WHEN YOU'VE LOST CANADA... – AT 10:51 A.M. ET:  The theme of the Obama foreign policy seem to be, "Treat our enemies well, and our friends badly."  Since Obama took office he has offended one ally after another – starting with Britain, then through France, Poland, the Czech Republic and Israel.   Just in recent weeks we've heard expressions of dismay at our policies from Saudi Arabia, and Japan, clearly aware of America's decline, is building its defenses once more.

And now, I guess, it's Canada's turn.  Obama has shown no interest in our closest neighbor, and the message has finally hit home.  The issue is the proposed Keystone Pipeline, from Canada to our Gulf Coast.  It's a no-brainer, except for the environmental religionists who have a lock grip on the Obama White House.  Thus approval for the pipeline has been delayed and delayed, and Secretary Kerry has openly said that he's in no hurry.  The Canadians are fed up.  From IBD:   

President Obama continues to drag out a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline. Meanwhile, the Canadians have been standing by while the administration dithers. Now they're tired of waiting.

"The time for Keystone is now," Canada's Foreign Minister John Baird said Thursday while speaking to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Canada has reached the point where the uncertainty has become intolerable. Baird said Canada needs an answer right away, "even if it's not the right one," because his country "can't continue in this state of limbo."

If approved, the Keystone XL pipeline will transport crude from Alberta's oil sands to Gulf Coast refineries. It will merely be another pipeline in a web of many across the U.S. What, we wonder, is just one more?

But crude is not all Keystone will move. The pipeline will also put people to work.

The State Department, which is playing a major role in the Keystone decision, has found that "including direct, indirect and induced effects, the proposed project would potentially support approximately 42,100 average annual jobs across the United States over a one- to two-year construction period."

Over the long term — 15 years — Keystone will create 117,000 new U.S. jobs, says the Canadian Energy Research Institute.

Obama, however, has said the pipeline would create only "about 50 permanent jobs." So the president, it appears, is at odds over employment estimates with his own State Department, which is to determine if "the proposed pipeline would serve the national interest."

Is it a signal that he's going to reject the State Department's recommendation if it determines Keystone is indeed in the national interest?

What is clear is that the Obama White House, which has rejected the pipeline once, is afraid to make a decision.

COMMENT:  We've come to know Obama.  He probably believes Canada is just part of a colonialist commonwealth, and is of no importance.  Not like dear, brotherly Iran, which is just misunderstood.

And Obama isn't a liberal.  He's a leftist.  As a leftist, he's beholden to militant environmental groups.  As a leftist, he has contempt for oil companies.  As a leftist, he doesn't care about making America energy independent.  In fact, for a leftist, dependence on other nations is preferable because it will keep the "Yankee imperialists" in check.

It is ugly.  Keystone would help Canada and America.  Canada will probably end up selling the oil to China, and Obama will be relieved.

January 18, 2014