Foreign Dispatch: President Obama’s Baffling Visit

President Obama’s Baffling Visit

by FOX News Radio’s Alastair Wanklyn

Do pictures lie? These ones apparently fibbed bare-facedly.

President Obama addressing foreign parliaments, hobnobbing with princes, downing Guinness in a bar in Ireland.

Sure, he is popular here. But that popularity is skin deep.

European leaders were not debating the Obama presidency. They wanted to touch his stardust, as they do with the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela.

There was little public discussion of his foreign policy. No addressing its perceived failures. Here’s what some observers see:

– Failure to change Iran: forget the country’s likely bomb program, why has nobody brought the hikers home?

– Inaction over North Korea, at a time of such weakness it appears they might accept guidance from a child,

– Reversal of his promise to close Guantanamo Bay,

– And inconsistency in which Arab freedom movement to support.

Even the G8 summit President Obama attended failed to state where $40 billion in aid would be raised and spent.

Instead, throughout this Europe tour we heard sweeping speeches and “Yes We Can”. He even translated that into Irish Gaelic.

So why did America’s president come to Europe?

Perhaps he thinks the photos will be useful as the election season unfolds.

Or perhaps the schmoozing will let him lean on Europe in times ahead. He might need its support if in July, as expected, U.S. troops begin to withdraw from Afghanistan.

This much seems apparent: When you’re in love, critical reason somehow doesn’t play a part.