Flashback: Obama Told Russia to "Respect" Ukrainian Borders in 2009, Compared Russian Gov't to US

President Obama's foreign policy is crumbling around him, with distance growing between the US and Israel, the Middle East in complete disarray, and Russia invading the Crimea-region of Ukraine with no consequences.

Just five years ago, however, the new President asked Russia politely to respect the international borders of Ukraine. It is just another statement by Mr. Obama that has turned out to be meaningless.

"State sovereignty must be a cornerstone of international order," Mr. Obama warned Russia at the time. "Any system that cedes those rights will lead to anarchy. That is why this principle must apply to all nations - including Georgia and Ukraine."

This request, Mr. Obama said apologetically, was not made by an "antagonistic" US, and that the United States wanted to be friends with Russia. "Let me be clear: America wants a strong, peaceful and prosperous Russia," the President added.

At the time, President Obama also encouraged Russia to be a democracy "like" the United States by saying that the US was not perfect and once had "corruption at all levels of business and government."

"By no means is America perfect," the President explained. "Independent media have exposed corruption at all levels of business and government. Competitive elections allow us to change course ... If our democracy did not advance those rights, I as a person of African ancestry wouldn't be able to address you as an American citizen, much less a president."

All this happy, flowery talk, however, has turned out to be worthless, as Russia has decided that territorial expansion with impunity is more preferable than being friends with Barack Obama.