By Leo Rennert,America Thinker
Kim Jong Ill shocks Obama this Memorial Day
President Obama vowed to do a better job than George W. Bush by using diplomacy instead of wielding a big stick in dealing with hostile nations like Iran,North Korea and Syria. It hasn’t worked.
Obama pleaded with them to “unclench their fists”and promised to reward them with a softer,more deferential United States eager to atone for past bullying tactics. Thus,the President opted for more positive relations with the United Nations,extolled the virtues of multilateralism,and appointed high-level special envoys to Iran (Dennis Ross),to Afghanistan-Pakistan (Richard Holbrooke) and to Israel and the Palestinians (George Mitchell).
So far,however,there have been no takers for Obama’s entreaties. Just the opposite. The president’s charm offensive has had the opposite effect —a tougher,more belligerent tone,coupled with ominous muscle-flexing by the likes of Tehran and North Korea. The Taliban also has been riding high,while Pakistan falters.