SAME OLD, SAME OLD...

While he did have some good things to say about domestic policy in his administration (actions speak louder than words), Barack Obama once again promised more of the same when it comes to the Middle East on This Week With George Stehanopoulos. For the umpteenth time, nobody should get their hopes up that this guy will bring any meaningful change when it comes foreign policy, especially in the Middle East!

After consistent prodding by a handful of journalists, Obama recently updated his status on Gaza from "monitoring" to "concerned" but he still seems intent on following in the general (pro-Israel) path of his predecessors...

"I think that if you look not just at the Bush administration, but also what happened under the Clinton administration, you are seeing the general outlines of an approach... And I think that players in the region understand the compromises that are going to need to be made. But the politics of it are hard. And the reason it's so important for the United States to be engaged and involved immediately, not waiting until the end of their term, is because working through the politics of this requires a third party that everybody has confidence, wants to see a fair and just outcome."

I've already been over Obama's unwillingness/inability to take the right stand on the Arab-Israeli conflict but it goes much deeper than the influence of the lobby. For some reason he has felt compelled to portray the same sense of American infallibility that has gotten us into so much trouble in the past. Not only is such a self-centered approach harmful, but it takes away from any significance in promises of renewed diplomatic efforts.

His comments on Iran were very telling. It matters very little that he mentions a new approach when the starting point remains the same...

"I think that Iran is going to be one of our biggest challenges. And as I said during the campaign, you know, we have a situation in which not only is Iran exporting terrorism through Hamas, through Hezbollah, but they are pursuing a nuclear weapon that could potentially trigger a nuclear arms race in the Middle East... and we are going to have to take a new approach. And I've outlined my belief that engagement is the place to start. That the international community is going to be taking cues from us in how we want to approach Iran... And I think that sending a signal that we respect the aspirations of the Iranian people, but that we also have certain expectations in terms of how a international actor behaves."

Yes, he is promising to talk and engage in diplomacy, but he also seems keen to do so from the same position that has proven so ineffective over the years: the US knows best and we call the shots. If he is truly intelligent, he realizes that is the biggest problem when it comes to our foreign policy... so he must feel conflicted about putting on the front of arrogant condescension. The last place the international community needs to be taking it cues on international matters is the United States of America...