If your leader believes victory is improbable--you're in trouble

By Barry Rubin

President Barack Obama says the most shocking things and then is protected by the media. He also says profoundly revealing things that are allowed to pass by.

Here's one I can't get out of my head. In the commemoration of the anniversary of the D-Day landings in France, Obama remarked on "the sheer improbability of this victory."

To me, this screams out something profoundly important about Obama. He doesn't believe in victory. Either he assumes that the battle is not worth fighting given the cost or that it won't be won any way.

Defeat radical Islamists? Force Iran to stop developing nuclear weapons? Win the ideological battle with anti-American forces by confronting their arguments with a strong defense of the United States? No way. And it would make you unpopular to boot..

And wasn't that, in a sense, what happened in his Cairo speech: If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, as the expression goes.

So, yes, Obama is amazed that the Allies won in Normandy in June 1944.

Here's the implication of that: suppose he had been around in the late 1930s. Given his world view, he would have assumed the "improbability" of victory over Germany and taken the appropriate action in that case of avoiding confrontation.

Referring to the "improbability of this victory" is revealing of a defeatist attitude.

This makes him the perfect person to preside over the abandonment of America's superpower status and world leadership.

Perhaps he believes in "Yes we can!" domestically, but internationally he believes, "No, we can't."

They don't believe victory is possible because they doubt America's strength.

They don't believe victory is desirable because it involves imposing one's will on others, which they are against and multiculturalism dictates that everyone's perspective is equally valid.

They don't believe victory is necessary because there are not real threats, except those that come from ourselves.

They don't believe victory is required because everyone can be reconciled through reason and charm.

Now obviously the idea of "victory" is simplistic. America clearly cannot impose its will on the world or should it. History has shown that the costs are high, the methods are not totally pure, and the results are not completely satisfactory.

But victory means to gain what you want and need on the matters of highest priority, most clearly to turn back aggressive forces and protect your interests without concessions that go too far.

Unfortunately, the enemies of America, democracy, and liberty have the opposite standpoint. They believe in the certainty of their victory, a total victory in the fullest sense of the word.