Krauthammer on Obama´s lack of leadership

"America is led by a man determined that it should not"

Charles Krauthammer is not amused by the kind of leadership Barack Obama has shown during the Libya crisis. And it is not difficult to agree with what he is saying:

And as for the United States, who knows what American policy is. Administration officials insist we are not trying to bring down Gaddafi, even as the president insists that he must go. Although on Tuesday Obama did add “unless he changes his approach.” Approach, mind you.

In any case, for Obama, military objectives take a back seat to diplomatic appearances. The president is obsessed with pretending that we are not running the operation — a dismaying expression of Obama’s view that his country is so tainted by its various sins that it lacks the moral legitimacy to . . . what? Save Third World people from massacre?

Obama seems equally obsessed with handing off the lead role. Hand off to whom? NATO? Quarreling amid Turkish resistance (see above), NATO still can’t agree on taking over command of the airstrike campaign, which is what has kept the Libyan rebels alive.

This confusion is purely the result of Obama’s decision to get America into the war and then immediately relinquish American command. Never modest about himself, Obama is supremely modest about his country. America should be merely “one of the partners among many,” he said Monday. No primus inter pares for him. Even the Clinton administration spoke of America as the indispensable nation. And it remains so. Yet at a time when the world is hungry for America to lead — no one has anything near our capabilities, experience and resources — America is led by a man determined that it should not.

A man who dithers over parchment. Who starts a war from which he wants out right away. Good God. If you go to take Vienna, take Vienna. If you’re not prepared to do so, better then to stay home and do nothing.

Read the entire column here.

PS

As we have pointed out several times already, only the US is capable of leading an operation like the one going on in Libya now. Formally NATO can take over, but in reality the US stays as leader, want it or not. Obama´s active avoidance of visible leadership is not very clever, because everybody - including the muslim countries - knows who is the real leader.

The internal bickering within NATO is also very damaging with regard to the future of the alliance. The worst performer is Germany, which in reality has allied itself with Russia and China. And sometimes one wonders, why Turkey is a member of the alliance?

EU should not let Gazprom dictate its energy policy

                                           The planned megalomaniac Gazprom Tower in St. Petersburg

Robert Amsterdam wonders whether the EU will be able to say no to the (for the time being) mighty Gazprom:

Russia is positively gigantic in the energy news today, dominating headlines as crises in Japan and Libya allow it to step forward as the country that has all the answers, or at least, all of the supplies.  Solidifying its image as a reliable provider, Gazprom has been supplying gas to Europe to make up for a lack of Libyan supplies, and it was reported today that Russia will double its oil exports to Japan this year (to reach a total of 18 million tons), as well as sending a 100,000 ton shipment of LNG, as the country struggles to meet additional demand.  And let's not forget that, should Gaddafi remain in power, Russia will be the first country to benefit from its energy resources, reminding us today that it is 'maintain[ing] diplomatic relations with the current Libyan authorities,' as calls for a ceasefire garner increasing global support and the stakes rise over the possibility of Gaddafi stepping down.

In light of all this, it will be interesting to see how the EU responds to Russia's proposals on the Third Energy Package.  The package was designed to "unbundle" the over-concentration of energy assets in Europe, and would inevitably lead to Gazprom's being forced to relinquish control of pipelines that it already owns.  Furthermore, under the rules of the package, the South Stream project (whose Slovenian section is the latest to be sealed in, with a new deal struck yesterday) would be in 'direct conflict with the EU's energy market legislation'.  Russia therefore wants the EU to alter the wording of the rules to ensure that Russia does not have to sell off any of its pipeline network: and Sergei Shmatko is now eagerly 'waiting for the reply'. 

But at Russia's current level of energy domination, can the answer be anything other than resounding compliance?

One certainly must hope that the EU will have enough courage not to give in to Gazproms demands. But, knowing how close Germany is to Putin´s Russia (e.g. through Nord Stream) it would not be a big surprise if the Russians would be able to have it their way. Such a solution would, however, be an enormous mistake from a European point of view. The only clever thing would be to speed up shale gas exploration in Poland and other countries. Shale gas will effectively end the Russian energy domination in Europe, providing that German and other greenies are not succesful in their wish to make it an impossible dream. Meanwhile, some kind of temporary deal with Gazprom should be arranged - without  Europe giving up its principles.

Why hotels are showing such a great interest in the "Earth Hour"

The famous Hilton New York Waldorf Astoria encourages guests to switch off the room lights during "Earth Hour". (That will also prevent the guests from noticing other, less appealing "guests" in the room)


There may be several reasons why hotels are so interested in promoting "Earth Hour". However, the major reason is obvious: By turning lights and other electric equipment off they can save a few bucks while at the same time being able to pretend that they care about "sustainability" and the need to prevent "climate change".  It is a continuation of their traditional dishonest campaign asking people not to demand daily clean towels and bed sheets etc.

Hilton Worldwide is a fine example of this corporate hypocrisy:

Hotels Around the World Participate to Support Energy Conservation “We intend to make a big difference through our sustainable actions, and Earth Hour is a unique opportunity for the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of brands to show its continued commitment to this important effort.”
Hilton Worldwide and its portfolio of 10 distinct hotel brands announced its participation to celebrate Earth Hour 2011 from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, March 26, 2011. As more than a billion people and organizations around the world turn off their lights in support of energy conservation, Earth Hour will be recognized at thousands of hotels in Hilton Worldwide’s portfolio of brands including Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations.
“As a global company with more than 3,600 hotels in 82 countries, Hilton Worldwide is always looking for ways to reduce energy consumption,” said Paul Brown, President of Global Brands & Commercial Services, Hilton Worldwide.

• Switching off main building exterior lighting and rooftop neon signage
• Shutting down business center equipment
• Dimming interior lights in lobby and reception area
• Encouraging guests to switch off their room lights
• Staging special candle-lit dinners and events to raise awareness

Hilton Worldwide has also encouraged properties within its portfolio to get creative with their Earth Hour celebrations. The Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu will encourage guests to turn off their lights and televisions and join in its second annual hour of storytelling titled “Ghost Stories, Myths & Legends of Hawaii” with one of Hawaii’s master storytellers, while the Mersin Hilton in Sokak, Turkey, is organizing a show for local students to increase their knowledge about the environment. Additional properties including the Hilton London Kensington, the Hilton Cartagena in Colombia and others around the world will recognize the initiative by creating special drinks and menus with a “green” theme, as well as preparing only cold menu items.

PS

Yes, I  believe Paul Brown, President of Global Brands & Commercial Services, when he says that "Hilton Worldwide is always looking for ways to reduce energy consumption” - everybody wants to cut costs. But he - and others in the hotel business - should cut out the dishonest crap about "sustainability". And Hilton Worldwide seems to take pride in announcing that they are "Shutting down business center equipment" during the earth hour. This is, of course, an outrage. Busy business excecutives paying a lot of money for staying at Hilton hotels are prevented from using the business centers because some stupid President of Global Brands & Commercial Services has decided to close the "equipment" during "Earth Hour".

No, Mr. Brown, this is not acceptable! There are fortunately other excellent - and even better - hotels, which have chosen not to join the fake "Earth Hour" bandwaggon. These hotels are not "Dimming interior lights in lobby and reception area" either. And they also offer decent hot meals!

And, Mr. Brown, here is some free advice for you to consider, if you are planning to add some new "sustainability" measures  at the Hilton hotels during next year´s "Earth Hour":

• No water in bathrooms (by reducing the use of water, we can surely fight global warming effectively)
• Toilet paper will be removed from the guest rooms during "Earth Hour" (good against gobal warming)
• Lifts in all hotels will be closed during " Earth Hour" (saves electricity and prevents global warming)
• Only vegetarian cold food is served (very good against global warming)
• No room service during "Earth Hour" (less phone calls and waiter activity prevents global warming)
• Cold water in all pools (very good in fight against global warming)
• Only people who believe in human induced global warming are allowed to stay in the hotels on that day (This would be the ultimate sustainability activity making Hilton Worldwide a global leader in the fight against global warming)

I wish you and the "Hilton Portfolio of Brands" the best of  luck with the planning of next year´s "Earth Hour"!

Oh, one additional piece of  free advice:
In light of what you are doing, you might want to change your slogan "Filling the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality" to e.g. "Replacing the light and warmth of hospitability with the darkness of North Korea"

Operation "Odyssey Dawn" - in reality the US will always be in charge

                                        USS Mount Whitney

As we have pointed out earlier, the public debate about who will be in charge of operation Odyssey Dawn is a sideshow - in reality the US is the only power with the capacity to lead a major operation like this:

The command debate, however, may be more for political show than about real changes on the ground if NATO eventually does take the mantle, according to Lawrence Korb, from the Center for American Progress think-tank.
"It will help to change the perception of the operation," particularly in the Arab world, Korb told AFP. "The US is a critical part of the operation but we want to do it behind the scene."
French jets dropped the first bombs in the conflict before Tomahawk cruise missiles followed from US and British submarines.
Now the 12-country coalition includes Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Italy, Norway, Qatar, Spain, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
More than half the 350 aircraft involved belong to the United States, but Gortney said that over the preceding 24 hours partner nations had flown "roughly half" of the 130 coalition sorties.
Twenty-six of the 38 ships in the Gulf of Sirte enforcing the UN arms embargo -- also under NATO command -- are from other countries, and Turkey has now offered five ships and a submarine.
But with several submarines, destroyers, the USS Mount Whitney command-and-control vessel, specialized surveillance aircraft as well as its fleet of fighter jets, the United States -- also the main contributor to NATO -- will remain at the heart of operations.
"The phrase that we use is that the United States will contribute its unique military capabilities to whatever this second phase of operation would be," General Carter Ham, the commander of US forces, told ABC News.
"There's probably some intelligence support that we would continue to provide, some communications, tankers for aircraft.... But we wouldn't see probably a large number of fighter aircraft for example."
Ham said he was confident command could be handed over "relatively quickly" but admitted there were some "very, very complex" procedures, especially with air operations, that might lengthen that transition period.

Read the entire article here.

Adieu, Assad!

An open letter to Syria´s president Bashar al-Assad

Dear Mr. President,

By now, you could have been an outstanding opthalmologist, helping your people to see a better future, had not the death of your brother Basil  in 1994 interrupted your studies in London and brought you back to Syria in order to be "educated" as the successor of your father. When your father died in 2000, you were "elected" as the President of the Syrian Arab Republic.

Many people, both inside and outside of your country, had great expectations about a new, more human and democratic future for Syria, when you took over after your brutal father. Unfortunately, eleven years later, these hopes and prayers have not been answered. Syria has not become the beacon of freedom and democracy in the Arab world. On the contrary, during the last few days, it has become more and more obvious that you are nothing more than a bloodthirsty dictator, ordering your security forces to shoot and kill civilians demonstrating for a freer and better Syria:

Tonight, I noticed that you sent your "regime's face to the outside world", Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban (with a Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Warwick) to lie to Western media about the killings. Unfortunately I have to tell you, that her performance was not very convincing - and you must know why; lies are seldom convincing.

Here is what Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch has to say about the way you treat your own citizen:

The Syrian government has shown no qualms about shooting dead its own citizens for speaking out. Syrians have shown incredible courage in daring to protest publicly against one of the most repressive governments in the region, and they shouldn't have to pay with their lives.

I sincerely hope that you realise by now, that your time is up. You may be able to terrorise your own citizens for a while still, but you can be assured that soon you will share the fate of  Hosni Mubarak, (the soon to be ousted) Muammar Gaddafi and other brutal tyrants.

I have only one piece of advice for you: leave the country, before it is too late. Hugo Chavez, or some other remaining authoritarain leader, would probably still welcome you as an honoured guest.

It is time to say:

Adieu, Mr. President!

Germany is destroying NATO

The German government is acting in a more and more confusing and strange manner with regard to the Libyan operation "Odyssey Dawn":


A German military spokesman said it was recalling two frigates and AWACS surveillance plane crews from the Mediterranean, after fears they would be drawn into the conflict if NATO takes over control from the U.S.
---
Today the German defence ministry announced Berlin had pulled out of any military operations in the Mediterranean.
A ministry spokesman said two frigates and two other ships with a crew of 550 would be reverted to German command.
Some 60 to 70 German troops participating in NATO-operated AWACS surveillance operations in the Mediterranean would also be withdrawn, according to the ministry.
Berlin

Read the entire article here.

Angela Merkel´s and foreign minister Guido Westerwelle´s handling of the Libya crisis is a total failure, which could lead to serious consequences. One has to ask the question: With members like Germany, what is the use of the NATO alliance? The Germans have previously also avoided  responsibility - e.g. in Afganistan - to participate in tough actions, but this time their non-action is nothing less than scandalous.
One wonders, does Merkel take her cue from Putin´s friend Gerhard Schröder - or worse - directly from Mr.Putin?

Former German foreign minister Joschka Fisher was very critical already after the UN Security Council vote:

"Germany has lost its credibility in the United Nations and in the Middle East," wrote former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer in a contribution to the Tuesday edition of the Süddeutsche Zeitung. "German hopes for a permanent seat on the Security Council have been permanently dashed and one is now fearful of Europe's future."

Klaus Naumann, formerly the general inspector of the Bundeswehr -- the highest ranking position in the German military, was even harsher in his assessment:

"Germany's hopes for a permanent Security Council seat can be buried. Even the idea of an EU seat is damaged," he wrote in a piece for the business daily Handelsblatt. "Germany has turned the idea of a unified European Union foreign policy into a farce

Read the entire article here.

PS

Joschka Fischer has amplified his criticism in another article:

never has Germany been more isolated. The country has lost its credibility with the United Nations and in the Middle East; its claim to a permanent seat on the Security Council has just been trashed for good; and one really must fear the worst for Europe.
UN Security Council Resolution 1973, which authorized the current mission to protect Libyans, had the explicit or tacit agreement of the Security Council’s five veto-wielding powers. It also had the backing of a majority of the Council, the support of the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and the open military participation of two Arab states. So what more did the German government need to endorse the intervention?
What use is vocal multilateralism, what use are German leaders’ lofty speeches about international law being exercised by the Security Council, if Germany refuses to endorse a resolution for the protection of Libya’s citizens from a brutal regime employing all means at its disposal in its fight for survival? Nothing. Empty talk. And that will not be forgotten in the region, in the UN, or among Germany’s friends.
All I can say is that I feel ashamed for this failure of the German government and – unfortunately – also for the leaders of the red and green opposition parties who at first applauded this scandalous mistake!

Libya: The reality of the multilateral alliance

New York Times columnist David Brooks confirms, what professor Stephen Carter said earlier:

Finally, multilateral efforts are built around a fiction. The people who organize coalitions pretend that all the parties are sharing the burdens. In reality, only the U.S. can do many of the tasks. If the other nations falter, the U.S. will have to leap in and assume the entire burden. America’s partners go in knowing they do not bear ultimate responsibility for success or failure. Americans do.
All of this is not to say the world should do nothing while Qaddafi unleashes his demonic fury. Nor is this a defense of unilateralism. But we should not pretend we have found a superior way to fight a war. Multilateralism works best as a garment clothing American leadership. Besides, the legitimacy of a war is not established by how it is organized but by what it achieves.

Read the entire column here. 

PS
Let´s hope NATO will be allowed to take a formal leading role in Libya, at the same time recognizing that the operations in reality will continue to be led by the US.