An interview with President Obama just came out, and in parts he talks of some of the international failures that have happened during his presidency.
He talks about Libya and Syria in particular, and while doing so he blames UK prime minister David Cameron, for both of the failures!
Why is he throwing Cameron under the bus? I have no clue. Especially on both issues.
Obama is correct that the blame rests with European leaders for Libya, because it was their idea to take out Col. Gaddafi. (Lets not get started on how to spell Kadafi, er Qaddafi, er Gathafi, er Gadafy, er Kaddafi.) Also, let us not forget that Hillary Clinton also pushed for the US to enter that fray against Libya. From what I have read, Obama wasn’t entirely excited about the plan, and so I can understand him laying the blame for the “shit show” (Obama’s words) on to others, especially Cameron and Sarkozy.
Now, on to Syria. How dare the president blame Cameron for backing down on the Red Line ultimatum. Cameron didn’t give the ultimatum, Obama did, and it doesn’t matter if the British Parliament didn’t give consent to attack Syria, the failure to back the ultimatum is solely Obama’s.
I’m not saying that we should have attacked Syria, because I believed, and still do, that we should not have gotten involved in Syria. Especially against Assad, the Islamic State is another issue.
But given that, when a leader of a country gives an ultimatum, it has to be followed through on. The consequences are dire`1 for the whole world when a major power can not be believed, and because of that Obama has no business blaming Cameron for his own failure.
Obama should have left this for him memoirs, the only legitimate place for such musings.