Steve Chapman: Is Obama to Blame for the World’s Crises?

When trouble flares up around the world, U.S.
presidents get blamed. The latest polls show that only about 36
percent of Americans approve of Barack Obama’s handling of foreign
affairs—down from 51 percent in May, 2011, after the death of Osama
bin Laden.

Republicans have not been reluctant to place responsibility on
him. “Obama has presided over a recent string of disasters that
make even (Jimmy) Carter look competent,” wrote Marc Thiessen, a
former speechwriter for President George W. Bush. “The world is on
fire—and Obama’s foreign policy legacy is in tatters.” Sen. Lindsey
Graham of South Carolina charged that “his policies are failing
across the globe.”

The indictment implies that had the administration been tougher
or smarter, Ukraine would be intact, Syria’s dictator would be
gone, Iraq would be stable, Hamas would surrender, China would be a
gentle lamb, and Iran would give up its nukes.

Conservatives say Obama thinks he’s king. But they seem to
confuse him with God, writes Steve Chapman.

When was this era of harmony that Obama has somehow forfeited?
It never happened. And it’s not likely to emerge under his
successor. Even at the height of our post-Cold War power and
influence, nasty events happened all the time, and we couldn’t stop
them, according to Chapman.

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