Obama The Naive - Why His Diplomacy Is Failing

We discussed this topic in some detail here yesterday. Here's NRO's Rich Lowry with more:

"Oh, how the international community loves Barack Obama - loves to stiff him, play him along, and manipulate him. He’s the world’s celebrity ingenue, the slender naïf perpetually undone by the recalcitrance of foreign leaders.

Earlier this year, in a touching exercise in diplomatic and civilizational outreach, he sent two letters to Iran’s mullahs and a new year’s message to the Iranian people. How mannerly, how unthreatening. When the Iranian government beat protesters in the streets after it stole the election for Pres. Mahmoud Ahmaddinejad in June, Obama kept his criticism muted. How sensitive, how subtle.

In October, the Iranians agreed to send their low-enriched uranium — at least the portion of it we know about — to Russia in what was hailed as a triumph for Obama’s charm offensive. Except it’s all predictably ending in tears. If George W. Bush put too much faith in oppressed people — their ability and willingness to rise up for freedom — Barack Obama puts too much faith in their oppressors."

Yes, unfortunately that's it.  Obama trusts the tyrants and dictators of the world and appears to be suspicious of those opposing them.  A first for an American President?

Lowry concludes:

"The more pro-U.S. a country is, the more it can expect scolding or neglect from the president of the United States. It’s our enemies and the authoritarian big powers that Obama wants to woo. And like every cad who’s ever been presented with achingly defenseless innocence, they are very glad to see him. Yes, the world loves Barack Obama."

He just wants to be loved - is that so wrong? Ah, yes - if it endangers the rest of us.

Be sure to read it all.