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It's hard to get a read on intentions, especially where government is involved...

In this news piece twos distinguished PBS journalist explores the hard-to-gauge camp of governing. It tells of the mumbles and fumbles of the Obama administration and the ambiguities of at least one of his political adversaries. 

Rocks and Hard Places: Why Governing Is So Hard - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/03/rocks-and-hard-places-why-governing-is-so-hard.html

If governing is so hard (indeed it is) then the ambiguity of administration and opposition doesn't help one bit. The foreign policy of the United States is in an uncertain stand. Fatigued, stretched beyond their limits in personnel, resources, and budget it is unwilling to get involved itself further, especially in North Africa (although that is not necessarily a bad thing in itself, at least it got Europeans to coordinate strategy towards Libya), pieces of incomplete information, ill-timing on foreign policy stands, and lack of clarity confuses the American public (at least the bit that is quite interested in issues that are beyond domestic or provincial), and leaves the international community scratching their heads because a most prominent ally is... uncertain. 

So, what is to be done?  Not much...but coherence; consistency and clarity is, certainly, a good start. 

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