Why you shouldn't let things spiral out of control

The simple fact is: With his plate full with ISIS, the President has no time or resources to deal with Putin. So, Putin knows he has free rein to do whatever he pleases in Eastern Europe. If Obama had kept the lid on problems in Iraq by leaving a small residual force there in 2010, he would be in a better position now to influence events in Ukraine/Crimea.

But, this points up a more general problem with Obama’s foreign policy. By hesitating, by failing to respond in a timely manner to various flare-ups around the world, Obama has allowed each one of them to grow into a significant crisis. So now, focusing on one consumes all his resources, and he must neglect the others. In this sense, North Korea becomes the ally of ISIS, or the Taliban become the allies of Putin: all are working to undermine US influence overall, and, what the one does, distracts Obama’s attention from the others. Thus, does the global world order guaranteed by the Pax Americana crumble because a hesitant Obama has let various small problems spiral out of control.

It is like fighting the Ebola virus. It is much easier to do if you respond quickly and try to nip it in the bud. On the other hand, if you hesitate and let it spiral out of control, then, later on it becomes much more difficult to deal with.