Issues Under Fire: Debate Surprise Some But No Game Changer
Since the much ballyhooed Presidential debate failed to deliver any game changing moments, any new incites or clarity of specifics, we bailed way too early to comment or care to. It was obvious from the onset, Mr. Romney wasn't gonna piss his panties and President Obama wasn't gonna shut Mr. Romney down. So like most of the American electorate, we resumed our default positions and tuned the noise out.
Connecting turmoil in Syria to Iranian money woes to Russian/Chinese obstructionism at the UN to threats to U.S. global interest, (primarily for the security of Israel) was infinitely more interesting than the predictable U.S. Presidential debate. If we've said it once, we've said it a million times, global affairs is the key! U.S. Foreign Policy is our beat and we're sticking to it.
While the Presidential debate may have grabbed US headlines, the hottest issue circulating the globe is the shootout between the Turks and the Syrians. We have casualties on both sides and the incident could easily spiral into a full fledged military engagement. Early on, Prime Minister Erdogan played it cool when the Syrians shot down one of Turkey's reconnaissance jets, but now that ground fire is being directed across his borders, Turkey has the green light to strike back. And they did!
Why should you care? Because should the Turks call for help, it is NATO's obligation to respond. This opens the door to Western military intervention despite the objections of the Russians and Chinese. If the fighting continues unabated, allowing the death toll to skyrocket, another coalition of the "Whatever"could be assembled. And here we go again!
If all that weren't exciting enough, we have reports of Iranians taking to the streets in protest of the nation's currency plummeting. With the Rail valued at next to nothing, hunger pains are now audible. No doubt this is news that'll put a smile on the faces of those inflicting crippling sanctions against Tehran.
But the wise, will keep celebrations on hold until it can be verified how widespread the discomfort and discontent is and if Iranian leadership is clever enough redirected that negative energy against external forces. If the Iranian people blame their government for the nation's economic implosion they'll more than likely get slapped down in the streets before they can generate sufficient opposition to topple Ahmadinejad's crew or the "Supreme Holy Moly" backing Ahmadinejad's play.
On the other hand if the Iranians see the West as trying force their nation into an embarrassing second or third class status, they could band together and stick it out while fighting it out. And they might fight like us; dirty.
Why should you care? Because U.S. influence has fallen "below" dangerous levels in the middle east. People in the hottest regions around the global are angry and distrustful of a U.S. foreign policy, they perceive consistently fails to be consistent. Considering we now live in a world weary of request to join another fight, its difficult to tell who among America's so-called allies are tired of taking 3:00 am calls from the White House.
Who among America's friends could see something one day and decided not to say a damn thing. If America can't fine tune its foreign policy message and play it better, its circle the wagons and batten down the hatches. And here we go again!
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