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"As an American, I do wish we were better represented..."
The leaders of Germany, the United Kingdom and France locked arms.
Such longtime rivals as the leaders of the Palestinian Authority and the king of Jordan marched with the Prime Minister of Israel.
But high-ranking U.S. officials? Nowhere to be seen during Sunday's massive march against Islamist violence and in support of free speech in Paris.
The Gateway Pundit's Jim Hoft asked a sarcastic, "Guess who's missing?" tweeting an image of arm-in-arm world leaders...
50 World Leaders are marching in #Paris... Guess who's missing? @BarackObama pic.twitter.com/Nlm6vU32EN
— Jim Hoft (@gatewaypundit) January 11, 2015
...while plenty of other journalists and commentators noted the absence of President Barack Obama as well.
More than 50 world leaders are marching in Paris against jihad. Obama chose not to attend. What does that tell you?
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) January 11, 2015
embarrassing to the Americans! Pres Obama should not have snubbed Paris today – 40+ other world leaders showed up! https://t.co/BnwRFCwKWn
— Greta Van Susteren (@greta) January 11, 2015
For real. Why didn't Obama, Biden or Kerry show up in Paris?
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) January 11, 2015
CNN's Jake Tapper, while remarking on the amazing sight of unity across nationalities and religions, couldn't help but say, "As an American, I do wish we were better represented in this beautiful procession."
He added that he didn't mean his remark as a criticism of the Obama administration; watch below:
While many were disappointed in Obama's absence, at least one observer was not.
U.S. Army veteran and Middle East scholar Andrew Exum tweeted that "an American face on things" could be counterproductive in the show of global unity against Islamist violence.
Not sure there needed to be a senior U.S. official in #Paris, with all the accompanying security. Not everything has to be about us.
— Andrew Exum (@ExumAM) January 11, 2015
Often, when it comes to multilateral cooperation in countering Islamist extremism, an American face on things is counterproductive. #pt
— Andrew Exum (@ExumAM) January 11, 2015
TheBlaze has reached out to the White House for comment on Obama's absence.
—
Follow Zach Noble (@thezachnoble) on Twitter
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