There They Go Again

“Smart diplomacy” at work:

Argentina was celebrating a diplomatic coup yesterday in its attempt to force Britain to accept talks on the future of the Falkland Islands, after a two-hour meeting in Buenos Aires between Hillary Clinton and President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.

Responding to a request from Mrs Kirchner for “friendly mediation” between Britain and Argentina, Mrs Clinton, the US Secretary of State, said she agreed that talks were a sensible way forward and offered “to encourage both countries to sit down”.

Argentina initiated — and lost — a war over the Falklands in 1982. That kind of thing delegitimizes any claim they might once have held on the islands. Back in ’82 Argentina’s ruling clique thought a little tiny war would improve its sagging popularity and credibility.

Oops.

Thirty years later, Argentina’s new ruling clique needs something to shore up its sagging popularity and credibility.

And, once again, here comes the Obama Administration to shore up a distasteful would-be autocrat while spiting a long-time ally. Maybe in order to spite a long-time ally? Really, with this bunch, who knows?

It’s going to be years and years before we repair the damage Obama has done to our relations with Europe, and the hopes he’s dashed for liberty in Latin America — and that’s if he only gets three more years in office. Give the guy seven years, and the damage might never be undone.