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As Crises Pile Up, a President Sticks to His Deliberative Approach As Crises Pile Up, a President Sticks to His Deliberative Approach
(about 3 hours later)
WASHINGTON — On his way to Europe last week for a crucial NATO summit meeting, President Obama passed a mostly sleepless night.WASHINGTON — On his way to Europe last week for a crucial NATO summit meeting, President Obama passed a mostly sleepless night.
With Russian tanks and troops advancing into eastern Ukraine and the release of a new video by Sunni militants showing the beheading of their second American captive in two weeks, Mr. Obama spent much of his overnight flight on Air Force One at work, including putting the final touches on a speech he would deliver in Tallinn, Estonia, the next day in which he said the United States and Europe were at a “moment of testing.”With Russian tanks and troops advancing into eastern Ukraine and the release of a new video by Sunni militants showing the beheading of their second American captive in two weeks, Mr. Obama spent much of his overnight flight on Air Force One at work, including putting the final touches on a speech he would deliver in Tallinn, Estonia, the next day in which he said the United States and Europe were at a “moment of testing.”
The phrase was designed to set the stage for the NATO gathering in Wales aimed at formulating a forceful response to Russia’s recent aggression in Ukraine, which is testing the alliance’s strength and credibility. But it applies just as directly to the president, who is laboring to respond to a complex and rapidly changing set of international crises that defy easy solutions. The phrase was intended to set the stage for the NATO gathering in Wales aimed at forming a forceful response to Russia’s recent aggression in Ukraine, which is testing the alliance’s strength and credibility. But it applies just as directly to the president, who is laboring to respond to a complex and rapidly changing set of international crises that defy easy solutions.
A particularly vexing set of circumstances faces this president, who won office in part on the strength of his promises to end American involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, and whose approach to international problems has been centered on joining allies to confront security challenges.A particularly vexing set of circumstances faces this president, who won office in part on the strength of his promises to end American involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, and whose approach to international problems has been centered on joining allies to confront security challenges.
Now Mr. Obama finds himself working to assemble a new “coalition of the willing” for what his advisers believe will be a lengthy effort to combat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, while trying — so far with mixed success — to find a nonmilitary means of pushing President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia away from a full-scale invasion of eastern Ukraine.Now Mr. Obama finds himself working to assemble a new “coalition of the willing” for what his advisers believe will be a lengthy effort to combat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, while trying — so far with mixed success — to find a nonmilitary means of pushing President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia away from a full-scale invasion of eastern Ukraine.
“The president is faced with a true multi-crisis moment, and is clearly working hard to forge an inclusive response with allies, partners, domestic political actors, and his own security establishment,” said James G. Stavridis, the retired admiral who served as NATO’s top commander from 2009 to 2013 and now is dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.“The president is faced with a true multi-crisis moment, and is clearly working hard to forge an inclusive response with allies, partners, domestic political actors, and his own security establishment,” said James G. Stavridis, the retired admiral who served as NATO’s top commander from 2009 to 2013 and now is dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.
But Mr. Obama’s determination to move deliberately and line up support from allies before confronting threats means that he has sometimes appeared to be a spectator to events outside his control.But Mr. Obama’s determination to move deliberately and line up support from allies before confronting threats means that he has sometimes appeared to be a spectator to events outside his control.
“Caution is often an excellent quality,” Mr. Stavridis said. “But in this case it may be a bit of a luxury.” He noted that the challenges presented by ISIS and Russia appear to be developing faster than the administration’s response.“Caution is often an excellent quality,” Mr. Stavridis said. “But in this case it may be a bit of a luxury.” He noted that the challenges presented by ISIS and Russia appear to be developing faster than the administration’s response.
The president came away from the NATO gathering having made some progress on both fronts, albeit incremental. He won broad expressions of support and some specific pledges of help from allies for confronting the ISIS threat, and agreement by NATO to provide military assistance to Iraq if asked to — but no firm commitment from allies to join a combat mission against the militant group on either side of the vanishing border between Iraq and Syria.The president came away from the NATO gathering having made some progress on both fronts, albeit incremental. He won broad expressions of support and some specific pledges of help from allies for confronting the ISIS threat, and agreement by NATO to provide military assistance to Iraq if asked to — but no firm commitment from allies to join a combat mission against the militant group on either side of the vanishing border between Iraq and Syria.
Similarly, while he found agreement with European leaders to go forward with new sanctions against Russia that had been under discussion before the summit, and NATO agreed to assist Ukraine with nonlethal security equipment, there appeared to be no appetite either by Mr. Obama or his European counterparts for arming the Ukrainians.Similarly, while he found agreement with European leaders to go forward with new sanctions against Russia that had been under discussion before the summit, and NATO agreed to assist Ukraine with nonlethal security equipment, there appeared to be no appetite either by Mr. Obama or his European counterparts for arming the Ukrainians.
And NATO’s decision to create a modest rapid-reaction force was more an effort to deter Russia from further meddling in the region than to solve the current problem in Ukraine.And NATO’s decision to create a modest rapid-reaction force was more an effort to deter Russia from further meddling in the region than to solve the current problem in Ukraine.
Mr. Obama’s four-day trip was book ended by attention-grabbing moves by both Russia and ISIS. The videotaped execution of the American journalist Steven J. Sotloff — the second such killing of an American that ISIS had carried out and publicized — was a keen reminder that the group is a continuing threat, and intensified pressure on the president to expand Iraqi airstrikes against the group into Syria. Mr. Obama’s four-day trip was bookended by attention-grabbing moves by both Russia and ISIS. The videotaped execution of the American journalist Steven J. Sotloff — the second such killing of an American that ISIS had carried out and publicized — was a keen reminder that the group is a continuing threat, and intensified pressure on the president to expand Iraqi airstrikes against the group into Syria.
And even as Mr. Obama was preparing to speak in Tallinn, Mr. Putin flirted publicly with the idea of a cease-fire with Ukraine, then backed away, only to return to the idea by weeks’ end, just as American and European officials announced they would impose another round of sanctions.And even as Mr. Obama was preparing to speak in Tallinn, Mr. Putin flirted publicly with the idea of a cease-fire with Ukraine, then backed away, only to return to the idea by weeks’ end, just as American and European officials announced they would impose another round of sanctions.
Mr. Obama used the trip to sketch out his vision for how NATO can redefine itself and stay relevant in a world destabilized by Russia, and increasingly by extremists in the Middle East and North Africa.Mr. Obama used the trip to sketch out his vision for how NATO can redefine itself and stay relevant in a world destabilized by Russia, and increasingly by extremists in the Middle East and North Africa.
“This is a step back and a reflection and a diagnosis of opportunity for the alliance,” said Mr. Obama’s ambassador to NATO, Douglas E. Lute. “This is a bit of a point of, step back, look at what’s happening immediately on NATO’s borders, and then let’s figure out what we can do about it.“This is a step back and a reflection and a diagnosis of opportunity for the alliance,” said Mr. Obama’s ambassador to NATO, Douglas E. Lute. “This is a bit of a point of, step back, look at what’s happening immediately on NATO’s borders, and then let’s figure out what we can do about it.
That reflects an approach that has defined Mr. Obama’s tenure, said Ivo H. Daalder, the president’s former envoy to the alliance, one that has stressed “the importance of the United States working with its key partners to confront security challenges together.” During this trip, he added, “the president made important strides in building up these partnerships to bolster the defense of NATO, confront Russia over Ukraine, and enhance efforts to go after ISIS in Iraq.” That reflects an approach that has defined Mr. Obama’s tenure, said Ivo H. Daalder, the president’s former envoy to the alliance, one that has stressed “the importance of the United States’ working with its key partners to confront security challenges together.” During this trip, he added, “the president made important strides in building up these partnerships to bolster the defense of NATO, confront Russia over Ukraine, and enhance efforts to go after ISIS in Iraq.”
It is a full plate for the president, and it shows no signs of emptying anytime soon. Mr. Obama’s mostly sleepless night took its toll in Tallinn, where he appeared to struggle to stay awake at one point during an appearance with Baltic leaders. But he revived in time for his speech at a concert hall, where he chided Russia and was animated in his pledge to protect Baltic nations on NATO’s front line.It is a full plate for the president, and it shows no signs of emptying anytime soon. Mr. Obama’s mostly sleepless night took its toll in Tallinn, where he appeared to struggle to stay awake at one point during an appearance with Baltic leaders. But he revived in time for his speech at a concert hall, where he chided Russia and was animated in his pledge to protect Baltic nations on NATO’s front line.
And by the time he wrapped up his trip with a news conference at the close of the summit meeting in Wales, Mr. Obama said he had accomplished what he set out to. He even made an unannounced stop at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, where he was visibly awe-struck by the ancient, mystical site after days of sitting in meetings talking about crises around the globe.And by the time he wrapped up his trip with a news conference at the close of the summit meeting in Wales, Mr. Obama said he had accomplished what he set out to. He even made an unannounced stop at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, where he was visibly awe-struck by the ancient, mystical site after days of sitting in meetings talking about crises around the globe.
“People may criticize him for being too cool, too calm, too collected at times,” Mr. Daalder said. “But those are great characteristics for a president confronting big security challenges.”“People may criticize him for being too cool, too calm, too collected at times,” Mr. Daalder said. “But those are great characteristics for a president confronting big security challenges.”