"Sorry About That, Mr. Putin!"

Do you know anyone who tries to be something that they aren’t? I have known people who pretend to be wealthy, but don’t have enough money in the bank to finance the purchase of a candy bar. I know some people who think they are wonderful singers, yet they couldn’t carry a tune in a basket.

I used to watch a television show called “Get Smart” starring Don Adams. The show was a satire of the “Super Spy” genre; you remember, James Bond, Matt Helm and the Avengers, all of which were fearless and able to confront any villain in their paths.

The hero of “Get Smart” was Maxwell Smart, an agent who tripped through every assignment with the aplomb of an oaf. When Max confronted an opponent, he would tout his heroic prowess with great vigor. When his villain was a large, dangerous figure, he would say something like, “I can destroy a gorilla like you with one deadly judo chop”; then Max would strike the giant several times, never making a dent in the formidable hulk. Max would then say something like this as he put his arm around the undaunted monster, “I hope you weren’t offended by that gorilla remark”, knowing he was about to get thrown across the room. Max was always pretending to be fearless, when in reality, he knew he was in over his head in a bad situation.

John Wayne always played the hero, and he looked the part at 6’ 4” and well over 220 lbs., a formidable figure to confront. My Dad knew a man who had dealings with “Duke” Wayne and he told my father that “The guy on the screen was the same as the guy that you meet on the street; a real tough guy!” John Wayne could handle himself with no help; he was never trying to be something he wasn’t.

The United States is now in a serious situation in the Middle-East as our president, Barack Hussein Obama, is contemplating military involvement in Syria. Presently, he is trying to find allies to support his efforts to interfere in the Syrian civil war and he has not been too successful in his efforts. England has already refused to back Obama, and Russia has already warned him that they would be supporting the standing government of Syria and told Obama there would be severe consequences if Obama decides to intervene in the conflict.

The only “military victory” Obama can actually tout is the killing of Osama bin Laden and really nothing else.

In the past, Obama has done quite a bit of “sabre rattling” about Iran and Korea, but has never followed through on anything, showing a lack of nerve and resolve to the rest of the world.

Now Mr. Obama wants to play “tough guy”, but his reputation doesn’t back his new persona. Vladimir Putin knows Obama’s track record and he feels he can stand “toe to toe” with Obama and the President will “fold up like a $2.00 lawn chair” if he is pressured. I believe Putin is correct about our President; he is much more “Maxwell Smart” than he is “Duke Wayne”.

America is a “war weary nation” and Congress is not in huge support of Obama’s “red-line” policy toward Syria, yet Obama has intimated he would proceed without Congressional support, but he now seems to be wavering in his resolve.

Perhaps his next statement will be “I hope you weren’t offended by my threat to bomb your nation, I was only kidding!!”