Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Obama Up Against The Wall

On November 9, Germany and the free world will celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. That day on TV Americans saw an event that overjoyed them. East Berliners came pouring over the walls, Germans on both sides of the wall began hammering at it and breaking out huge chunks, and the East German authorities seemed helpless to do anything about it. It was a glorious victory, and the death knell of the Cold War. Within a very short time, Hungary, Romania, Czechoslovakia and Poland had similar experiences.

The wall has had great emotional impact on the thinking of free peoples since the days it was first being built in the early Sixties. Famous speeches have been made there that gave boldness and courage to those who opposed the communist tyranny. John Kennedy's "I am a Berliner" speech has gone down in history, along with Ronald Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." And let us not forget the lofty campaign speech made by Barack Obama when he promoted his candidacy to his fellow citizens of the world (he didn't get lot of votes from Berlin, however).

But for this momentous event, Obama will inexplicably be absent. He claims his duties of office prevent him from going (tell that to the poor slobs in Copenhagen when he had enough time to tout Chicago for the Olympics). It's not as if he hasn't been invited. German Chancellor Angela Merkel considered this to be an event that warranted the presence of the president of the United States. America played a major role, if not the major role, in bringing about the fall of the Soviet Union, the collapse of the Eastern European satellite states, and the end of the wall. Never mind Kennedy, Reagan and the Berlin Airlift, Obama has more important things to do.

Since Obama has already insulted the United Kingdom and France, he must have figured it's Germany's turn. While making nice with dictators in South America, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and undermining the constitutional internal affairs of Central American republics, it would have been nice if he could have taken a little time out to honor a momentous event in an ally's history.

After all, who could possibly object to an American president going to a major western capital to join that nation's citizens in celebrating the anniversary of the end of the oppression of its people? Well, Vladimir Putin, to start with. Unlike Obama, Putin fully realizes that this celebration is a slap in the face of Russian autocrats. It rejoices in the end of murderous tyranny. Obama may not join Putin in his underlying reasons for avoiding this memorial, but close enough. Obama doesn't feel comfortable celebrating the end of the Cold War since it also equally celebrates the height of American power, prestige and respect throughout the word. A president who has spent much of his time apologizing to the dictators of the world for all of America's wrongdoing, real and imagined, is not the type to find celebrating American triumph very appetizing.

This is a political mistake of major proportions. Other than the leftists, Americans range from mystified to furious over Obama's lame excuses for not going to Berlin. Even those who are reluctant to praise America's great accomplishments throughout the world still saw the celebration as an opportunity for Obama to lay out America's hopes and dreams of a world without oppressive dictatorships. Those of a more patriotic bent find this to be another example of Obama's disdain for all things American. And overseas, this certainly doesn't strengthen our relationship with the new struggling democracies and the older successful democracies who want America to be at least a major partner in maintaining freedom worldwide.

Obama's complete ignorance or misreading of American history leaves him unable to understand how very much the Soviet-dominated Eastern European nations had looked to America for guidance, inspiration and support. How could any nation revere a country so badly flawed as the United States? At the United Nations, Obama said "no one nation can dominate another nation." If he were to go to the celebration and even half-heartedly participate, it would necessarily mean that the captive nations were right in their rejection of Russian domination. And you know who wouldn't like that.

Chancellor Merkel has tried to put a good face on the matter. But the disappointment and hidden anger is palpable throughout Germany. I read the international Deutschland Nachrichten in German from time to time to see if the English versions of German news match up with what they are saying in German. The differences are subtle, but today's edition can barely disguise the contempt that Merkel and her people feel for getting Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi and whoever else ends up there on the November 9 instead of the "leader of the free world." Germany is proud of its ability to finally throw off the yoke of the Soviet Union, but they are also very open about the fact that America was instrumental in helping to bring down that wall. Obama's failure to join in the celebrations seems to Germans to indicate that Obama is not so sure that the fall of the dictators was really such a good thing.

Considering his deference to dictators and oppressors throughout the world, the Germans may very well be on to something. He will meet with Putin to surrender American power in Eastern Europe. He will meet with president-for-life Chavez to promote dictatorship in the western hemisphere. He will meet with Ahmadenijad after failing to raise a peep about the violent rigged elections in Iran. But he won't join Chancellor Merkel and the Germans for one brief day to celebrate the end of the Evil Empire, largely because it would offend one of his favorite dictators. Does anyone wonder why they're extremely nervous in Prague, Budapest, and Warsaw?

22 comments:

patti said...

my mother, The German, rarely calls, unless there is an emergency. so when she called me after barry had traveled to berlin to make his speech, i listened. she was horrified. said the entire thing reminded her of how hitler came into power (hey, her words from one who lived it). she knew i followed politics and wanted to know what americans were going to do about this man. she wanted reassurance that we were smarter than to fall for his bs. i wish i could have assured her, but here we are.

as an off-topic note, when a large piece of the berlin wall made it to a local museum, i took my son to see it. he was of the age that rules were black and white. the exhibit was open air and the visitors were instructed NOT to touch the cement wall. I told him that mommy was about to break a rule and that i would take the consequence of my action, but i HAD to touch that wall knowing what it represented and that it HAD come down with help, once again, from america.

i had to endure a time out for breaking the rules (his idea), but it was worth it.

wow, hope this isn't too rambly, but just rambly enough....

Joel Farnham said...

LawHawk,

This is my opinion of why Obama wont go the ceremony. Obama is a Marxist. The fall of the Berlin Wall represents the failure of Marxism. How could any one expect for a person who holds Marxist Ideals dear to his heart go to a place that celebrate Marxist failure?

AndrewPrice said...

Patti, that's funny. I spent some time in Germany when I was a kid, and I have vivid memories of riding a bike in the middle of an empty highway that was cut in half by the wall a few hundred roads down the hall. Very creepy.

I also went over after the wall came down and I wish that every American had gone to see East Germany so that they would understand just what socialism was really about. It was like a world in which everything stopped in 1946. Nothing was repaired or maintained. Everything was primitive and run down. The people were nasty and lazy. You could literally see the pollution -- lakes with white foam covers, villages that smelled like the nastiest chemicals I've ever seen, blackish dirty everywhere. And now leftists like Algore tell us that capitalism is the evil system. Give me a break.

Writer X said...

Disgusting. Though not surprising. Obama has been on the wrong side of progress his entire (albeit short) political life. To attend would be yet another admission of his party's weakness. Look for him on a golf course or basketball court or hiring another czar.

Getting Clinton and Pelosi is hardly a consolation prize. Pelosi is probably practicing her plastered smile as we speak and Clinton is probably scrounging around for another reset button. And Merkel is probably regretting she even extended the invitation.

DCAlleyKat said...

Does anyone wonder why they're extremely nervous in Prague, Budapest, and Warsaw?

And in Anytown, USA.

StanH said...

It was an amazing sight to see the wall’s collapse and the incredible gathering of the German people at the Brandenburg Gate. You couldn’t help but feel a release of anxiety for the entire world. As a “Duck and Cover” kid myself this was not the way I thought it would end. Somehow that wall encapsulated, “The Cuban Missile Crisis, LBJ’s political add against Goldwater (the little girl nuclear blast), MADD, Dr. Strangelove, ICBM, MIRV headed nuclear missile, SDI/Brilliant Pebbles, fallout shelters, etc. Now here we are with Witless Barry turning his back on an ally, Barry turning his back on the Mad Mullahs of Iran, Barry embracing every tinhorn dictator in the world, …Duck and Cover!

DCAlleyKat said...

I simply cannot resist making this comment on ANY posting which includes "The Wall"....

We don't need no education...we don't need no thought control...no dark sarcasm in the classroom...

BevfromNYC said...

Maybe he could give up one of his golf games or a few campaign stops. We should AT LEAST be sending Biden (God help us). That's what he's there for. Heck, send Bush 1 or 2 or Billy Bob or Jimmy! We have old and former Presidents coming out of our @ss.

Obama just can't help himself, can he. He will not stop until he's insulted every one of our allies. Well, I guess we can take comfort in knowing that we can still count on the Norwegians in a pinch.

Unknown said...

Patti: My mother was from Bavaria (although she was a newborn when they arrived in America) and my dad's family was from Prussia (mostly, Berlin). Although I always miss them, I think sometimes that they would have had the same reaction your mother had about Obama's Berlin speech. They both had relatives who came to visit before WWII, and they all warned about the "Magic Madman."

Unknown said...

JoelFarnham: I think even Putin understands the value of capitalism better than Obama. And I'm sure that's part of his thinking.

Unknown said...

Andrew: I've never had the chance to visit Germany again since the wall came down. I hope to do so some time in the not-too-distant future. The two times I did go were in 1950, and again just after the wall went up, but before Kennedy's speech. As much as I can remember of it, we'd have a pleasant visit with my mom's family, and then "make arrangements" to visit with my dad's relatives who lived in East Germany, but worked in West Berlin. The contrast was almost indescribable. Looking through the Brandenburg Gate to utter desolation.

Joel Farnham said...

LawHawk,

Putin is more of an adequate politician than Obama. So is Hillary. She is willing to stifle herself to get it known she approves of Marxist loss. She might not like it, but....... it buys votes.

Unknown said...

WriterX: At least Pelosi and Clinton will get a chance to see what a real female leader looks like.

Unknown said...

DCAlleyKat: Well said.

Unknown said...

StanH: I think we all got caught by surprise. We all knew things were not going well for the communists, but we figured they'd regain control and continue on their former course. That's the difference between a president who is determined to risk his political future on ending the evil empire and one who goes along to get along. As overjoyed as I was as the Berliners poured across the wall, I still couldn't stop the thought in the back of my mind that "this isn't really happening." Reagan knew beter.

Unknown said...

Bev: Even Obama must know the limits on how far he should go to insult our allies. Biden would be just too much. LOL

George H.W. Bush would be a good representative, since it actually occurred on his watch. One small problem. Like Obama, he couldn't resist the temptation to meddle in the internal affairs of our allies, and actually originally opposed Germany's reunification.

Tennessee Jed said...

I am kind of glad this guy keeps heeping abuse on our allies. The more people he insults, the harder his fall. Maybe some of the euro-weenie libs will even begin to see things in a different light. It helps give me hope for change in the near future if you catch my drift (l.o.l)

Unknown said...

Tennessee: I hope that's the result. For now, the Europeans are learning a lesson about having to fend for themselves, but their natural tendencies are to give up. On the other hand, it might also teach them to be careful whom they support in American elections lest they find themselves unarmed, unprotected, and alone. I imagine that "cowboys" are looking pretty good to them right now.

Melissa Amateis said...

Absolutely unbelievable. He can take the time to go to the Olympics meeting but not this? Really? Absolutely floors me.

Unknown said...

Melissa: The only reason he had time to go to Copenhagen is they canceled his golf tour a few days before. Besides, what are a few million lives saved compared to getting that wonderful sporting event?

CrispyRice said...

Interesting article, LawHawk. Obama continues to sicken me.

Unknown said...

CrispyRice: I'm with you. Every time I fail to move fast enough to change the channel when the messiah's face appears, I have to run to the medicine cabinet. I must be keeping Pepto Bismol in business.

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