‘Envy of the Gods’: Obama ‘Unfit to Lead’ a Great Power (A Russian Perspective)

US President Barack Obama and Russia's President Vladimir Putin.
How much are the emotions of President Obama clouding his judgment about Europe, Ukraine and Russia? Columnist Vladimir Zharkhin charges Obama with letting his feelings toward Putin dictate American policy. ‘Envy of the Gods’: Obama ‘Unfit to Lead’ a Great Power (Izvestia, Russia)

“It isn’t politically correct to say, but this is the way it is: the overall impression is that a weak, unpopular, and unsuccessful president is trying to wound a strong, successful, and very popular president. Such unsatisfactory behavior by the first African-American president of the United States proves again that the destinies of nations are too often influenced not only by the ingenious plans and pragmatic forecasts of hard-headed analysts, but by outright envy – the envy of a man who has shown himself to be simply unprepared for the heavy burden of leading a great world power.”

Vladimir-Zharkhin_mugBy Vladimir Zharkhin                               

Political analyst Vladimir Zharkhin discusses Barack Obama’s role as the Herostratus of the new world order

As events in Ukraine escalate, America’s role seems ever more ominous.

Initially it seemed that the main supporters of the Euromaidan protesters were the Europeans, in particular those from newer E.U. countries like Poland and Lithuania. The moment of truth came on February 22, when the plotters took power by force, showing complete disregard for previously agreed upon trade guarantees and solemn assurances from the foreign ministries of Germany, France and Poland.

From that moment it became quite clear who the real paymaster was behind the tragic scenes in Ukraine.

Earlier this year, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the current German foreign minister, is complaining that developments in Ukraine undermine the entire system of security in Europe, which for more than half a century has allowed for relatively conflict free way of life on the continent. Then the “great European powers,” who had guaranteed the agreements of February 21, silently swallowed their humiliation and the complete nullification of their authority.

Yes, Europe has something to lose.

After centuries of almost continuous warfare among one another and the two global battles of the 20th century that were first ignited in Europe, a half century of respite has allowed Europe to unite and turn into an oasis of relative peace compared to the destruction and instability on other continents.

Moreover, the idea of a single economic apace “from Lisbon to Vladivostok” would create an enormous self-sufficient single market and an incomparable concentration of financial, technological, intellectual, and natural resources.

That notion, however, suggests that the United States would be sidelined from European affairs and its dominant role in the Atlantic Alliance eliminated, with the American economy consigned to the periphery of world development.

The undermining of these plans for European and Eurasian integration was executed by the Americans both precisely and effectively. The Ukrainian state had an inherent weakness associated with the historic clash between its eastern and western regions.

The integrity of Ukraine during its years of independence was maintained only because the country’s leaders alternated between moderate representatives from the east and central regions. In light of current events and the background of the victorious coalition, even Viktor Yushchenko, who by the way came from the central Sumy Oblast, seems like a politician of peace and moderation.

However, as soon as a neo-fascist radical from western Ukraine came to power, the country began to implode and fall to pieces. This was precisely in line with U.S. plans to block the formation of a unified economic space, a “Greater Europe,” by making Ukraine the bone of contention between Russia and the E.U.

Here though, to create a hotspot for many years to come right in the middle of Europe; to halt its industry, render its debts unpayable, and destroy the state of Ukraine, turning it into the Somalia of Europe, all in the name of the long term interests of the United States, is extremely risky.

In an article unsympathetic to Russia written by Katrina vanden Heuveland published in The Washington Post on May 13,vanden Heuvel wrote “U.S. actions over the past several months have defied common sense.” She wrote further, “If the country [Ukraine] has any chance of recovery, assistance from both Russia and the West will be needed.This outcome will be possible only if common sense can find some traction in Washington and in media coverage of the crisis.”

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France 24’s The Debate, broadcast from Moscow. François Picard welcomes guests, former Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Russia’s Rain TV Tikhon Dzyadko, Director of the Institute of Political Studies in Moscow Sergei Markov, and Russia Today political analyst MarkSleboda. [Click Here to Watch]

 
Publisher of respected magazine The Nation, Vanden Heuvel laments the lack of common sense in the Washington administration. Indeed, such an open attack on the interests of European countries, despite their servility toward the United States, is already engendering opposition that has remained hidden so far, but is quickly rising to the surface.

Threatening Russia with blackmail and sanctions, and given the perception of a threat of attack from the West, Russia has moved toward a rapprochement with China, which is certainly not in the interests of the United States. This is particularly true now that the U.S. has decided to strengthen its influence in Southeast Asia to limit the power of China.

Such contradictory behavior by our central hegemon can be explained not only in terms of geopolitics, but human psychology. From U.S. leaders, too many emotions, resentments, and ill-conceived threats and sanctions have been expressed, none of which make sense as part of the pragmatic promotion of American geopolitical interests.

Even in the midst of the Snowden epic, Barack Obama’s childish emotions atracted attention. Snowden, the prodigy, fled to Russia, just as Gordievsky,Suvorov and Kaluginfled from us. These are the kinds of people involved with intelligence activities who from time to time defect to the other side.

But it never occurred to our general secretaries or presidents to use such events as a pretext for canceling meetings with American leaders out of anger, or ground and search the aircraft of Latin American heads of state. It is not the way of great leaders to squabble over such trivia and lose face! Further actions by the American administration to discredit the Sochi Olympics, and even more so, in their destabilization of Ukraine, show that a personal and emotional component to Obama’s actions have prevailed over reason and caution.

Posted By Worldmeets.US

It isn’t politically correct to say, but this is the way it is: the overall impression is that a weak, unpopular, and unsuccessful president is trying to wound a strong, successful, and very popular president. Furthermore he [Obama] isn’t thinking about the long range consequences of his actions on his own country.

Such unsatisfactory behavior by the first African-American president of the United States proves again that the destinies of nations are too often influenced not only by the ingenious plans and pragmatic forecasts of hard-headed analysts, but by outright envy – the envy of a man who has shown himself to be simply unprepared for the heavy burden of leading a great world power. Of course, Obama could go down in history as the man who destroyed peace on the European continent, but that will be to the glory of Herostratus.

[Editor’s Note: According to Greek mythology, Herostratus was an arsonist who destroyed the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. His name has become synonymous with people who commit a criminal act in order to become famous.]

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