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John Kerry, Secretary of Gaffes
April 25, 2013 | 9 comments
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Rand Paul and Marco Rubio at CPAC
March 14, 2013 | 0 comments
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SEQUESTER: The Dumbest Weight-Loss Plan Ever
March 1, 2013 | 0 comments
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Israel’s Hard-Right Turn That Wasn’t
January 22, 2013 | 1 comment
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Deep Space Nine, Twenty Years Later
January 3, 2013 | 23 comments
The Spectacle Blog
Veteran Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller writes:
Events in the past several days isn’t about pro- or anti-Israel, too much or too little pressure; it’s about whether the Obama administration is acting dumb or smart, and let’s just say events of the past several days suggest the president isn’t being real smart…
To pick a fight with the Israelis on the eve of the visit of an Israeli prime minister with whom you don’t have a relationship (but who you need if you want to get anywhere on the peace process) is dumb; to put out June 1967 lines without any backgrounding after the speech is dumb; to take a position in non-existent negotiations and identify your position as a would-be mediator is dumb; and to send a message to the Palestinians that “you really have me [scared] about your virtual statehood initiative so maybe I’ll identify my position on Jerusalem next” is dumb.
The smarter play would have been running silent and deep now, not loud and noisy. Don’t give a peace process speech now; keep your powder dry and options open…
Right now the president has gotten the worst of all worlds: He’s pissed off the Israelis, failed to satisfy and preempt Palestinians from their initiative and given the Republicans a ready-made issue to hammer him. And for what? Applause from the Europeans at the G-8? That’s not smart.
Miller is actually being too kind when he says “without any backgrounding after the speech” — in fact, Obama’s aids gave background to the New York Times that overspun his slight rhetorical shift regarding borders. Obama had to spend much of his speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee on Sunday clarifying, as he testily put it, “what I actually said on Thursday, not what I was reported to have said.” The Israelis happily accepted the clarification; the misguided attempt to appease the Palestinians utterly failed.
Netanyahu speech to Congress was a triumph, and the reception demonstrated the broad support Israel enjoys in the US. Obama may not realize it, but the public affirmation of the alliance between the US and Israel — still a key factor in securing US interests — actually did him a huge favor. But the whole kerfuffle was a major distraction from what should be the focus of US policy in the region: guiding the political convulsions in the Arab world in a positive direction. There’s much work to be done on that front. It’s long past time the Obama Administration got its priorities straight.
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More Blog Posts by John Tabin
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/05/24/obamas-blunder-netanyahus-triu
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Clint| 5.24.11 @ 2:06PM
"AIPAC appreciates President Obama’s speech today at our annual policy conference in which he reaffirmed the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship and the shared values that define both nations. In particular, we appreciate his statement that the U.S. does not expect Israel to withdraw to the boundaries that existed between Israel and Jordan in 1967 before the Six Day War. We also commend President Obama for his explicit condemnation of Hamas as a terrorist organization and his recognition that Israel cannot be expected to negotiate with a group that denies its fundamental right to exist. We also welcome the president’s reaffirmation of his long-standing commitment to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons."
Uh Oh !
As noted before, these AIPAC Guys are Fixin' To Vote for The Akinskyite Socialist Obama again.
David T| 5.24.11 @ 2:29PM
AIPAC was playing good cop to Bibi's bad cop.
Pete| 5.24.11 @ 2:58PM
"We also welcome the president’s reaffirmation of his long-standing commitment to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons." - What's the term? Selective Hearing?
Occam's Tool| 5.24.11 @ 5:17PM
No, they aren't.
F.S. ASARO| 5.24.11 @ 2:13PM
Hurrah for Netanyahu and Israel...the speech was outstanding and comprehensive. He hit all the right points. ( Thank God he had the chutzpah to set Obama straight in the Oval Office! )
NoBama| 5.24.11 @ 2:18PM
Obama's arrogance is only outmatched by his incompetence. Netanyahu made him look like the loutish lightweight he is.
Michael L. Hauschild| 5.24.11 @ 2:38PM
Blunder?
"As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a warm welcome from a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, freshman Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) skipped out on the speech, staging what appeared to be a silent protest of America’s foreign aid to Israel."
simon templar| 5.24.11 @ 3:07PM
Then it is his loss. If he starts this skipping on every aid both domestic and foreign and on all the trillions siphoned off by this administration to its cronie capitalist supporters, he will never spend another day in the congress. There is a time and place for everything, this was not one for that.
Clint| 5.24.11 @ 5:04PM
Duuuuuhhhh !
Do Your Homework.
" Senator Rand Paul is protesting Sen. Harry Reid, not Bibi. "The reason Senator Paul stayed on the ( Senate Chamber) floor is because the clock is ticking on the PATRIOT Act, and Harry Reid wanted to waste three hours of debate," one of his staffers told me. (It's also worth noting that Paul attended last night's AIPAC dinner, and that he wasn't the only GOP senator who didn't attend today's event with Netanyahu.) "
Now, Apologize IsraelFirster.
Occam's Tool| 5.24.11 @ 5:18PM
Rand appears to be better than his dad. But I don't apologize to Nazi scum. (You)
Clint| 5.24.11 @ 5:26PM
Uh Oh !
Fanatic Israel Firster Neo-Chickenhawk Coward Smear Merchant Tool Job Attempts To Play The Nazi Card Again.
Scum Bag Sucker.
Occam's Tool| 5.24.11 @ 6:05PM
And how is that wrong, Judenhass boy?
Clint| 5.24.11 @ 7:37PM
If You thinks it's Not Wrong To Be A Fanatic Israel Firster Neo-Chickenhawk Coward Smear Merchant, Who Attempts To Play The Nazi Card Again, Then You've Become An Argument Against Yourself Again, Israel Firster Neo-Chickenhawk Coward Smear Merchant Tool Job.
See My Thumb, Gee, You're Dumb.
Occam's Tool| 5.24.11 @ 6:11PM
No, Clint, you are the licker of terrorist boots and the supporter of those who would behead little girls. You have no morals, no guts, nothing. You are a crawling, mewling syndrome.
Clint| 5.24.11 @ 7:52PM
Noooo, Netanyahu Ball Sucker Tool Job, You're A Slandering Liar Israel Firster Fanatic Smear Merchant.
I'm Just Helping You To Expose Yourself To American Spectator Readers.
Aaaand Yoooouuuu Are A Lyrical Spherical Denizen Of The Deep, Who Haw Stalls Around The Corner Of The Quay, By The Levy.
martin j smith| 5.24.11 @ 3:48PM
Please grow up. Aipac must be "correct" in their communications having to do with ANY PRESIDENT and especially with this jerk in the wh.
Its as simple as that-its called manners
Clint| 5.24.11 @ 5:06PM
So, Netanyahu's Got Balls & AIPAC's Got PC & No Balls.
Occam's Tool| 5.24.11 @ 5:19PM
No, AIPAC lobbies. It has a long range plan, like the NRA. Clint, do you have any active gray matter between your malformed ears?
Clint| 5.24.11 @ 5:27PM
Apparently, These AIPAC Bootlickers Will Vote For Obama In 2012 Again.
Occam's Tool| 5.24.11 @ 6:06PM
Not this one. And I didn't before.
Clint| 5.24.11 @ 7:59PM
Not That Bootlicker,Tool Job.
He Boot Liocked The Serial Traitor To Conservatism, John McCain, of McCain-Feingold, McCain-Lieberman, McCain-Kennedy, Gang of 14, Opposing Bush Tax Cuts of 2001 & 2003, Aaaaand TARP.
Occam's Tool| 5.24.11 @ 5:24PM
Yes, Bibi has balls. He's an awesome leader of the Free World. You, of course, are his opponent, Clint.
Bibi was 17 when the Liberty was bombed.
Clint| 5.24.11 @ 5:38PM
You Oughta Know Fanatic Israel Firster Ne0-Chickenhawk Coward Tool Job.
You Got Bibi's Balls In Your Mouth, Sweetie Pie.
The U.S. Naval Ship, The Liberty was deliberately attacked by several IAF aircraft, initially by two Mirage IIIs, employing cannon, rockets and bombs, followed by two Dassault Mysteres carrying napalm and Israeli torpedo boats.
The combined air and sea attack killed 34 crew members (naval officers, seamen, two Marines, and one civilian), & wounded 170 crew members.
Occam's Tool| 5.24.11 @ 6:06PM
Nazi scum. Undeniable, Clint. Your father was also an asshole---he had you.
Clint| 5.24.11 @ 8:06PM
You Israel Firster Neo-Chickenhawk Coward Traitor Bastards, Tool Job Got A Bad Habit Of Mocking U.S. Military Officers, Such As My Highly Decorated Combat Officer Father.
I'm Just Helping You, Traitor Bastard Israel Firster Neo-ChickenHawk Coward, Tool Job & You're Girlfriend ObamaBoy Israel Firster Jonathan Alan Brooks Pollard To Expose Yourself To American Spectator Readers, For The Traitor Bastard Scum You Are.
Carry On Traitor Bastard Israel Firster Fanatic Scum Sucker, Tool Job.
Occam's Tool| 5.24.11 @ 6:09PM
You were the one who mentioned balls, terrorist catamite nazi loving piece of treasonous filth, Clint.
(You are right about one thing---feels good to tell you what a piece of Nazi filth you are. It's not a card, wiper of terrorist diarrhea.)
Clint| 5.24.11 @ 8:12PM
You Seem So Very Upset This Fine Evening Traitor Bastard Israel Firster Fanatic Neo-Chickenhawk Coward Netanyahu Ball Sucker, Tool Job.
Was It Something I Said ?
Thom| 5.24.11 @ 8:24PM
Clint,
Do you happen to know what the Israelis were doing when they attacked the Liberty? Do you happen to know what the Liberty was doing 25 miles off an Egyptian port in the middle of an ongoing war that threatened what the Israelis were doing that helped them overcome overwhelming odds on the ground? If you don’t you might want to ponder what they had to gain from picking a fight with the nation that ultimately would arm them to the teeth after this and it was our arms that predominated in the 1973 dust up. To say that they simply deliberately attacked the Liberty strongly suggest they were indifferent to the consequence of engaging the US at the same time they were already out number better than 10 to 1. I know it sounds good to simply assume things here but there is more to this story than you are clearly aware of but feel free to throw rational thought to the wind here and let your emotions do your thinking for you.
NoLib| 5.24.11 @ 9:40PM
Critical thinking isn't one of Clint's strong points, Thom; snarky posts and foul language, yes, critical thinking, no
Just in case you haven't noticed.
Clint| 5.25.11 @ 6:11AM
Get Bent Israel Firster Traitor Bastard.
Clint| 5.25.11 @ 6:10AM
Do Your Homework, Traitor Bastard Thom.
The U.S. naval vessel, The U.S.S. Liberty was in international waters north of the Sinai Peninsula, about 25.5 nmi (29.3 mi; 47.2 km) northwest from the Egyptian city of Arish.
We Want To See You Tell Your Traitor Bastard Crap To Our Surviving Seamen, You Puke.
We Will Have A Congressional Hearing On The Deliberate Israeli Attack On The U.S. Naval Vessel, The U.S. Liberty
NoLib| 5.25.11 @ 1:01PM
Thom's forgotten more than you'll ever know about anything, moron. Please go away; we're tired of your spittle soaked rants.
JmsA| 5.24.11 @ 5:13PM
It appears that AIPAC heard just what it wanted to hear; they can't wait to vote for the dilettante-in-chief. It's a good thing that most Israelis won't be so duped.
irish19| 5.24.11 @ 7:21PM
Unfortunately, Israelis don't vote in our elections.
Bert| 5.24.11 @ 8:02PM
The Soros Muslim puppet does have his priority in place and its destroying Israel and the evil Jews and the USA .
Barry has sneaked Soros Jew haters Samantha Powers and Cass Sunstein back into the WH to help destroy Israel and help out their buddies Hamas !
The US and Israel are the great barriers for Soros and his fellow radical leftists puppets like the Grifters who are tossing back $1700 bottles of wine in London while the USA economy slowly dies .
Yes , Soro's plan is on schedule if only Israel would give up and left Hamas destroy them too !
Richard Baker| 5.24.11 @ 9:12PM
When I heard the Kenyan's comments regarding the pre-1967 borders my first thought was "This guy is touted as highly intelligent?" As do most lefties, he doesn't live in a land of reality. However, Netanyahu and Israel do. What a comparison between the buffoon at 1600 Pennsylvania and the pride of Sayeret Matkal.
Ashamed to be a Gentile| 5.24.11 @ 11:01PM
Let's face it, Israel is the best country in the world. The best people, the best leader, the best food. As Americans we can only hope to accept the reflected radiance from the great nation of Israel, the chosen country of God. Anyone who argues otherwise is an antiSemitic Nazi parasite who is cursed by God. I hope we continue to receive the blessings that we have received while real Americans occupied the White House, when we were blessed by our association with Israel. Now that we have a Muslim leader, we are assuredly cursed as it is stated in the Bible.
NO RINO ROMNEY| 5.25.11 @ 12:42AM
Bibi bested the Mocha Messiah. Hurts don't it?
hahaha
Peppermint Tea| 5.25.11 @ 9:39AM
Hey you Palestinian sympathizers,
wars have consequences.
NoLib| 5.25.11 @ 1:05PM
Unfortunately for us, so do elections.