QUOTE OF THE DAY – AT 8:11 A.M. ET:  Walter Russell Mead is one of the truly fine commentators of our time.  He's written a column noting the revelation that Russia offered to dump Assad, but that the offer was ignored by Obama because Obama thought Assad would fall on his own.  From the American Interest: 

If true, this was a staggering missed opportunity. The President’s string of misjudgments on the Middle East—on the peace process, Erdogan, withdrawal from Iraq, Libya, ISIS as the “J.V. team”, and Syria—is one of the most striking examples of serial failure in the annals of American foreign policy.

Generally speaking, what the President seems worst at is estimating the direction in which events are flowing. He thought Erdogan was taking Turkey in one direction; Erdogan was going somewhere else. He thought there was a transition to democracy in Egypt; there never was a prospect of that. He has repeatedly been caught flatfooted by events in Syria. And Putin keeps running rings around him.Understanding the intentions and estimating the capabilities of people who don’t share his worldview are not our President’s strong suits.

COMMENT:  And Field Marshal Obama has now judged that Iranian mullahs are sweet guys with funny hats who will abide by their nuclear agreement.  I'll sleep better knowing that.

September 16, 2015