More Evidence of Waning American Influence

What follows is an excerpt from a blog posting written by Elliott Abrams on the Council on Foreign Relations web site. The posting concerns the recent US veto in the UN Security Council of a resoultion put forward by the Palestinian Authority to condemn Israel for settlement activity in the West Bank.


'On the last day before the vote, the President called Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The Israeli press reported that “In a 50-minute phone call, he asked Abbas to drop the resolution and settle for a non-binding statement condemning settlement expansion, Palestinian officials said. Abbas on Friday received a follow-up call from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the issue, the Palestinian news agency Wafa said.” But apparently the President did more than ask: “One senior Palestinian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the offer, made in an hour-long phone call from Obama, was accompanied by veiled threats of ‘repercussions’ if it were refused.
‘Obama threatened on Thursday night to take measures against the Palestinian Authority if it insists on going to the Security Council to condemn Israeli settlement activity, and demand that it be stopped,’ the official said. ‘There will be repercussions for Palestinian-American relations if you continue your attempts to go to the Security Council and ignore our requests in this matter, especially as we suggested other alternatives,’ the official quoted Obama as telling Abbas.” Abbas rejected the Clinton and Obama appeals and/or ignored their threats, in itself a sign of reduced American diplomatic influence.'


The President of the United States being ignored by a leader who's continued rule depends almost exclusively on American financial and military support. What does that say about this President's ability to influence events around the World?

We have become spectators on the World stage. I suppose we better get used to this. At least for another two years.