Middle East | Barry Kelly | Facts and Fictions

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by Barry Kelly | October 1, 2015 · 7:43 am

INSIGHTS 234 — RUSSIAN EMPIRE MOVES INTO THE MEDITERRANEAN

“Mr. President, I want to read something you said last week when I asked, ‘Are you using the leading from behind strategy in the Middle East and primarily in Syria?’ And you answered, ‘Of course. My objective is to change or transform the world order. How could I do that if I was openly leading the action? I’m leading from behind. Iran, ISIS, and Russia are doing exactly what I want. If Russia ends up being a power in the Middle East with warm water ports for their warships and control of oil from the region won’t that end the strife and lead to a world society where the people will be much better off and the world’s wealth and resources will be more equitably distributed?

“‘Russia will have what they have always wanted. They have no desire to occupy Europe. The balance of world power will be forever changed for the better. The need for vast military expenditures will be gone. Colonialism, capitalism, and imperialism will be history. Those are the real evil “isms” of our world. Progressivism is the natural ideology for a world of equals.’”

“Given the very aggressive move by Putin into Syria in the last two weeks with his demand that U.S. aircraft no longer fly over Syria, will you need to change your approach?”

“Putin is following a long developed strategy followed by all the czars. He is the first to succeed in actually establishing a growing military presence in the Middle East. The Russian fleet will now have an all-weather sea port for their warships. He will be popular at home for a short time. Then the people will find out what it costs them to sponsor another client state. Control of Iraqi oil fields may provide some funds for Putin’s military build up and support for a bankrupt Syria but that will not be enough.

“He will soon have another Afghanistan on his hands. Remember how they moved into Afghanistan unopposed in President’s Carter’s one term? He was surprised. I am not. This a perfect response from Putin who is unknowingly assisting me in changing the current world order. Whether he stays for a decade or more in Syria, the Middle East will never be the same. The Christian, imperialistic, capitalistic western power will be balanced by the growing power of the Islamic nations who actually live in the Middle East. Those people will be governing themselves and using their wealth and intellectual resources for the good of a previously oppressed people.

“My concern is keeping the right wing ideologues from convincing my successor to oppose the Russian push into Syria. No matter what Putin does, I will not respond with American power. In a few more years American power both military and economically will be gone for good.”

“What about all the death and misery being inflicted on the people of Syria and Iraq?”

“It will pass in less than a decade. People always suffer when the tide of historical power shifts against existing rulers. Spreading Muslim people throughout the Christian world through chaotic refugee flows is not a bad thing. The shift in population demographics will actually act as a catalyst for a more rapid transformation in the Western world. I couldn’t be happier. Progress never takes place without chaos. The more chaos, the more rapid the pace of transformation can be.”

“Does anyone in your administration share your view of the world?”

“Really only one and she is constantly encouraging me to move more quickly. A few others think they know but they don’t. Their thinking is still mired down in the Western approach of looking at governing as the constant solving of issues. As long as they stay out of the way, they do no harm in playing with transient problems that have no solution without transformation.”

“Mr. President, I think I’m safe in saying no other president has ever shared your view of America and the world.”

“I agree. See you next week. You are the only person I can truthfully talk to besides my co-partner in transformation. Good night.”

This is an account written by a fictional advisor who doesn’t exist but should.

Check out the latest Jack Brandon mystery suspense novel at your local bookstore. Follow the author on Twitter @factsfictions80.

INSIGHTS 231 LEADING FROM BEHIND STRATEGY

While the President and the Advisor were engaging in a few moments of chatting about things that don’t matter, the Advisor wondered if he should ask the President a question he had had for a long time but was reluctant to bring it up. Finally he decided to be bold and ask. “Mr. President, you have used the term, ‘leading from behind’ in talking about foreign affairs. Just what does that mean and how do you use it?”

The President looked at the Advisor and said, “It is the core principle behind all my decisions. Under other Presidents this nation and the world has not fared well by the use of American military and economic power. How much better things might have been if they had been willing to exercise patience and let others advance their policy positions? You know the term came from Saul Alinsky. He used that strategy constantly when he was a community organizer in Chicago. I think it is a brilliant strategy. He would pick a subject he felt was important and work slowly behind the scenes to encourage others to adopt his ideas and take action to accomplish what needed to be done. If things didn’t go well, it wasn’t his fault, and he could quietly work to put his issues back on track. Often a breakthrough would occur that he hadn’t foreseen. And that was good. It indicated the value of harnessing the minds and energies of others to accomplish your objectives. At times he would pick the other side of the issue if the Progressives could use it to damage the opposition and clear the way for more ‘leading from behind’ probing.”

“What happens if the policy fails due to lack to leadership and direction?”

“If the strategy of leading from behind on an issue fails to advance Progressive goals it is because the people failed to understand the issue or were not adaptable enough in picking the tactics. It is difficult for the opposition to defeat Progressive ideology and actions because it appears as if the movement has no single leader. And that is correct. Leading from the front often results in failure and the loss of leaders. In my way the leadership cadre is very broad and if the leaders among the people are adaptable enough to change messages and positions, the deep leadership ranks are protected even when the effort seems to fail. Failure is rare because even if an effort is defeated by our opponents, we have been able to dictate the agenda and make some small gains and that is all we need to do to complete our transformation process.”

“Are you using the leading from behind strategy in the Middle East and primarily in Syria?”

“Of course. My objective is to change or transform the world order. How could I do that if I was openly leading the action? I’m leading from behind. Iran, ISIS, and Russia are doing exactly what I want. If Russia ends up being a power in the Middle East with warm water ports for their warships and control of oil from the region won’t that end the strife and lead to a world society where the people will be much better off and the world’s wealth and resources will be more equitably distributed? Russia will have what they have always wanted. They have no desire to occupy Europe. The balance of world power will be forever changed for the better. The need for vast military expenditures will be gone. Colonialism, Capitalism, and Imperialism will be history. Those are the real evil ‘isms’ of our world. Progressivism is the natural ideology for a world of equals.”

“Mr. President, I’m astounded at the breath of your response to my question. Do the leaders of your Administration share this view of the world?”

“Very, Very few. And that is good. Most of them would be more than astounded. They waste their time trying to either solve or pretend to solve the issues of governing. I only need a few people. The rest can mill about on trivial battlefields, as long as they do what they are told. Okay, I really have to go. Keep the questions coming. You help to keep me sharp. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight Mr. President.”

The Advisor put his head down on the table and thought if you can’t handle the answer, don’t ask the question.

This is an account written by a fictional advisor who doesn’t exist but should.

Check out the latest Jack Brandon mystery suspense novel at your local bookstore. Follow the author on Twitter @factsfictions80