Michele Bachmann Slams Arab Spring As Consequence Of Obama's 'Weakness'

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Now the Arab Spring is a bad thing?

Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) has taken her special perspective on world affairs to a new level, telling an audience in Concord, N.C., on Thursday that the Arab Spring was the unwelcome consequence of weak leadership from President Obama.

"You want to know why we have Arab Spring?" Bachmann asked in the appearance. "Barack Obama has laid the table for the Arab Spring by demonstrating weakness from the United States of America."

In Bachmann's telling, the widespread popular -- and mostly peaceful -- movements by Arab people to liberate themselves from decades of brutal dictatorships has posed a threat to the safety of Israel, and should not have been allowed to take place.

"[Obama] put a lot of daylight in our relationship with our ally Israel," she added.

In a May speech, President Obama explicitly embraced the revolutions sweeping the Middle East, and confirmed that the U.S. would do everything in its power to help usher them along.

"For six months, we have witnessed an extraordinary change taking place in the Middle East and North Africa," Obama said in the speech. "Square by square, town by town, country by country, the people have risen up to demand their basic human rights. ... It will be the policy of the United States to promote reform across the region, and to support transitions to democracy."

It's not the first time Bachmann has cited negative consequences from the democratic movements in the Middle East. In a speech two weeks ago in L.A., Bachmann referenced the "rise of radical elements" as one unfortunate product of the revolutions.

This week, she upped her criticism of Obama for not doing more to prevent the toppling of the Arab dictators.

"The number one duty of the president is to be the commander in chief," Bachmann concluded.