A brief conversation we (NSR) recently had on Twitter says it all about the problems with American foreign policy (see snapshot below).

Ms. Sherifa Zuhur is, according to her bio, a “Middle East scholar and historian,” affiliated with the “Institute of Middle Eastern, Islamic, and Strategic Studies.” (The other person in the conversation, Rawya Rageh, is a self-described “Mideast-based reporter.”). And the "video clip" we cite in the exchange is posted under “The Enemy Of My Friend.”

Exchanges such as these are not uncommon in the Twitter-o-sphere, although this one's a bit tamer than most. Interesting to see so many people/officials from the Arab world calling on the US for arms and assistance or criticizing the US for not doing enough, all while vilifying America's one real ally in the Middle East (i.e., Israel) and referring to it as the “enemy.”

Such is the attitude in much of the Arab Middle East. Which begs the question: What does it say about America, when countries requesting arms and aid, have zero problems vilifying and threatening America’s allies at the same time?

They're obviously not concerned with alienating the US or jeopardizing their requests. Maybe because they've seen how easily America (especially under the current US administration) throws its allies under the bus.

Viewed until recently as the most powerful nation on earth, America today is viewed as weak, indecisive, unreliable and fickle, by allies and enemies alike. This has nothing to do with the US military - viewed (at least for now) as the greatest military on earth - but has everything to do with its political leadership, i.e., the same political leaders who give the military its marching orders.

As we’ve said many times, most recently in “The Enemy Of My Friend”:

Unlike domestic issues, the US President has much independence and wiggle room, when it comes to matters of foreign policy/national security. So if the American people elect, say, a community organizer and would-be social worker as Commander-in-Chief, chances are they'll get incoherent and disastrous policies, like the ones we have today, in areas most critical to the US.

Just something for the American people to keep in mind next time they elect a President. If for no other reason, they owe it to the brave men and women of the U.S. military to give them a competent Commander-in-Chief.