For those of you old enough to recall those turbulent Vietnam era days of the late 60’s, mid 70’s, you might also remember the hit song by the Temptations:  “Ball of Confusion: That’s What the World is Today.”

As American foreign policy plummets to what many consider an all-time low that song is as apropos today as it was 43 years ago.

What’s most scary about this particular period of time compared to then is the entire world, not just the United States, is confused by the ambivalence and dichotomy of our feckless president.  To augment the danger, whereas during the Cold War only two adversaries had the wherewithal of weapons of mass destruction, fear of mutually assured destruction prevented their use. Not so today.

As we’ve seen in Syria, rogue states and radical Islamic groups have no compunction violating international norms and thumbing their noses at the only nation powerful enough to enforce these norms, the United States.  Let’s examine some of the reasons why this is so.

Despite 30 years of bellicosity by Iran and countless rounds of toothless sanctions spearheaded by the United States, Iran has not backed off one inch in its quest for nuclear weapons.  And why should it?  Over the past five years, Obama has not made one credible threat to which he’s held true.  This in a region where strength and credibility is respected over all else.  There can be little doubt that mass-murdering client Assad took this into account as he gassed 1400 of his own people.

This latest atrocity did not occur in a vacuum.  It’s the end result of both friend and foe recognizing that from the standpoint of foreign policy, the irresolute occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is way over his head.

Don’t trust my word on this.  Ask the Czechs and the Poles how much confidence they have in American support when Obama broke with the past and abandoned the Eastern European missile-shield program, less than a year into his presidency.  “Catastrophic for Poland” is how a spokeswoman at the Polish Ministry of Defense described the suspension of the program.  Former Czech Prime Minister, Mirek Topolanek concurred this unilateral reversal of American support was a sign the Americans were no longer interested in “Czech freedom and independence.”  How quick can one assume these two countries will fall in line behind Obama in Syria?

There is not one hotspot during the past 5 years where this president has not weakened an ally or non belligerent but buoyed an enemy instead.

Following the same fatuousness of Jimmy Carter greasing the skids of the Shah in 1979, Obama abandoned all support for long time ally, Hosni Mubarak in Egypt.  Having kept peace with Israel for the past 35 years wasn’t enough.  Taking a cue in 2011 from his Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, he somehow bought into the idea that Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood is a secular organization and legitimized their rise to power.

Confusing the position of American foreign policy, he refused to deem the Egyptian military overthrow of the democratically elected Morsi as a coup, yet managed to alienate the opposition as well. Mohammad Abou El-Ghar, the head of Egyptian Social Democratic Party warned: “America is losing Egypt....There is a very strong perception that they are supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and they are against other parties.”  So what’s American policy toward this pivotal country in the Middle East?  You make the call.

Libya? 112 Tomahawk missiles at $1.45 million a pop were fired into Libya to remove Muammar Gaddafi.  Crazy and cruel as he was, Gaddafi was no danger to the United States.  Why the effort?  Why the expense?  The only return we’ve gotten for our investment in Libya is a burned consulate, 4 dead Americans, and a huge coverup.

Israel?  As their citizens scamper for government issued gas masks and follow the latest exigency in their wretched neighborhood, you have to wonder how much faith the average Israeli has in the leader of the free world.

Despite all of the aforementioned, for 5 years Israelis have been brow beaten into concession after concession to an unrequited, recalcitrant Palestinian entity which refuses to even recognize Israel as a Jewish State.  Obsessed by this president to negotiate demands which at best would jeopardize her security, at worst lead to her dismemberment, Israel not wishing to alienate this increasingly quixotic man continues to engage in the charade of “peace” talks.

In similar fashion, the “good” Palestinian terrorists led by Mahmoud Abbas who actually represent few other than himself also goes along with this farce for badly needed American dollars and nothing else.  Each side increasingly cognizant that the Emperor really has no clothes.

Syria?  Not deviating from his template of indecisiveness, Friday night, Secretary of State Kerry was marched out to give a Churchillian speech decrying the turpitude of Assad and how he must be punished forthwith.  Not 24 hours went by when his boss shocked the world by negating the immediacy of Kerry’s message.  Forgoing the foolish line in the sand he’s so apt at drawing, for the first time during two Administrations, Obama reversed himself and now intends to consult Congress.  A Congress he so disdains, yet no doubt would love to shift the blame to, for this lose/lose situation.

To further exemplify his deep concern and the gravity of this dire situation, immediately following his address to the nation, Obama and Biden rushed off to Fort Belvoir for 18 holes of Golf.