Thursday, September 05, 2013
Can't Walk Back
President Obama is learning a truth of the internet age. One can't change what he said in the past without being caught. The cause for this lesson is the now famous "red line" that Obama said Syria dare not cross with the use of chemical weapons. Commentators have resurrected his words from a year ago and pilloried him with them. Obama's first mistake was when he said the phrase. His second misstep was attempting to disavow what he said. He has now put his credibility on the line in his effort to punish Syria for using Sarin to murder its people. That in itself might be a mistake because it looked like he was going to order bombing last week when suddenly he decided to ask for Congress' support. In the eyes of citizens and the world, he looks to be vacillating and indecisive. That perception will do more to harm his reputation than his desire to build a base of support. It is a pity because he showed resolve in capturing Osama Bin Laden, but this time it seems he blinked when he should have slapped a dictator down.
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