A recent email from a reader carried a poignant message. The woman, a citizen of South Africa and successful business owner, wrote:

I have to tell you that most people (rational people, not jihadis and Soviets) are astonished at Obama and much of the confusion that is the result of really bad policies and leadership.

Watching the U.S.A. fumble and make very big blunders is bizarre! ...

We are speechless... [The] U.S.A. is becoming one of those issues that no one wants to openly discuss in polite company. ... Nothing the Obama admin is doing makes sense. ...

It is becoming an issue that is considered bizarre. When factoring in future planning, CEOs in many companies are starting to speak about America in the same dismissive way as [those CEOs speak of] Greece or the Soviets.

One cannot trust what the U.S.A. is going to do... so one moves the business of planning to somewhere else and raises one's eyes to the ceiling, as nobody can predict that America will take rational actions or protect itself (never mind protect the global economical system).

It has gone beyond a domestic U.S.A. issue; it's beyond jokes. It's become an embarrassment to commonsense business people everywhere -- that's why the world is buying gold and bullion.

[...]

[A] rogue American government [is] endangering the rest of civilization.

A growing body Americans must wonder, do this South African businesswoman's sentiments sum up the impression of the Unites States that Barack Obama intended to give to the rational world?

A writer, physicist, former high tech executive, and Cajun, Chuck Rogér invites you to sign up to receive his "Clear Thinking" blog posts by email at http://www.chuckroger.com/. Contact Chuck at swampcactus@chuckroger.com.