Libya: With Obama The 'Unacceptable' Is….Acceptable

President Barack Obama has a new favorite word when it comes to the violence in the Middle East, particularly when it relates to Gaddafi’s crackdown in Libya: “unacceptable.” He has used it numerous times. But with Obama the unacceptable is acceptable, at least when it comes to our adversaries.

Unacceptable should spring you to action if its going to mean something. If I tell my child that something is unacceptable and they keep doing it, my failure to act means that I am in fact willing to accept it. My kid assumes that I really didn’t mean it. Even if I act too late, and put off responding to their “unacceptable” behavior, they don’t take it seriously. The same goes in the world of power politics. If something is truly unacceptable, it should lead to some action. It doesn’t need to be necessarily a military response. But what about sanctions? What about verbal support for the protesters? What about denouncing Gaddafi the man and not just his actions?

President Obama, stop saying something is unacceptable and then accepting it. It makes us look weak. And we are weak, at least when it comes to our leadership.