no threat of additional action.

Take that, Tehran.

The Iranians must be laughing in their soup, or whatever it is they drink.

And this is occurring during an election campaign, when American presidents like to appear tough.  Imagine what our foreign policy will be once Obama is, Heaven forbid, re-elected. 

At the same time, it's reported that Russia will sent warships on a visit to Syria, as a warning to the West, meaning us, not to interfere to stop the continuing massacre of Syrian citizens by their government.  Of course, we haven't objected to the warship visit.  Must not upset Moscow.  We must understand Russian needs.  The people who edit the Nation magazine must be jubilant.

It's pathetic, just pathetic.  And yet Americans approve of Obama's foreign policy.  And the Republican Party has no coherent reply. 

And on the horizon, if we don't wise up...massive defense cuts. 

People will say that Obama has done some good things in national security policy, and he has.  But I recall the old policy of Lenin – two steps forward, one step back.   The one step back for the political left is the national security stuff.  The two steps forward, from the left's point of view, is the rest of Obama's failed, weak, foreign policy.

November 18, 2011