Thomas L. Friedman: Who's playing with marbles now?

[bemildred]

Tom seems to have lost some of his appetite for conflict, and also seems to be defending Obama here ...

IN March, the House Intelligence Committee chairman, Mike Rogers, was asked on “Fox News Sunday” how he thought President Obama was handling relations with Russia versus how President Vladimir Putin had been handling relations with the United States. Rogers responded: “Well, I think Putin is playing chess, and I think we’re playing marbles. And I don’t think it’s even close.”

Hmmm. Marbles. That’s an interesting metaphor. Actually, it turns out that Obama was the one playing chess and Putin was the one playing marbles, and it wouldn’t be wrong to say today that Putin’s lost most of his — in both senses of the word.

Rogers was hardly alone in his Putin envy. As Jon Stewart pointed out, Fox News has had a veritable Putin love fest going since March: Sarah Palin opined to the network that: “People are looking at Putin as one who wrestles bears and drills for oil. They look at our president as one who wears mom jeans and equivocates and bloviates.” Fox contributor Rudy Giuliani observed on the same day that in contrast with Obama, Putin was “what you call a leader.”

Only if leading your country to economic ruin is a form of leadership. And this is not Monday-morning quarterbacking. It has been obvious for months that Putin was fighting the market, Moore’s Law, Mother Nature and human nature all at once.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/21/opinion/sunday/thomas-l-friedman-whos-playing-marbles-now.html

[House of Roberts]

1. Thanks for posting this.

I would submit to you that the opening of diplomatic relations with Cuba is another way to undermine Russia. Also, the timing couldn’t be better. When are the Cuban people going to be more receptive to change than during the physical decline of both Castros, before a new strongman, maybe a much younger one, rises to power?

[bemildred]

2. You're welcome.

I think the Cuba opening is mainly about undermining Republicans and restoring some sort of functional relationships with our neighbors down south, whom we need to have good relations with.

I think the Saudis oil move has done more than anything the US or EU has done to undemine Russia, and that's about undermining Russia, Iran, and the USA, and perhaps selling off their wasting assets (oil) while demand remains as high as it is now. It is worth remembering that it also has the effect of defunding ISIS, which has been selling oil to fund operations.

I have seen it stated that the oil price drop was done at US' behest, but I find that unlikely.

[House of Roberts]

3. This a 1986 redux.

The Saudis increased oil production then to hurt the Soviets economically as well. They were immersed in their Afghanistan adventure at the time. Arab memories are long.

[bemildred]

4. Not the first time the oil weapon has been used, true.

But it's not the same world by any means, so assuming the same result seems premature.

But anybody my age remembers gas wars quite well.

[1StrongBlackMan]

5. Posted to for later.

[KoKo]

6. Bookmark for Later Read.....

we shall see what he says.....