Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Obama Has To Learn That Respect Has To Be Earned

From the Washington Post: "President Obama reacted angrily to derogatory comments by Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, about administration officials involved in Afghan policy and is leaving his options open about firing him, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Tuesday.
Gibbs described Obama as "angry" after reading about McChrystal's comments in a Rolling Stone magazine profile.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Tuesday that McChrystal "made a significant mistake and exercised poor judgment" in making the dismissive remarks to a reporter for the magazine." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/22/AR2010062200813_pf.html

Well, as a narcissist, of course Obama is mad. Obama thought everyone respected him and that the world revolves around him but he is finding out that the emperor has no clothes.
Well, he found out that that there are people in the military do not respect him and he found out through the hard way. I am sure Obama is embarrassed.
To be fair, I think McCrystal should be fired. What he did was wrong. He also put Obama in a very difficult position: if he fires McCrystal, Obama will look petty and vindictive. Plus McCrystal is highly respected by the military on the ground, so it will look like Obama doesn't care about the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. If he keeps McCrystal, Obama will look weaker than he already is. So, I don't know what Obama will do, but my guess, since Obama has such a big ego, McCrystal will be fired.
But Obama needs to earn respect. True respect is earned, not given. Obama has not earned the respect of most of those in the military, he has not earned the respect of foes of the United States. He has not earned the respect of our allies. He certainly has not earned the respect of most conservatives and he is quickly losing the respect of liberals, especially those who are hard core left. He is starting to lose respect of the main stream media. He has respect of the black community and some in the Hispanic community and that's about it. Please note, there is a difference between respect and support. Obama has support ofrom liberals because they have no where else to turn but that does not equate respect.
The McCrystal incident reminds me when I was in the Air Force at the tail end of the Jimmy Carter's term in office. Carter was not well liked in the military and he was quietly mocked and derided. The air men said respect the office, not the man and I see this is what is happening now. The military is now even skipping the respect the office part.
Obama dug this hole and now he will have to figure a way to get out of it.

No comments:

Post a Comment