In this grave crisis, the world’s leaders are terrifyingly out of their depth

That spot-on analysis via Peter Oborne, who is the Daily Telegraph’s chief political commentator:

The consequence is terrifying. Policy-makers find themselves in the position of a driver heading down the outside lane of a motorway who suddenly finds that none of his controls are working: no accelerator, no brakes and a faulty steering wheel. Experience, skill and a prodigious amount of luck are required if a grave accident is to be averted. Unfortunately, it is painfully apparent that none of these qualities are available: Western leaders are out of their depth.

Barack Obama feels more and more like a president from the Jimmy Carter tradition: well meaning but ineffectual.

Even our friends across the pond think that Obama is just another Jimmy Carter (if only that were true…unfortunately, Carter now seems a best case scenario, while Obama seems to be aiming much, much lower).