Busted, Ctd

A reader writes:

Also consider the shrewdness of having the announcement made by the U.S., Britain, and France.

In 2002, when the U.S. tried to confront Iraq at the U.N. about its supposed WMD programs, remember it was France who led the charge against us, splintering the West and greatly undermining the international legitimacy of any future action against Iraq.  I remember watching Dominique de Villepin responding to Rumsfeld’s “Old Europe” comment with his disquisition on France’s hard-earned wisdom and why the American position was impetuous and wrong.  I also remember Jacques Chirac playing the reticent statesman while we were reduced to the appearance of foot stomping children (which, in fact, we kinda were).

Not this time.

France is right there with us, in the same room as 2002, but this time confronting Iran’s activities.  That has a meaning of its own.  Combine that with the credibility Obama has accumulated through his outreach to both allies and non-allies, and it sends a much more convincing message that these charges need to be taken with utmost seriousness.

It also reminds me of the Cairo speech.  I read a commentary yesterday from a Syrian Muslim scholar who noted the important symbolism of the fact that Obama had visited Saudi Arabia the day before the Cairo speech, then gave the actual speech in Egypt.  Saudi Arabia and Egypt.  The home countries of Bin Laden and al-Zawahiri.  A sort of subtle confrontation in that.

I’m thinking that when we look back on Obama’s tenure as president, we will not be so swept up in the mystique of his oratory or the fascinating impact he has as the first black president.  I think what will have greater staying power is the basic fact that the guy is just really, really smart as hell and shrewd.