Good and Bad of Obama's Speech in France

First, let's set the scene. Europe does not like the United States very much. President Obama acknowledged that Friday, but why?

Well, two basic reasons. Many countries in Europe are socialistic. The government takes care of you, cradle-to-grave entitlements paid for by huge taxation. Here in the USA we place more value on rugged individualism and tend to frown on socialistic countries.

Second, Europeans, perhaps because of World War II, do not want confrontation, so they are much more likely to look the other way on terrorism and cut threatening countries like Iran and North Korea slack. The same mindset, by the way, existed before World War II, which was why Hitler and Mussolini were able to violate international law and get away with it until 1939.

Here in America, we don't like to take a lot of garbage, if you know what I mean. You hit us, we'll hit you back.

That's what President Bush did, and honest people know he was somewhat successful. The Bush administration badly damaged Al Qaeda and kept America safe for eight years and counting. But the Europeans don't really care about that. They did not like Mr. Bush's style, and so the gulf got wider.

Friday, President Obama tried to persuade Europeans to once again support America:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In recent years, we've allowed our alliance to drift. I know that there have been honest disagreements over policy, but we also know that there's something more that has crept into our relationship. In America, there's a failure to appreciate Europe's leading role in the world. But in Europe, there is an anti-Americanism that is at once casual, but can also be insidious. Instead of recognizing the good that America so often does in the world, there have been times where Europeans choose to blame America for much of what's bad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

That was the president's smartest move Friday. He complimented the Europeans, making them feel good, while at the same time gently scolding them for being foolishly anti-American. A very good sequence for Mr. Obama.

Then the president moved on to something many Americans are furious about: the lack of support in Europe for the War on Terror:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: The United States of America did not choose to fight a war in Afghanistan. We were attacked by an Al Qaeda network that killed thousands on American soil, including French and Germans. Along the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan, those terrorists are still plotting today. And if there is another Al Qaeda attack, it is just as likely if not more that it will be here in Europe, in a European city. So I've made a commitment to Afghanistan, and I've asked our NATO partners for more civilian and military support and assistance. We do this with a clear purpose, to root out the terrorists who threaten all of us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Now, that was well said, but I have no confidence the president will persuade Europeans to help us. They remain deeply afraid of conflict, no matter how justified.

Just seconds after telling Europeans they need to man-up in the terror war, the president slyly massaged them again:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: Europe has acted with the seriousness of purpose that this challenge demands. And in the last few months, I'm proud to say that America has begun to take unprecedented steps to transform the way that we use energy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Now, "Talking Points" understands some Americans will role their eyes at the global warming reference, but, really, what good does that do? Europe is buying the global warming deal. They believe it and they will not change their minds, so why fight it?

The carbon cap and trade deal has been defeated in the Senate, signaling that our government is not completely in the tank for radical environmental policies that would hurt Americans families. But giving the Europeans a little credit on green policy is smart. I mean, the cleaner the planet the better, right?

Ironically, Europe remains pretty dirty. Try swimming in the Mediterranean. But the president was clever to throw an aspirin to take the sting out of the terror deal.

Now the bad news. Towards the end of his speech in France, Mr. Obama began to pander:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: In America, it is written into our founding documents as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In France, liberte — absolutely, — egalite, fraternite. Our moral authority is derived from the fact that generations of our citizens have fought and bled to uphold these values in our nations and others. And that's why we can never sacrifice them for expedience sake. That's why I've ordered the closing of the detention center in Guantanamo Bay. That's why I can stand here today and say without equivocation or exception that the United States of America does not and will not torture.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

That just reinforces every piece of far-left propaganda coming down the pike. I guess the president believes this nonsense, that the USA simply tortured people for no reason and locked them in dungeons for fun. But it's absurd.

After 9/11, the U.S. government had an obligation to prevent another attack on America. Senators and Congresspeople were briefed on anti-terror measures, and they worked. We got intel; we stopped further attacks.

President Obama's Monday morning quarterbacking may get him cred in the salons of Paris, but I believe he is dead wrong and insulting to the brave Americans in the field who have kept us safe.

Let's hope President Obama doesn't have to deal with mass murder on his watch. He should cut his country some slack and knock it off, especially overseas.

All in all, however, Obama's strategy of engaging Europe and the world helps all Americans. This is one screwed up, dangerous planet, and we need all the help we can get.

And that's the "Talking Points Memo."

Pinheads & Patriots

A viewer warning. We're going to show you some explicit video that may upset some people, so you can turn the channel now.

Click here to see the videos in "Pinheads & Patriots."

Twenty-four-year-old actress Keira Knightley stars in a new ad about domestic violence. The spot was cut for the charity Women's Aid. It shows Ms. Knightley being attacked by her boyfriend after coming home from a movie set.

(BEGIN VIDEO CIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How's he today, your leading man?

KEIRA KNIGHTLEY, ACTRESS: Oh please.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How did it feel? Did it feel real?

KNIGHTLEY: It's my job. No, no, no!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Again, that was fiction, but it illustrates a very important problem, so Miss Knightley is a patriot.

On the pinhead front, you may remember Thursday night I told the Code Pink leader that if the USA bails out of Afghanistan, women over there will be brutalized. Well, here's more proof.

This video shows a 17-year-old girl being beaten by the Taliban because she talked to a guy. Just because she talked to a guy.

Now, you pinheads out there screaming about the USA being a bad guy, just take a look at that video, OK? And wise up.