Obama, Hezbollah, Hariri & Mixed Messages

According to recent media reports, the Obama administration is considering whether to open a dialogue with Hezbollah. This is fully consistent with the thinking of John Brennan, the White House counterterrorism czar, who stated in August of 2009, that “Hezbollah started out as purely a terrorist organization back in the early ’80s and has evolved significantly over time. And now it has members of parliament, in the cabinet; there are lawyers, doctors, others who are part of the Hezbollah organization." The Obama administration, however, is denying these reports.

The White House also denied, in 2009, that a meeting between two senior Hamas officials and a U.S diplomat had been coordinated and promoted by the U.S. State Department, despite a report in an Arab weekly that stated otherwise.

It is also worthy to note that in 2009, Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General, Sheikh Naim Qassem stated that the Obama administration had been reaching out to Hezbollah.

"Several US officials at different levels and more or less close to the [Obama] administration have asked to speak with [us]," he said.

Sadly, the Obama administration continues to send out mixed messages on matters of foreign policy, which is effecting the decision-making processes of foreign leaders, who can't help but be befuddled by the administration's incoherent policies.

Former Lebanese Prime Minister, Saad Hariri, once a staunch critic of Syria, began taking a softer tone toward Syria after Barack Obama ascended to the Presidency and re-established US/Syrian ties: With Obama befriending the Syrian regime, Hariri was powerless and he was unable to maintain a strong opposition toward the Syrians.

After Hezbollah toppled the Hariri government several weeks ago, Mr. Hariri, who believed the Obama administration was firmly opposed to Hezbolla's power grab, began issuing harsh statements critical of Hezbollah. Various factions within Lebanon sided with Hariri. However, with the latest reports suggesting that the Obama administration is considering whether to open a dialogue with Hezbollah, Mr. Hariri may feel compelled to soften his position, as he did with the Syrian regime.

Clearly, the Obama administration is in way over its head; it is alienating U.S. allies and strengthening America's adversaries.

The mixed messages emanating from the White House is partly due to Obama's pacifist nature and his benign, and somewhat favorable view toward terrorists and rogue elements around the globe. The President's pacifist nature is pushing him in one direction, while the harsh realities of the world are pushing him in another direction: Obama knows full well that a foreign policy which ignores the caustic reality of evil will have severe consequences upon the entire free world and will consequently make him a one term President. Hence, he is totally confused as to which direction to take.

And sadly, all this confusion is having a profound effect upon foreign leaders the likes of Saad Hariri, who are completely befuddled by Obama's mixed messages and his in-cohesive foreign policy.

On the flip side, leaders of Hezbollah, the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and Al Qaeda are quite content with Obama's foreign policy.