Present US foreign policy based on media reports

It was bad enough during the Clinton years, when much of his policy decisions were being driven by daily push polls, but now it seems we have achieved a new standard of international policy making. The president and his advisers are apparently formulating their decision making and advice based upon the latest media reports.

Obama and Panetta counting on the media reports.

In its first reaction, the administration offered few overt signs of a change in policy. While criticizing the move as insufficient, it made no direct call for Mr. Mubarak’s resignation. But in a statement, the White House called on his government to explain “in clear and unambiguous language” how a transition of power would take place.

Mr. Obama watched Mr. Mubarak’s speech on board Air Force One, returning from a trip to Michigan, the press secretary, Robert Gibbs, said. As soon as he arrived at the White House, Mr. Obama huddled with his national security aides. The administration appeared as taken aback by Mr. Mubarak’s speech as the crowds in Tahrir Square. The director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Leon E. Panetta, testified before the House of Representatives on Thursday morning that there was a “strong likelihood” that Mr. Mubarak would step down by the end of the day.

American officials said Mr. Panetta was basing his statement not on secret intelligence but on media broadcasts, which began circulating before he sat down before the House Intelligence Committee. But a senior administration official said Mr. Obama had also expected that Egypt was on the cusp of dramatic change. Speaking at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, he said, “We are witnessing history unfold,” adding, “America will do everything we can to support an orderly and genuine transition to democracy.”

No, this administration has no immediate reaction aside from basically admitting that they don't understand what has happened or why and their calls for more clarity from Hosni Mubarek. The bottom line mr. president, Mubarek told you and the world plainly last night, that he is not leaving before September and he will not be influenced or pressured by outside foreign influences. (Code speak, America and Obama BACK OFF!)

Of course, we now know that King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has previously told the president to back off and not to embarrass his good friend Mubarek in Egypt. And the best that Obama and his cabinet seem to be able to muster intelligence wise? Is an Egyptian policy formulated on the recommendation of the director of CIA, who has been watching CNN coverage and cramming intel before entering the cabinet meeting to give his assessment of what might happen in Egypt.

Of course, this apparently dove tails well with the way this president sees things happening, as he too is/was watching the media and basing his assessments also on what he is seeing reported on cable news. One thing we know for sure, neither Panetta or the president are watching Fox News, so at least they can't loft that red herring as an excuse for their failures to understand the dynamics involved in Egypt.

Personally, I don't know why this type of diplomacy from this White Hosue surprises anyone. Those who dared to look past the politics of populist media hype and the race baited presentations of political lobbyist in 2008, already knew that Barak Obama was a light weight with absolutely no experience to lead this country. And aside from Obama's exposure to Marxist and communist ideologies and leftist black liberation theology, the man has absolutely no basis of understanding of the dynamics involved in global social upheavals or the history of nations period.

Barack Obama's formal training in geopolitical thinking was formed in the mold of socialist activism and anti Americanism, as created and taught by those who tutored him in the ways of Saul Alinsky. So, once Obama gets past his 'organizing' (past) to bring down the status quo and establish socialistic redistribution? There is no direction or alternative model for him to take. The Saul Alinsky model never planned beyond the destruction of capitalism and the interactions of other nations already mired in socialism and the multiculturalist lies heralded by the Marxist model. So Obama is flying blind as are most of his confidants in the administration.

Therefore, as foretold during the 2008 campaign, when the phone rings at 3 AM in the White House, all that is available is an answering machine. And once the sun comes up the next morning, the collective gaggle of those in the cabinet and the administration, (Like Clapper and Panetta and Napolitano and Holder) will all scramble to gather their thinking points from the morning cable news and the New York Times opinion pieces. Hillary Clinton at least knows how to fall back on push polls, at least Bill did teach her that.

So why is there such confusion on the part of those watching this White House and its implosion of foreign policy in the middle east? Come on folks, pay attention. This is what the majority wanted. This is what they voted for. Perhaps the next go around? More Americans will actually pay attention and educate themselves and watch and read sources other than TMZ, Entertainment tonight and VH1.