Imagine you have a neighbor who is a bully to his kids and wife, mean to his dog too. None of his behavior quite reaches the "call Child Protective Services, the Humane Society or the cops" level but is ugly nevertheless.
Imagine further that for a decade or more your parents have pointedly not been friendly to the abusive neighbor. Now you've inherited the home you've shared with them, as they head off to Florida to retire in the sun.
Are you likely to announce that your parents' approach to the bully hasn't worked because his behavior hasn't improved, so you believe you'll befriend him in the hopes that will help? You wouldn't? Neither would I.
The scenario I sketched out for you above is what President Obama has chosen to do with Cuba. He's declared our policy with respect to Cuba is a failure and he'll try friendship. This without seeing any marked improvement in Cuban behavior toward their own citizens.
By doing so Obama continues his policy of befriending our enemies and criticizing our friends. His policy has the practical (and almost certainly intentional) effect of reducing American influence abroad.
Obama has taken the motto of the 1st Marine Division, "No better friend, no worse enemy" and turned it on its head. He invites other countries to evaluate the U.S. as "a bad friend, a good enemy." This cannot end well, nor do I believe he intends it to do so.
