-
The View From the Other Side
May 17, 2013 | 16 comments
-
Cyprus Uber Alles
May 10, 2013 | 9 comments
-
After Hugo
May 3, 2013 | 16 comments
-
Theory and Practice of Terrorism
April 26, 2013 | 24 comments
-
Border Security Games
April 19, 2013 | 26 comments
At Large
Barry and Bibi Back-Story
In the room with Obama and Netanyahu — and Iran.
For some reason quite unclear, the Obama Administration’s foreign policy establishment decided to make a major issue out of the announcement during VP Biden’s visit to Israel of new settlement construction in East Jerusalem. As analysts searched for an explanation of the White House’s well-publicized contest with Prime Minister Netanyahu during the latter’s recent U.S. trip, more and more the focus was drawn to matters unrelated to the settlement issue.
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth was used by insiders in the Netanyahu entourage to be quoted as saying Obama’s views were a “strategic disaster.” While most people assumed the quote related to the settlement matter, it was actually aimed at a more serious and immediate concern. The settlements could have been passed off as unfortunate timing. More importantly, according to the former Israeli UN ambassador Dan Gillerman, development in East Jerusalem has never been considered by Netanyahu and Israel’s right wing as part of the settlement phase of “land for peace.”
Biden had been briefed on this; Obama had been briefed on this; Hillary Clinton had been briefed. The real story is that the Obama Administration is proceeding on the basis that evolving a Palestine/Israel accord will be an important element in negotiations with Iran to cease nuclear weapon development.
This fantastical idea has evolved out of the strong White House belief that Iran can be cajoled into an agreement on nuclear weapon development if only the Palestine “problem” was solved. Any action appearing to inhibit the current campaign to bring Israel and Palestine closer is perceived by President Barack Obama as contrary to his plan to prevent Iran from “going nuclear.” Contrary to the oft-stated theme of keeping the military option on the table, the Obama Administration is committed to avoiding a preemptive strike on Iranian nuclear development targets.
The key to the Obama strategy (as reportedly explained to PM Netanyahu) is the expectation that there is a real possibility that the current Iranian clerical regime will be overthrown and replaced with a secular republic that that will include perhaps only a clerically dominated judiciary. All that is needed for the Obama plan to work is time, he told Netanyahu.
And here is where Obama’s recent conflict with Bibi Netanyahu comes in. Netanyahu’s real purpose in meeting with the U.S. president was to explain Israeli thinking on the need for and possible timing of an Israeli strike on Iran. From the Israeli standpoint the new developments in East Jerusalem were an unimportant side show, and Israeli estimates of the ability of the Iranians to have nuclear weapons is at most by the end of this year.
Obama’s view was firmly anchored in the importance of the peace talks while Netanyahu was equally adamant and unmoving in disagreement. He said quite clearly that Israel has to plan on using its military power to prevent the Persian attack. Well-informed sources in the Israeli PM’s camp indicated that while repeating the pledge of United States commitment to Israel’s defense in perpetuity, the American leader tried to use verbal strong-arm tactics to challenge the position of Israel’s American-educated, former IDF special forces officer-turned professional politician prime minister. This was definitely the wrong thing to do.
It was at this point that Obama decided to disengage and left Netanyahu cooling his heels in the White House. It was the first time Obama had been so categorically thwarted in his generally accepted “brilliant” ability to out-debate an adversary.
Netanyahu admitted differences between the U.S. and Israel “are those between allies and friends….” His response to Yedioth Ahronoth’s claim that Obama’s views were “a strategic disaster” was simply to refer to the newspaper’s comments as “anonymous, unworthy remarks.” Not quite a strong denial in any terms.
The final result of the Obama-Netanyahu talks was that the latter left convinced that the American president would not openly admit it, but he was willing to extend all aspects of negotiation and threats of sanctions with and against Iran to a point beyond where Netanyahu believed Israel could afford to go before taking preemptive action. Furthermore, the Israeli prime minister believes there would be little or no influence on Iran’s nuclear plans resulting from Palestine-Israel peace talks — contrary to Obama’s firm belief to the opposite.
If Israeli news sources are to be believed, Obama’s view has been effectively altered that he could make the decision for an Israeli government headed by Bibi Netanyahu regarding if and when to use a preemptive strike against Iran. As President Obama himself said in a different context, it’s just a matter of time!
About the Author
George H. Wittman writes a weekly column on international affairs for The American Spectator online. He was the founding chairman of the National Institute for Public Policy.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (153) | Leave a comment
More Articles by George H. Wittman
More Articles From At Large
http://spectator.org/archives/2010/03/30/barry-and-bibi-back-story
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
ADVERTISEMENT
Pingback| 3.30.10 @ 6:42AM
The American Spectator : Barry and Bibi Back-Story « links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Ret. Marine| 3.30.10 @ 7:10AM
Obumbler made an issue because the Leader of the Israeli people has a right, and an obligation to keep his country safe from the onslaught of the 12-ers, to survive and lay claim to their own lands, and this my friends goes against obumblers personal belief system. Now I could ramble on for some time and bore the hell out of everyone but, the simple matter is the great Obumbler is a muslim, he knows very well ( having grown in his formative years as a muslim) the commands of the islamic end game, to lay waste to the Capitalist/Christian system and inact a worldwide Shariah system with him at the helm, at least in his neanderthal mindset. Never let a good crises go to waste, huh. Sure Ramrod, you pathetic little weasel.
Someone, anyone with the cajonies needs to ask this spineless weasel of a supposed prez why the bunker-buster bombs sold to Israel are now being held up on a island and not being delivered to their paid for owners. Can we all say with one loud voice "COWARD"?
Netanyahu knows this will be a matter of wits against a meglomaniac mentality. The great Obumbler gives not a rat'sarse what happens to the Israeli people, nor us for that matter, as long as he can claim to be the great healer others often speak of, what a pathetic little man. God will not be mocked Obama, better get that through your little egotistical mind. Yeah Harvard my arse. Courage is not something he shows signs of, sure visit the troops in a war-zone in the middle of the night, COWARD.
Alan Brooks| 3.30.10 @ 2:57PM
Obama treats Israel with more consideration than some of Obama's rightwing enemies. I even see their veiled comments here at AS; from Toddard, from Red the Confederate, from others.
The enemy of Israel's enemy is not necessarily her friend.
Alan Brooks| 3.30.10 @ 2:58PM
... to say the very least.
Margie| 3.30.10 @ 3:38PM
I call them Leftists.
Alan Brooks| 3.30.10 @ 11:14PM
Red Phillips is a far RIGHTIST, a neo-Confederate; still fighting a war that ended in 1865, long before anyone living today was born.
Christopher Holland| 3.30.10 @ 9:47PM
With friends like Obama, Israel doesn't need enemies. Obama is a creep, he says what a friend he is and then kicks you in the arse. Doesn't work that way with me, I am old fashioned about these things.
Obama should read a history book and find out that Netanyahu's brother was killed leading the Entebbe hostage rescue mission. Netanyahu knows personally what the stakes are on these things, it is not a game where people go home at the end of the day and sleep soundly in their own beds.
DaisyW| 4.1.10 @ 2:13PM
You could also say with friends like Israel the US does not need enemies. Israel and its insane suppporters here are going to the end of the US.
George F| 3.31.10 @ 1:11PM
A clueless comment Mr. Brooks and unworthy of your fine brain.
Conrad Spiracy| 3.31.10 @ 7:28PM
Toddard? Rightwing? You're pulling a part of my anatomy that feels so good it hurts.
A$$hole.
Con Spiracy
Excelsior!
Kenny| 3.30.10 @ 7:25AM
The U.S. government's treatment of Israel is exactly what one should expect from a president named Barack Hussein Obama.
Come on, think about it.
Someday your grandchildren will look back and shake their heads about how such a man-child with absolutely no qualifications could even have been elected president. And what will you tell them?
canuckistani| 3.30.10 @ 10:36AM
I find Obama's approach to Bibi refreshing. Remember, Israel is a fantasy state extorted by zionist Americans after WW2 when every western nation, especially the US, told the refugee Jews to wander and die when the camps were liberated. 7 million residents are increasingly of Russian descent, and with that a growing desire to imbue Israeli politics with a Russian hue: all or nothing, free of nuance. I'll state it here: very un-Jewish of them. The Talmudic tradition is a spectacular example of nuance, language, debate and progress. Where'd it go? It will crash similarly to every Russian concoction of government. Bibi is no statesman, he's not even a decent tactician. Why should the US make a deal with this guy? Bush didn't, and Reagan knew better than to get us into constant inexorable debates over a pile of rocks long ago abandoned by the very Jews that want our money and blood to take it back?
It's been 60 years, the adjacent Arabs have no belly for conflict. Palestinians are considered the unwashed of the region that NOBODY wants to deal with. Partially due to deficient structures, but mostly due to deficient cultural norms incompatible with modern discourse. A true strategic thinking PM would recognize that Arabs would fall in line with a two-state solution, free them of their Palestinian storage problems, and let them go back to pumping oil and marrying 10-year olds.
BO is right on the mark with this current skirmish. Bibi's inability to lead is drawing the US in, not reducing our responsibilites.
Remember, much of the Palestinian leadership and fortune is Christian. Bethlehem, Nazareth and much of Jesus' works occurred in the Palestinian territory - not Jerusalem. He was executed there.
Is BO being a "muslim" or is he looking out for the interests of 97% of Americans who are not Jewish? and the majority of Jews who are not Zionists? Fair and balanced, in my view.
Dai Alanye | 3.30.10 @ 11:17AM
The question isn't where Jesus was executed, it's not whether Netanyahu is wise or unwise, it's not where the majority of Israelis originated, nor does it concern the opinions of Jews in America or elsewhwere.
The question is, are America's interests served by having Iran come to dominate the Middle East?
The answer is a resounding NO! And anyone who can't comprhend this, from Obama on down, is a strategic idiot.
Margie| 3.30.10 @ 3:44PM
Perfect points. The non-interventionists are living in the past. We cannot afford to do that.
2Anglico| 3.30.10 @ 11:30AM
"extorted by zionist...", that is like, sooo original.
KyMouse| 3.30.10 @ 2:41PM
Canuckistani, Israel is not "a pile of rocks long ago abandoned" by the Jewish people. When it was under Arab control, it was mostly a wasteland (if memory serves, Mark Twain speculated that the goats ate gravel), but today it's full of fields and orchards that grow everything from oranges to roses.
And the Jewish people didn't abandon it. They were forcibly expelled by the Romans, who (under Titus) destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D. The Jewish lands in which Jesus worked His miracles weren't Palestinian, because the name "Palestine" wasn't coined until about a century after His crucifixion.
The Romans chose the name "Palestine" in an early attempt at a solution what they saw as "the Jewish problem," which would later occupy Hitler's thoughts. Re-name the Jewish homeland after its ancient enemies, and you can pretend that it never belonged to the Jews.
It didn't work then, and it never will; we have God's word on it (Genesis 15, Jeremiah 31, etc., etc.)
Margie| 3.30.10 @ 3:43PM
Great & truthful post.
By the way, those oranges you speak of~they are sold here in the supermarkets and are excellent. The ones I've had are called Jaffa.
Christopher Holland| 3.30.10 @ 9:51PM
An empty vessel making a lot of noise.
Reaction to Closed Minds| 3.31.10 @ 11:15AM
canuckistani:
Sir, with all due respect, your 'historical' recitation is mostly if not all incorrect. But the 'angle' of disinformation belies your agenda & belief system. It is stanadard Euro/Canadian leftie (see Toronto or Montreal or Continent) .... Israel's historic generation starts with the Balfour Declaration and concluded with British acts, who then controlled the area post-WW2, in 1947.
I can critique Israel more harshly than most Palestinians or broader 'supporting' muslims ... on many topics or fronts. But the state of Israel was duly created (what country on this planet does not have some pedigree that can challenge its 'creation'>?) and form its inception it has been under mortal attack. Israel has a right to protect itself and to involvement with Jerusalem ... which even goes to housing development there (which arguably what this is - assuming that this Wh House was briefed as such as reported here).
Netanyahu may be singularly gifted to be the leader at a time of critical challenge to its existence .... certainly in a way that understands the realities of their predicament better than you, President Obama, Rahm Emmanuel (whose father walked away from the George Washington of Israel David Ben-Gurion for unclear reasons), me and most of the world.
Joel Raupe| 3.30.10 @ 10:49AM
I'll tell my grandchildren my conscience remains clear. While the American voting population, at large, may have been aroused too late, millions of us did all we were big enough to do to prevent this regime from taking the cockpit. Now we're airborne and the crew shrugged off any need of learning how to land this monster. We're along for the ride with the formerly witless, thinking about when might be the proper time to roll.
Douglas Fletcher| 3.30.10 @ 5:29PM
That I didn't vote for him.
emma| 3.30.10 @ 8:00AM
78% of Jewish community voted to make BHO the president - where are they now - Shocked, Surprised, Sorry or Silenced?
With BHO's frame of mind, it is no wonder Iran is brazenly going forward with one "unacceptable" (read as "accepted" in foreign policy parlance) act after another with nary a thought of what the UN, US & Europe say.
NavyBrat | 3.30.10 @ 1:04PM
Don't worry, Emma. I'm one of the 22% who knew the score on our Jew hating President LONG before his election. And the numbers of those of my political pursuasion are growing every day. I had trouble reconciling why so many of my Jewish brothers & sisters voted for the party that seems most diametrically opposed to most of the values they hold dear. Then I read Norman Podhoretz's book, "Why Jews Are Liberals." It explained alot. I highly recommend it.
Karmafish | 3.30.10 @ 3:22PM
I'm a liberal American Jew who voted for Barack Obama.
I will not make that mistake again.
Some of us are capable of learning.
martin j smith| 3.30.10 @ 8:01AM
Obama was not dealing with a rookie but rather a seasoned politician-soldier whose first concern is the survival of the State of Israel. It is my view that for BHO defense and security of the US is not his first concern. So, right away we have a major conflict of interest inherent in these two men.
Netenyahu in my judgement knows full well what is is dealing with. Obama either did not or did not care--my guess its a bit of both.
Thus what came was innevitable. Netenyahu will play for time and hope that in November there is a big NO referendum against the Democrat left and Obama in particular.
emma| 3.30.10 @ 8:47AM
Unfortunately, despite the bipartisan letter of support for Israel signed by 327 House Representatives, BHO as president "make(s) foreign policy. It can prevent military arms from going to Israel, but cannot send them. Congress has no role in determining U.S. policy at the U.N. Security Council. The President of the United States determines our foreign policy - nearly unilaterally - under our Constitution." per Ed Koch.
Randy| 3.30.10 @ 8:32AM
This article is a joke. Supporters of Israel have only one concer on their minds. Iran.
To hell with Iran. We have a lot of other concerns on our minds. The president is doing just the right thing. It's amazing to me how American journalists are capable of writing articles so blatantly one sided.
Ken (Old Texican)| 3.30.10 @ 8:57AM
Randy,
Iran will not go away. You can stick your head in the sand, and your butt in the air......and get your butt blown off.
Bibi refuses to ignore the absolute threat.
Obama, seems to simply shrug, and figure that "Heck, America can take a nuke hit or two and get over it".
Obamacare itself will kill a couple of million Americans, so Obama seems not all that concerned about that either.
Let me ask you, Randy what are your "other concerns"?
canuckistani| 3.30.10 @ 11:11AM
Reagan made deals with Iran, Eisenhower killed their democratically elected president and put in a despot. We reap what we sow, because we are just not good at this world power stuff at a micro level. Let them have the bomb. It's amazing as a state becomes nuclear, they suddenly become more mature: Pakistan, India, China as evidence. Iran is probaly the most advanced culturally in the muslim world - they are not Arabs. Reason will take hold and the theory of mutual-assured destruction is evident as a motivator for progress.
China and Russia (remember our former foes?)are making overtures because they recognize the importance of containment if the fire they stoked with us gets out of control.
Ken, I honor your service, but let the adults do the hard work of moving our country forward. You constantly misinterpret US commercial interests with patriotic defense of the nation. Halliburton is now based in Dubai. Ford sold Volvo to China with your money. Bush 1 gave China "most favored trading nation status" and Bush 2 gave you a tax cut that you probably have never enjoyed. Don't be the fool, again.
Jerusalem is a Zionist dream, not America's, and far from it. When Reagan put his tail between his legs and bolted Lebanon in 82, I regretted the failure, but applauded the strength and reason to see it is a quagmire we have no business being in.
The Jewish bloc is split. Between Madoff, the Russian immigrant take-over of Israeli politics and the absurd coalition of cats Bibi is trying to wrangle, BO's policy of intransigence is right on the mark. Wait this one out. Zionists have been waiting 2000 years, perhaps a little patience is in order to see our interests play out is needed.
Alan Brooks| 3.30.10 @ 11:19PM
" killed their democratically elected president "
What a swell guy the Commie was.
Scarface| 3.31.10 @ 7:42AM
canuckistani,
Given your gullible nature allow me to sell you a bridge that connects Brooklyn with Manhattan. Or how about some beautiful land in southern Florida.
Iran, a country that unlawfully held as hostage American diplomats and embarked on a bloody war of attrition with Iraq killing millions on both sides is suddenly going to 'mature' once it possesses a nuclear weapon? Give me a break.
R Martin| 3.30.10 @ 9:15AM
You are a person easily bewildered. Read the main stream media if you seek examples of one-sided "journalism".
Alan Brooks| 3.30.10 @ 11:22PM
"canuckistani| 3.30.10 @ 11:11AM"
Could this be... no, not ..Daphne Kenward?!
but 'Daphne' might be French Canadian name.
SoCon| 3.31.10 @ 4:04AM
Daphne still haunts you, Alan; she was a crazy one, that's for sure.
Tim| 3.30.10 @ 9:45AM
“You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.”
Bill S| 3.30.10 @ 3:00PM
Is the sky blue on your planet? It is here in the real world.
IKnowBetterThanToRespondToThis| 3.30.10 @ 8:54AM
Yes, Randy, it is so amazing that someone like Frank Rich can insist that if one opposes HealthCare, then one must be a racist. There can be no other grounds possible. If one opposes HealthCare, then one must be a sexist. If one opposes HealthCare, then one must be a homophobe.
I'm so glad the NYT is so much less blatantly one sided than the article above.
Oh, by the way, Randy, if the Iranian leader -- who is a "twelver," does manage to get a "nuke," Israel is likely to think that that situation is of grave concern to their national security.
I can just imagine how much lovelier life would be in this world for you and for me with a nuclear Iran.
Craig| 3.30.10 @ 9:54AM
Netanyahu is getting a lesson in humility and its quite pleasing to see.. I hope Obama succeeds in putting him out a job.
JP| 3.30.10 @ 10:48AM
And do you really think Netanyahu didn't know what was coming down the pike? You've allowed your man-crush with the Anointed One get the best of you. The Isreali's are the ultimate realist -thier survival depends upon it. Netanyahu was putting on a show; it's all mis-direction. They now know for sure that the Man-Child cannot be depended on for anything. And they will now act in accordance with the strategic situation. The Obama Administration just lost whatever influence it had with Isreal. From now on, Obama will be reacting to events instead of molding them. This entire farce just illustrates how childish Obama is.
JP| 3.30.10 @ 10:53AM
Bush, for all of his faults steered events in the Middle East. But to do that he had to have the best interests of Isreal in mind. Otherwise, the Isrealis would do what they did in the 1950s and 1960s -take matters into thier own hands.
Again, the Obama Administration got played. The past 2 weeks were a diplomatic test. The Isrealis needed to know Obama's ultimate end game. So now they know he not only cannot be counted on, but he may be part of the problem. Obama just lost his clout.
JayDick| 3.30.10 @ 11:01AM
Actually the reverse is true on both counts. Obama's arrogance has been challenged effectively. And Obama is more likely to lose his job (albeit not until 2013) than Netanyahu.
NavyBrat | 3.30.10 @ 12:23PM
"I hope Obama succeeds in putting him out a job."
Gee. Coming from sonmeone who belongs to the crowd that thinks we aren't the world's policeman & that we should be more circumspect about how we influence other countries, you sure seem excited at this prospect. Hypocritical much?
jd| 3.30.10 @ 10:01AM
Obama is the one in need of a lesson in humility. The manchild should not be lecturing a seasoned man, former soldier, war hero and current politician on any foreign policy period, be it regarding Iran, nuclear strategy, Israeli settlements or Israeli security. I for one am disgusted by Odumbo's arrogance and narcissism. Why doesn't he, as a community organizer, solve the inner city problems of a Chicago. That's more up his alley. Leave foreign policy to realistic adults.
ave'imperator| 3.30.10 @ 10:02AM
My take is a little different a) hes a rank amateur whom has surrounded himself with rank amateurs in the FP arena,
b) hes trying to make friends with the arabs, as if he has not been smacked down enough, like any lib whats required is electro shock before he gets it, in his feeble mind, if hes hard on israel, the arabs will like him and do what he wants,
c)barry is setting himself up for culpable deniability. He will, when Israel finally does what it will have to do attempt to take out irans nuke infrastructure, be able to say hey, I didn’t know squat and again the arabs will love him ( that’s his thinking). Frankly he shouldn’t know when it goes down. If Israel shares any of their grand tactical or strategic thinking with this pustule they get what they deserve. He’s sold them out and that’s that. Think it through and move on.
Adam| 3.30.10 @ 10:12AM
the same drum beat for war pulled out for Iraq is now being used for Iran. Has Iran EVER attacked its neighbor? The chance of Iran attacking America and opening it up to being anihialated by the US is NIL. This is another Israeli war. Why I wonder are the people pushing for it doing it from the safety of their computers. Go on. elist. fight the wars you support. chicken hawks. every last one of you.
2Anglico| 3.30.10 @ 11:33AM
Better a chicken hawk than a CHICKEN.
NavyBrat | 3.30.10 @ 12:29PM
"The chance of Iran attacking America and opening it up to being anihialated by the US is NIL."
Sure. Because the apocalyptic madman in Iran who thinks he's going to bring about the return of the 12th Imam won't sell those weapons to anyone who hates us. Stop drinking the bong water.
As to your challenge to all of us to go enlist. Have YOU served? Its been my experience on this site that most of the posters here are vets or retirees. Some, like myself, are kids of those who served in Vietnam (before you denigrate me for not serving, just know that YOU wouldn't be allowed to serve either if you had your colon removed at 14). What makes YOU so much better than any of the rest of us? You're just another schmuck with an opinion, and not a very good one at that.
Richard Baker| 3.30.10 @ 10:18AM
Craig:
And what responsibility for millions of people do YOU have? Netanyahu does and he is not affected by the Kenyan's childish peevishness because Bibi understands that which is at stake regarding Israel's survival. So you do wish for the demise of Israel to "humble" Netanyahu? How god-like of you. I forgot. For your kind, this is all some form of street-theater as it's been since the '60s.
JP| 3.30.10 @ 10:39AM
The Palestinian Question is kind of like Roe v Wade. It is always with us, and has become so familiar that most Presidents end up using it for purely political means. You need a lift in the polls? Dispatch an envoy to Isreal and Gaza. You need a positive story in the MSM? Have your Secretary of State issue a communique telling the world a new Palestinian Solution is at hand.
But the Iranians look at Isreal from a totally different persepctive. The Iranians are Persians. And Persians for eons have looked down upon Arabs the same way the French look down upon Americans. The Iranians of course have a long term strategic goal of controlling not only Iraq, but all of the Arabian Penninsula and the Persian Gulf. Despite the lunatic rantings of thier President, the Iranians have a three prong strategy; 1)one requires the Findlandization of thier arab nieghbors, and 2)the use of terror to weaken the West; and 3) the use of oil as a geopolitical solution. The key to this strategy is getting nukes. Which the Russians and Chicoms have been happy to assist.
Iran one day may use its nukes. But I doubt it. But I also doubt that they take any kind of fig leaf from Obama seriously. They will be around long after the Anointed One is gone. And they certainly don't give a hoot about the Palestinians other than to use them as a proxy.
The danger to Isreal is real; but, thier oppurtunity to do anything about is gone. Bush refused to give a green light, and now the Iranians have hardened thier sites (thanks China!). But, one real danger is brewing. The Iranian rocket program is on schedule to produce missles that will soon reach the US.
canuckistani| 3.30.10 @ 11:52AM
JP,
Right on the mark! Well done.
Remember, the US THRIVED under mutual assured destruction with the soviets. It focused us and created the greatest expansion of American interests faster than any empire the world has known. Like American, Persians are survivors, have been through many many versions of society, and are too proud to risk certain death. They are not Japanese, nor Arab and see no honor in dying a senseless death. Greed, commerce and sense of national dignity is what binds them. Sound familiar?
I enjoyed your comments and will read along.
The Shah played president after president with his head games between the US and USSR. The current regime knows it and are using the 12-er fringe to get them where they want to be.
Alan Brooks| 3.30.10 @ 11:26PM
"The current regime knows it and are using the 12-er fringe to get them where they want to be."
dey jus' bluffin'-- Gwan!
W. Krebs| 3.30.10 @ 10:54AM
The Iranians pursue their nuclear development program and the Obama administration leaps to appease them. This rewards and encourages the Iranians, as well as other American enemies.
Meanwhile, the Obama administration bullies the Islraelis. This discourages the Israelis, as well as other American allies.
What can President Obama possibly be thinking?
canuckistani| 3.30.10 @ 11:24AM
Ahmadinijad is a 12-er, but the elites are survivors first. Iranians are a pretty advanced people, far more advanced than any of us yahoos are on this blog. Growth is what they are seeking. The Army is wiggling their way into more power positions. The green revolution leaders are very much focused on civilian control. But check their platform: no where does it read "Islamic state to end". Pay attention.
George F| 3.31.10 @ 1:24PM
I find your comments refreshingly hilarious and out of contact with reality.
Maddox| 3.30.10 @ 11:01AM
Strong arm tactics are futile when the one they are aimed at has a loaded gun pointed at his head by Iran. You would think the American "leader" would know better. Oh yeah, our leader is Obama, oy vey!
Tim| 3.30.10 @ 11:03AM
78 Percent of Jewish-Americans voted for Obama .
They get what they voted and paid for.
Tell it to Rahm Emanuel and Dave Axelrod !
canuckistani| 3.30.10 @ 11:41AM
They are getting what they paid for!
Bibi does not represent the majority view of Jews and Israeli's. Rahm and Axelrod know this probably better than you and are counselling BO accordingly. Never before has a president been able to get China, Russia and the europeans on the same page with ANYTHING to do with Iran. He's doing it now. You probably think Iran's huffing over Israel is the whole point. It's a distraction. Arabs are the targets - and BO gets it. You don't.
Jerusalem is a zionist dream, a mythological sentimentality similar to an "real" American ideal that never existed but for only a few. I prefer reality, reason and measured progress for ALL Americans - the 97% that are not Jewish and the majority of them who aren't zionists that see Bibi as a threat to reason and security.
Nobama| 3.30.10 @ 2:25PM
Care to provide proof that 97% of Americans see Bibi as a threat to reason and security. Your anti-Semitic hysteria isn't enough.
martin j smith| 3.30.10 @ 11:17AM
During the 1930s whehn German Jews might have treid to get out Nazi Germany they were advised by their own leaders that Hitler did not mean what he said, it would blow over. Of course even if they did try to leave where would they have gone ? And yet--
Today i truly believe history is repeating itself. Jewish groups such as ADL were foolish and now
their chickens have come home to roost. We will see how many Jewish voters support the Democrat agenda in November. Time will tell. But, I suspect that the more BHO plays his current hand with Netenyahu, the percentage of "change of hearts" voters will increase.
pabelmont | 3.30.10 @ 11:55AM
All this talk about Iran should not obscure the fact that the settlements (all of them and certainly the not-yet-built ones) are (or will be) make unneeded enemies for the US (per Petraeus) and illegal in contemplation of international law. The USA has got used to ignoring international law, particularly w.r.t. Israel. Those who, like myself, promote compliance with law, think this a tragedy and a crime. But even those who despise subservience to mere law ("How many divisions has the ICJ?" they seem to ask) can understand that it matters to our troops how many insurgents they have to fight. As to Iran, I agree with the writers (above) who argue that possession of Nukes makes nations more rather than less prudent. In the meantime, anti-Sunnis in Iraq are fomenting electoral trouble and Karzai in Afghanistan is tilting toward Iran. The US does not, repeat, does not need more enemies in the region. Hence the importance of stopping (and rolling back) the settlements.
2Anglico| 3.30.10 @ 2:12PM
"international law", about as real as "global warming".
obadiah| 3.30.10 @ 12:04PM
Wittman dreams up a silly idea and argues that it is Obama's idea and Obama is silly for having it.
What a silly argument.
Tim| 3.30.10 @ 12:07PM
Yeah canucki boy ,that's the point !
Now ,tell all the good readers why Jewish-Americans voted 78 Percent for Obama and poured big money into his election.
You're up Sport !
Old Joe| 3.30.10 @ 12:36PM
Yes, 78% percent of American Jewish voters voted for Obama. Why, because they are Democrats first and Jewish second. I suspect if you look at American Catholic voters you will see the same pattern as in Pelosi and Biden. Political party before religion, country, and family, it’s the Democrat way.
NavyBrat | 3.30.10 @ 12:43PM
The only way to describe the Obama mindset on Iran is summed up in one word: APPEASEMENT!
Bibi knows the score. He knows that the psychos in Iran WILL nuke his country. How many times does a psycho need to tell you he's gonna kick your ass before you believe him? The approach of Obama & the left to the Iran question is one that would make ole Neville Chamberlain proud.
"If he yields it from fear, it is for the purpose of avoiding a war, & he will rarely escape from that; for he to whom he has from cowardice conceded the one thing will not be satisfied, but will want to take other things from him, & his arrogance will increase as his esteem for the prince is lessened."...Machiavelli, "The Discourses"
"One ought never allow a disorder to take place in order to avoid a war, for war is not avoided, but only deferred to your disadvantage."...Machiavelli, "The Prince"
Bibi seems to understand this. OhBummer & his fellatious followers, not so much.
JP| 3.30.10 @ 12:45PM
One thing about the Middle East is that nothing is as it seems. Niether the Palestinians (and when we speak of the Palestinians we speak of several rival groups) nor the Isrealis give a hoot about 1600 double wides or duplexes. This issue is a proxy issue. English fox hunters use to use beagles to flush out the fox. Bibi used this "crisis" to flush out the real "Obama". This is critical in that Isreal is being asked to put its national security into the hands of a new President. Now they know.
Just like we should never rely on our allies to get a clear assesment of a situation, niether should we expect Isreal (or any nation) to take our word. In the end, Isreal has shown great deference to the US (ie both Bush41,43 and Clinton), and it has put its security on the line for us. But do not think this deference is automatic. It must be earned every time a new President takes office.
Many people do not know this, but Isreal's greatest ally in the region is Turkey. Of course, it is an alliance of mutual convienence. Isreal has shown it can deal with Muslim regimes (See Jordan and Egypt). Many people also don't realize but many years ago (when Andenaur was President), Germany supplied Isreal with most of its weaponry. Short term alliances are not unusual with Isreal -even with its enemies.
What is sad about this entire situation is that President Obama squandered his entire moral capital with Isreal over such a non-issue. For few ovations out of Riyadh, London, and Jakarta, he forfieted whatever influenced he might have had with Bibi.
NavyBrat | 3.30.10 @ 1:07PM
JP. Excellent post! You point out many pertinent facts that the "Blame America/Israel First" crowd seems to gloss over. Bravo to you!
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 1:57PM
JP,
I see you garnered a fan... However I can't be your fan because I prefer people who pontificate about a country they are claiming to be knowledgeable about to actually be able to spell the name of the country.
And JP, you really should look up what happened last time Bibi was PM and got himself in similar hot water, and you might note how Bibi claimed that "9/11 was good for Israel" before you bow and scrape and kowtow...
Israel's illegal and belligerent occupations are fueling world terrorism and endangering American troops and US national security interests.
This is now beyond question. President Obama and the present administration has largely come to understand this sad fact, and a country of eight million occupying millions of others and keeping them in closed in cantons is simply not going to be accepted given that those illegal actions are inflaming Muslim sentiment in more than a billion minds.
Israel is under no threat that it has not created for it's own self. It boggles the mind to read posters here and elsewhere claim all these wild claims about Islam and yet skip right over what the religious extremists are up to in Israel with Likud/GOI encouragement.
The latest craze is to dismantle the Al Aqsa mosque, ship it to Mecca, and then build the fabled third temple in its place.
There are many in Israel, like their racist Foreign Minister, who wants to transfer populations, modern people call that ethnic cleansing it being wrong and illegal and all.
If Americans were able to get Al Jazeera English and spent a couple of months reading Israeli media instead of the inane, Israel can do no wrong, pap that comes out of the American press, American support for Israel's rogue behavior would evaporate.
Tim*| 3.30.10 @ 1:08PM
Hardly , anywhere near Jewish Americans 78 Percent vote for Obama .
Exit Polls show that 54 Percent of Catholics voted for Obama ,while 45 Percent voted for McCain and exit polling surveys also pointed out that White Catholics Voted 52 Percent for McCain to 47 Percent for Obama.
Cpm| 3.30.10 @ 1:08PM
Iranians are persians, not arabs. I don't think they give a rat's patoot about the "Palestinians" other than to use them as a stick to mess with Israel. If the intractable situation somehow gets solved, the Iranians will simply find something else. This foreign policy team is laboring under false assumptions and ham handed strongarming and mickey mouse manipulation have become the coin of the realm.
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 1:36PM
I'm saddened by the state of the American educational system, that allows writers such as Wittman to stir up populist and some quite hateful and threatening sentiment based wholly upon nonsense.
A better educated electorate would outnumber the wingnuts, sadly it seems the other way around.
Anyone here who is an American and pushing for an attack on Iran is completely nuts. The United States cannot afford a THIRD war, and a very very hot one at that, were we to attack Iran.
It would be extremely detrimental to US interests and it is not clear at all what allies would be involved beyond Israel, and Israel most assuredly is not an ally of the Americans.
Iran has not threatened anyone including Israel. There are inspectors there. Support for attacking Iran is not there internationally.
If for the first time in decades, the US actually enforced UN resolutions against Israel in the same way they insist other Middle East countries adhere to them, there would be a wide-spread air of disbelief on the entire Muslim Street.
One of a genuine questioning, "does the US finally get it?"
A fair and just settlement of the Israeli-Arab conflict, that involves Israel retreating to back within its own borders and ending its illegal land and resource theft, the Apartheid in the occupied territories, the collective punishment and illegal transfer of its citizens onto land they do not own etc - then there would be a new era of trust between the Arab world and the West.
President Obama has rightly let Bibi hang himself on his own petard, his policy thus far that some call "bumbling" has been brilliant.
He kept his eye on the prize, got his health care bill through, nailed down a nuke treaty with Russia soon after, and Bibi will either have to play ball or welcome Livni into the coalition.
President Obama is perhaps one of the smartest US Presidents in modern times, and that does seem to really aggravate the wingnuts.
Good Grief| 3.31.10 @ 1:50PM
Hilarious stuff and so out of touch with reality. You really should change your news source to one that has a connection to what is really happening.
martin j smith| 3.30.10 @ 1:55PM
Micheal Hess sounds like a BHO apologist-- though this issue is a foreign policy one.
Here are just a few points which indicate that Mr Hess ( if that is the real name ) has been uneducated and that is the best I could say:
First the onld Israel is the cause of middle eastern conflicts. What s/he forgets is all of the bruhaha about any criticiism of Radical Islam all of the hatred towards western ways the demands by Islamic radicals of governments say in Europe conform to their ways. The real issue is the goal by Radical Islam to destroy the West but I would not expect a responder of Hess to comprehend that.
2)UN resolutions--Lets see how "fair" the UN is vis a vis Israel. But of course Hess ignores resolutions such as "Zionism =Racism"/. An outright statement for the destruction of Israel. and this was in the 1970s. Fast forward we have a rogue regime that talks ongoing of destroying the State of Israel and for Hess this is "OK". Tolerating this sort of talk is equal in my mind to saying its ok for the destruction of Israel.
3) fi9nally Hess's last sentence is really wonderful: BHO is one of the smartest presidents of US history. Hess--go back to school !!!!
You are a troll. Talking the BHO talking points--bingo !!!
Cpm| 3.30.10 @ 2:01PM
So Amadinnerjacket stating that Israel will be wiped off the map doesn't qualify as a threat? Saying 'Death to Israel' doesn't qualify? Funding and training Hamas and Hizballah?
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 2:34PM
Cpm,
Ahmadinejad never stated that "Israel will be wiped off the map" nor did he state "death to Israel".
It should be noted that apparently you have not heard the chants at Israeli ball games but no matter.
"Funding and training Hamas and Hezbollah"?
Do tell. Hamas was nurtured by Israel when it served as a counter-weight to Arafat. He's long dead. Hamas exists as a resistance group against Israel's continued occupation and collective punishment of Gaza.
No occupation and no siege would end support for Hamas. They have not widened their area of operation, and its much the same for Hezbollah.
They're integrated into the Lebanese government and they were seen as a key defense when Israel launched and lost the Second Lebanon War. See the Winograd Report.
Read the Goldstone Report in full, it's a great primer on what is really going on in the 'Strip and who is really doing what.
Cpm| 3.30.10 @ 5:24PM
Even a cursory search online shows you don't know what you are talking about. I find it fascinating that you even troll Israeli ball games to discern the public mood. You should try a Cubs-White Sox game if you want to experience real hatred. I get it, it's all Israel's fault. If only Israel would disappear from the face of the earth, all would be sweetness and light. Just like Ahmadinejad said.
Obama and his foreign policy team are a bunch of lightweights that have become a laughingstock around the world and done great damage to our country.
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 7:17PM
Cpm,
Again, there is no country, not even Iran, who is threatening Israel with destruction, nor is there anyone except for a few wingnuts who espouse the notion that Israel is at the root of all the world's ills.
I simply pointed out that unreasoned hatred is on display in Israel as it is in other religiously driven countries around the world.
Take a look at Max Blumenthal's explosive work about the youth of Tel Aviv, the hatred displayed towards President Obama including the blatantly racist diatribes against President Obama, the overt hatred of the Iranian people as videoed by Jesse Blumenthal first in Jerusalem and later with Joseph Dana, in "Feeling the Hate in Jerusalem" and "Feeling the Hate in Tel Aviv".
Given that the Shin Bet left former President Carter unprotected during a trip to Israel apparently in a huff over his groundbreaking book, "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid" I don't ever want to see President Obama go to Israel.
It is simply too dangerous a place.
Liam| 3.31.10 @ 4:10AM
Oh, please! Obama doesn't have the stones to visit Israel--he visited our troops in Afghanistan like a thief in the night.
He's waaay too chicken to go to Israel! Hell, he's too scared to visit Red states! That's a laugher!
Tim*| 3.30.10 @ 2:04PM
The " better educated " ObamaBoy Hess says , " President Obama has rightly let Bibi hang himself on his own petard "
Try " hoist " pseudo-intellect ! A petard's a small bomb .
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 2:11PM
Martin,
You reinforced my point quite nicely. It is a well-known wingnut trait to make claims that are not in evidence and not at all address any part of the original comment.
So Martin, in what ways are a wild-eyed hill-top settler youth and a member of radical Islam different?
Hint: Decades of US policy supported the wild-eyed hilltop "settler" youth.
And that's helped inspire today's tiny flame of "radical" Islam that you seem to believe will sweep the world...
Not even the Iranians are calling for the "destruction of Israel" that is made up drivel spread by wingnuts and only influencing the gullible and ill-informed.
One that Zionism equals racism claim, perhaps more Americans should read Israeli news and in particular the comments.
It is abundantly clear, from the top down, that Theodor Hertzl's version of Zionism has been turned into an anti-Arab nationalistic fervor within Israel right now.
In other words, today's Israel is far more leaning towards Baruch Golstein's version of Zionism and decidedly far away from Louis D. Brandeis's.
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 2:19PM
Tim, again, like Martin, you reinforce my point. Wingnuts will snag the tiniest thing, run with it, and never answer directly the comment in question.
"Obama boy Hess"? What are you in kindergarten?
Jeremiah| 3.30.10 @ 2:34PM
Trolls resort to ad hominem attacks when they lose an argument--just like Hess, Obama brown-noser extraordinaire.
What a joke.
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 2:42PM
Jeremiah,
Again, proving my point. Since none of you thus far have even provided an "argument" much less any reasoned debate about anything I have written, it is rather illogical for you to construct a straw man argument about something that did not ever happen.
It would also be good if you learned what a troll actually is. Trolls do not use real names, I am. Trolls usually put out one anonymous and completely untrue and outlandish assertion and then sit back and lurk and watch the resultant flame war. I'm not. Ask a sane question and get a sane answer.
I stand behind everything I have written and can quote chapter and verse from government documentation, UN resolutions and debates, international law, the Geneva Conventions, the Hague Treaty, reports from various NGO's investigations, archived news reports etc to illustrate the strength of my arguments.
And what did you manage to come up with?
"Hess,Obama brown-noser extraordinaire".
Snort! You sure showed me...
South Texan| 3.31.10 @ 1:53AM
OK Hess, if you can quote all of those references to support your arguments, why didn't you? You did however refer to Al Jazeera etc. obviously biased sources.
Jeremiah| 3.31.10 @ 4:26AM
You're a troll--you lie constantly, brown-noser.
Jeremiah| 3.30.10 @ 3:00PM
Don't whine about ad hominem attacks, troll--when you engaged in them first. Hypocrite.
Tim*| 3.30.10 @ 3:05PM
Nah , I never went to Kiddie Garden .
I only got a crappy degree in Economics .
Hess Full Of Gas here says, " President Obama is perhaps one of the smartest US Presidents in modern times ".
So , tell us about the U-3 and U-6 figures , Mr.Mensa !
martin j smith| 3.30.10 @ 3:11PM
Hess, for once in your life be honest. You are an Obama supporter shilling for the great one. Lets at least have the "audacity" to own up to it. Truth in advertising don't you know. Otherwise, if you refuse to do that you are not worth spending any further time one.
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 3:17PM
Tim and Jeremiah,
Do you two represent the height of discourse here at American Spectator? Are either of you capable of addressing the facts I laid out in my comments?
Jeremiah| 3.30.10 @ 3:32PM
I find it amusing when trolls engage in ad hominem attacks and whine when they're returned. I merely pointed out your rank hypocrisy, old boy.
Otherwise, Hess, I find hot-gas filled buffoons like you a bore.
Tim*| 3.30.10 @ 3:26PM
Uh,Uh,Uh !
Tell us about Obama and the U-3 & U-6,Mr.High Level Discourse !
Then ,tell us about Iran !
" The report notes that while the Iranian government strongly denies supplying any arms to the Taliban, Britain’s Foreign Office told Channel 4 News: “at the same time as supporting the legitimate Afghan government, [Iran] is undermining it by providing weapons and training for the Taliban.”
Northern Rebel| 3.30.10 @ 3:50PM
Karmafish:
Some mistakes are fatal, and you don't get a second chance.
Israel may be the only place left to run, if the communist-progressives succeed here. I wish Netanyahu was President of the United Staes of America.
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 3:56PM
Martin,
Same question to you that I asked Tim and Jeremiah. Do you represent the height of discourse here at American Spectator?
My wife and I proudly voted for President Obama and will proudly do so again when he wins the next election.
And Martin, other than what I have written here, you know nothing about me at all. So it is the height of foolishness for you to claim that I am not honest.
I've certainly been honest and posted here based on cold hard facts. I suspect that is what has got the wingnuts all up in arms with personal attacks and absolutely no answers to anything I have actually written.
Jeremiah| 3.30.10 @ 4:49PM
"'Wingnuts' all up in arms with personal attacks."
Hypocrite.
Dumbass--you're blind.
Projection is a pillar of Leftist thought.
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 3:59PM
Jeremiah,
Fair enough. You are not capable of a rational discourse based on facts.
Check.
Tim*| 3.30.10 @ 4:05PM
Yeah men , Hess Gasman here keeps tellin' us what a smart and wonderful guy he is.
Aaaaand ,he's soooo humble tooooo !
So tell us about the U-3 &U-6 , if Obooboo is such a savant.
Then ya can tell us about Iran arming and training The Taliban .
Jeremiah| 3.30.10 @ 4:44PM
Hess Gasman the gasbag! haha
Waaah, waaah! The troll doesn't like ad hominem attacks--poor widdle baby. Snicker.
Tbone| 3.30.10 @ 4:09PM
Other than the two HUGE bills (TARP and Obamacare), which may bring our nation down in practical or economic terms, two other things concern me about the long term good for our nation. And I mean good (as in good vs. evil)
1. The only thing that stands between our nation officially sanctioning and paying for the killing of innocent children and standing for some shred of decency towards God's gift of life, is B. Hussein Obama's word.
And
2. We are turning our back on Israel.
Let's all sit back down, shut up and marvel at this guy. He is leading us straight to hell.
ZereObama| 3.30.10 @ 4:42PM
Obummer may be leading us to hell, but we've been going in that direction for a long time all by our lonesome.
The whirlwind is coming and we're gonna reap it.
Tbone| 3.31.10 @ 5:42PM
Correction: I meant stimulus and Obamacare, although we can throw TARP in there too.
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 4:43PM
Tim,
Perhaps you should expand your knowledge a bit? And maybe not cherry-pick from an article that apparently you did not fully read or comprehend?
You left out the part where General Pace said back in 2007 that there were Iranian arms being discovered but he said there was no proof that Iran was officially supplying them.
And for good reason. Afghanistan has for the last three decades or so been awash in war, and weapons.
There are the Chinese and Iranian weapons supplied them back during the Afghanistan war, large weapons caches from that period still exist as do large caches from the Northern Alliance war lords who was supplied y the US, China, Iran, and many other countries in the region.
You remember Hamid Karzai back in the day don't you? Or do you? A member of the Northern Alliance, leading American Special Forces? You know, he was a militant...
One man's militant is another's terrorist.
These folks are awash in weapons from many many different countries and it's far more complex than your apparent claim of Iran supplying the arms, there are certainly Iranian made arms, as well as arms from US to China.
None of that rises to a need to attack Iran for Israel. Iran is not threatening Israel, nor is Iran threatening the United States.
Ehud Barak, Israel's defense minister and a man I hold no love for because he is a war criminal, just said a couple of days ago that he doesn't think Iran would nuke Israel and "drop a bomb in the neighborhood" because they just are not that crazy and they are well aware of the consequences.
Barak is no doubt also aware of Anthony Cordesman's work on the issue and he most certainly has been briefed in person by the parade of US officials, military and otherwise, who have traipsed through his office over the last few months telling him that attacking Iran was a Very Bad Idea(tm) for Israel, especially because even if Iran had a bomb, it is unlikely they would use it.
If they wanted to destroy Israel they have that capability right now. I'm sure that you are aware that Iran has had the capability to paralyze Israel for years now.
And I am also sure that you realize that Iran has legitimate security and defense concerns. After all, Israel threatens Iran on an almost daily basis with direct threats.
They have every right to be concerned, after all, Israel, thanks to the United States and its carte blanche support, is the third or fourth largest military state.
Jeremiah| 3.30.10 @ 4:47PM
Why do you care so much and what is your agenda, troll?
Can't you see we've already blown you and your phony concern troll crap off? Not so smart, after all, gasbag.
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 5:08PM
Tbone,
You are confused. TARP is former President's George W. Bush's baby. You do remember that the economy was collapsing long before President Obama came to office?
President Obama did in fifteen months what former President Bill Clinton could not do in two terms, while managing the economic crisis, he passed a very much needed health care reform bill that perhaps does not go far enough but it is a monumental achievement that will lower the deficit by about $1.5 trillion over the next twenty-years.
And no "innocent children" are being killed with government (taxpayer) money. The Democrat position on abortion is clear the choice should be between a woman, her faith and her doctor and the practice should be rare, safe and legal. Other than that, it's simply none of your business.
Only those wishing to force their beliefs on others (and thereby endangering their beliefs in the future) would suggest otherwise.
And no one is "turning our back on Israel" - quite the contrary actually. Israel's actions in the occupied territories and in bordering countries have long inflamed the Arab world.
It has long since risen to the level where it is increasing the level of terrorism world wide, it endangers US troops and interests on the ground in two Middle Eastern wars, and it endangers American national security interests at home and abroad.
When you write of innocent children, please bear in mind the innocent children killed by Israel in the War on Gaza when they used US supplied White Phosphorous and DIME weapons in populated areas.
They did this to such an extent that the United Nations has already been fully compensated for the attacks on its installations, also with White Phosphorous supplied by us.
That's one of the reasons that both the US and Britain are currently evaluating continuing shipments of weapons to Israel.
And Israeli-Arab peace agreement is a necessity to be able to foster enough trust and good will with the Arab world to be able to present a united front towards Iran.
A fair and just settlement will indeed lead to a draining of terrorist swamps using the conflict as a recruiting tool for bombers and martyrs, and it will make Iran take notice that the US can act and be fair in the region.
Israel must be reigned in for its own good.
American| 3.30.10 @ 6:39PM
You act so superior but are really a scum bucket, man.
Liam| 3.31.10 @ 4:20AM
Yeah, TARP did happen under GW Bush-- those loans have almost all been repaid, and Obama is using some of that money as a slush fund for his corrupt cronies.
Obama has QUADRUPLED our debt in only 15 months. He is a disaster.
Liam| 3.31.10 @ 4:31AM
Stop lying, Hess. ObamaCare is a disaster and must be defunded or it will surely bankrupt our nation. We will take back congress so we can destroy this unconstitutional piece of garbage.
We'll see you, November 2, 2010--save the date--we have!
George F| 3.31.10 @ 3:13PM
"You are confused. TARP is former President's George W. Bush's baby."
You forgot to note that TARP was passed by the Democrat controlled congress. And Israel does not threaten Iran frequently. Nor do you mention that the Palestinians have broken every single peace treaty they have ever signed.
Tim*| 3.30.10 @ 5:40PM
Don't patronize me,you Faux-Intellect Buffoon.
March 21st,2010 :
" Taliban leaders interviewed by The Sunday Times last week provided the first direct evidence of how Iran is training insurgents on its own soil.
According to one Taliban source, emissaries travelled to Iran early last year to discuss a training program with Iranian officials. The training began during the winter. "
American| 3.30.10 @ 6:36PM
I'm lovin' this Tim guy.
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 6:17PM
Tim,
Yet again you cherry pick and leave out important facts. In that article General McCrystal said there was no way of knowing whether this "training" was official or was it some local commander? And in that vein, you also left out where it says the bulk of training that the Taliban receives is in Pakistan, an American ally.
In fact, it's really pointless for you to try and infer that it is Iran that is the cause of the war in Afghanistan because that is simply not the case and there is no evidence for it.
In fact, in yet another thrust from the article that you leave out here is that because of the crackdown on Taliban activity by Pakistan, it was the Taliban themselves who sought out Iran, not the other way around; they simply are not traditionally friends, quite the opposite indeed.
The US will prevent Israel from attacking Iran, not only for US national security interests but to save Israel from certain calamity.
NO TROLLS!| 3.31.10 @ 4:24AM
Blah, blah, blah---DNC Talking Points---Blah, blah, blah.
Axelrod Astroturf Troll extraordinaire.
Tim| 3.30.10 @ 7:25PM
Who You Bullcrappin' Bullcrapper !
The Taliban train in Iran ,with the permission and aid of Iranian officials . While The Pak Military has engaged The Taliban Pashtun Sunnis inside Pakistan's Sovereign borders ,The Iranian Shiite Military has not and The Taliban have been allowed to be trained and armed inside their sovereign borders.
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 8:20PM
The Taliban has trained in and received direct support from elements in Pakistan and in Iran.
There is no evidence to prove a direct official involvement by Iran, General McCrystal clearly states this.
So why are you arguing a moot point? I don't recall ever writing that Iran's conduct is angelic, just that there will be no attack on Iran because the world cannot afford WWIII over Israel's refusal to make peace and the United States' support of the ongoing illegal occupations.
dt804a| 3.30.10 @ 7:41PM
A view from Canada. Here is the letter I sent today to our PM:
Ottawa, 2010_03_30
Dear Prime Minister Harper,
I am writing to urge you to stand up to USA pressure and remove our troops from Afghanistan as scheduled, and as you promised Parliament.
I support the war against Jihadists everywhere, and I have supported our participation, costly as it is to our nation in blood. But we've done our share and it's time to quit.
Under its current management, the USA has proved that it grovels before dictators and bashes friends. Honduras, the Czech Republic, Poland the UK (re the Falklands) and, above all, Israel, have all been victims of the new "bash your allies" US policy. Why then should we continue supporting the USA in Afghanistan? By leaving, we will probably offer the current US administration a sobering lesson.
Please keep your promise and withdraw our troops from Afghanistan on schedule.
Sincerely,
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 8:58PM
dt804a,
Canada's troops have participated with valor and served with distinction in Afghanistan, there were and are on a schedule of withdrawal from Afghanistan in July 2011.
There are forty-three coalition members in Afghanistan trying to stabilize the country there. If Canada wants to pull out in 2011, that's fine.
But it won't be because of President Obama and the callous and vile claims you have made about him.
Way back in 2008 Canada decided its troops would be pulled out in July 2011. Of course Prime Minister Harper knows this since he was there, so your letter of abuse about President Obama really says more about you than anything having to do with the current American President.
What's a "jihadist"? I assume it's some sort of bastardization of jihad? Have you ever learned what the word means or where it really came from?
American| 3.30.10 @ 9:14PM
oooh this guy worships the ground Obama walks on.
And listen to him ask about the term jihadist, like he's offended or something.
This creep is scary stuff!
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 10:50PM
American,
I pointed out that "dt804a", supposedly a Canadian, said some very vile stuff about the current US President. I would have thought that was obvious.
May I ask why you feel that it is patriotic to make things up and make vile assertions about the US President?
And why don't you take a stab at defining the term jihad? Can you describe what it really means and where it comes from?
What scares me are anonymous wingnuts who level personal attacks and pose as Americans. If you are an American, I am saddened that you think lashing out at the President and hating things you cannot even define does anything to further peace in the region and the wider world.
That is truly scary stuff.
Nobama| 3.31.10 @ 4:15AM
What scares me is unhinged leftist clowns who pretend to argue in good faith but are really Axelrod astroturf trolls.
Get a real job, Bozo.
Tim| 3.30.10 @ 7:41PM
An award-winning Iranian nuclear scientist, who disappeared last year under mysterious circumstances, has defected to the CIA and been resettled in the United States, according to people briefed on the operation by intelligence officials.
Shahram Amiri, a nuclear physicist in his early 30s, went missing last June three days after arriving in Saudi Arabia on a pilgrimage, according to the Iranian government.
The officials were said to have termed the defection of the scientist, Shahram Amiri, "an intelligence coup" in the continuing CIA operation to spy on and undermine Iran's nuclear program.
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 8:30PM
Tim,
Instead of uselessly cutting and pasting un-sourced and out of context from articles that do not really support any argument you have tried to make, how about something really easy?
Please explain how you would solve the Israeli-Arab conflict?
I support the Road Map, and in it the Arab Peace Initiative, United Nations resolutions, and the rule of law.
In other words, I am in near full support of President Obama, Ban Ki-Moon, the EU, Britain, pretty much the entire international community; two states, the end of the occupations, East Jerusalem, and a limited right to return with a recognition of the Nakba.
I support American troops, and I do not appreciate Israeli policy putting their lives in danger.
Let's hear your solution to the conflict.
Forget about attacking Iran. Stick to the real issue.
American| 3.30.10 @ 9:16PM
Who the hell are you to demand Tim or anybody to "stick to the real issue?"
Anti-American creep.
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 9:39PM
"American"
I am an American taxpayer, and an American Indian posting from Charlotte, NC with my real name, and you?
I care not only about my country, the United States, but I would also like to see Israel survive in peace and security thereby reaping the dividend of a safer and saner Middle East.
That will happen when the United States stops letting the New Jersey sized country of Israel, with it's eight million or so Israelis dictate American foreign policy.
It will happen when Israel is left with no choice but to follow UN resolutions and retreat to back within its internationally recognized borders or face international action just like the other Middle East countries (and like Milosevic for that matter) are expected to do.
Israel is using the specter of an imaginary attack by Iran to deflect attention from illegal and continually expanding colonies.
The Internet made it impossible for Israel to continue to claim that Hamas and Hezbollah was an existential threat, so Iran was next having Ahmadinejad having made it convenient after a mistranslation in 2005 pushing all of Israel's buttons and Israel childishly reacting.
Coincidentally, this was all happening about the time of Israel's unilateral pullout from Gaza that was calculated to divide the Palestinians, not promote a peaceful solution.
The Obama administration has rightly recognized that the Palestinians cannot negotiate the division of a pizza while the Israelis are gobbling it up.
Just like the former administration did, even though they were considered Israel's "best friend". See the Road Map. Phase One.
Nobama| 3.31.10 @ 4:33AM
An American Indian? How convenient, moron.
Tim| 3.30.10 @ 9:17PM
You're an Obamatron Apologist First !
You haven't refuted the fact that Iran is aiding Taliban trying to kill our brother American troopers .
Secondly , you have the chutzpah to bloviate that ," President Obama is perhaps one of the smartest US Presidents in modern times " ,while Obama has strikingly failed regarding U-3 & U-6.
Thirdly ,U.S. National Interests trump The National Interests of Iran, Iraq, Israel or the Palestinians .
America First trumps Obama Firsters like yourself.
Michael Hess| 3.30.10 @ 10:15PM
Tim,
You are still arguing a moot point. How does this serve your argument?
You are still railing against President Obama, but you have not offered the slightest bit of evidence that there is anything wrong with his policies.
And finally, if you don't get the fact that I am quoting from American foreign policy, then I doubt very much if any facts will be able to penetrate your ideology.
Bill Clinton tried, George W. Bush tried, and now President Obama is trying, from the outset of his taking office, to get a fair and just peace agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
This serves American interests, Israeli interests, and the Palestinian's interests. And it is a matter of American National Security.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a core US national security interest. It's been all the news lately, you must have missed it.
Liam| 3.31.10 @ 4:17AM
Obama serves his own interest--he doesn't give a damn about our country.
Marc Jeric| 3.31.10 @ 3:06AM
Why all this speculating about what Abu Hussein from Kenya wants to do with Israel? Our marxist president wants to do away with Israel.
Yosemeti Sam| 3.31.10 @ 4:13AM
" ... It was at this point that Obama decided to disengage and left Netanyahu cooling his heels in the White House...."
Actually, it was when Bibi asked Bozo of the
whereabouts of that Mao Zedong White House
Christmas tree ornament - that Bozo went nuclear.
Tim| 3.31.10 @ 7:09AM
You have demonstrated to all the readers that you are one more dancing , mincing , blathering Obamatron Apologist.
I know U.S. Foreign Policy and I also know that any Buffoon like you , can parrot Foreign Policy Magazine and pretend it's your own thinking .
I also know it's in U.S. National Interests to protect the lives of Our American Troopers in the field.
And I know that Iranian officials are allowing the arming and training of Taliban inside Iran ,to cross over and kill Our American Troopers In Afghanistan .
Aaaaand Moron,you missed the fact that I never was discussing a Two State Palestinian Solution . I was discussing Iran and Our Military and U.S. National Interests in Afghanistan and your False Intellectual Act and Your Drivel that , quote : " President Obama is perhaps one of the smartest US Presidents in modern times ".
Now,tell us about the Smartest Obama's Failure regarding The U-3 & U-6 Mr.Mensa !
Michael Hess| 3.31.10 @ 7:23AM
Tim,
I'll always remember you as the prime example of the best that you can get in discourse at the American Spectator.
The searing hatred and disrespect that you have for President Obama will always be etched upon my mind.
Tata.
Tim| 3.31.10 @ 8:44AM
Aaaand !
A.S .Readers will always remember you as an Obamatron Apologist with a false intellect parroting Foreign Policy Magazine .
Etch this on your mind , Obama Troll !
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Escalating !
Tax Day Tea Party Rallies April 15th !
Aaaaand ! We'll Remember In November !
Margie| 3.31.10 @ 1:03PM
Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!
RBI| 4.1.10 @ 3:06AM
F
RBI| 4.1.10 @ 4:04AM
Oops. History lesson folks. There is no such thing as a Palestinian people. They are simply Arabs who all became Palestinians on June 4th 1967, by a kind of supernatural phenomenon that is unique in the whole history of mankind.There is no Palestinian culture, or a Palestinian language, or a Palestinian culture. They are Arab people with an Arab culture, an Arab language and an Arab history. They have their own Arab states from where they came into the land of Israel about one century ago. That is the historical truth.
After the Six-Day War when Israel kicked the Arabs asses and took legitimate possession of Judea and Samaria, the Arab dwellers in those regions underwent a kind of anthropological miracle and discovered that they were Palestinians- something they did not know the day before. They will never have their own state. They are nothing but a rag-tag bunch of terrorist thugs.
Bibi put Hussain in his place on the porch where he belongs. This man-child dork is nothing but a serial liar and a first class charlatan. He has been in office a little over a year and is already a big black stain on this country. George Bush was the the best friend Israel had and Hussain is their worst enemy. He is an anti-Semite Muslim just like peanut-ass Carter was an anti-semite Baptist incompetent loser. God bless the Mossad and God bless our great friend Israel. Vote the Dems out in Nov. and we can neutralize Hussain and his Socialist agenda when Americans will take back our great exceptional country from this ignorant fool masquerading as an American president.
RBI| 4.1.10 @ 4:39AM
If Hussain Obama is so smart, why can't he pronounce Corpsman? Why does he think there are 57 states and why does he need a podium and six tele-prompters to speak to a third grade class? Why won't he release his grades from college? Because he had a c- average maybe? Why didn't he ever figure out how to say yea or nea in the state senate instead of present 97% of the time. Why would anyone pick Joe Biden as a Veep? He makes Dan Q. look like an intellectual giant. Like the old Russian proverb, Obama is about as smart as a monkey playing with hand grenades
iPad to iTunes Transfer | 11.21.10 @ 12:20AM
iPad to iTunes Transfer ia an all-in-one ipad transfer tool. United four tools into one, this iPad to iTunes Transfer can be considerred as the best assistant when dealing with iPad stuffs. As an iPad uer, you can use iPad to iTunes Transfer as a iPad to Computer Transfer, Computer to iPad Transfer, iPad Converter, DVD to iPad Transfer, even it can be used as a hard drive to manage iPad files in good order.