And who is going to personally sit in on these talks and guide them so that a second Palestinian state can finally be establish--while guaranteeing Israeli security?
President Obama.
The obvious question is: why Obama?
Is it because of the great repore Obama has with Israel?
Jerusalem Post: 4% of Israeli Jews: Obama pro-Israel
Nope, that can't be it.
...
Well, maybe it's because the US is, after all, a superpower that can defend its allies?
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (2/3):
Pentagon officials have leaked word that the Office of Management and Budget has ordered a 10 percent cut in defense spending for the coming fiscal year, giving Defense Secretary Robert Gates a substantially smaller budget than he requested.Obama (4/5):
To reduce our warheads and stockpiles, we will negotiate a new strategic arms reduction treaty with Russia this year. President Medvedev and I began this process in London, and will seek a new agreement by the end of this year that is legally binding, and sufficiently bold. This will set the stage for further cuts, and we will seek to include all nuclear weapons states in this endeavor.DefenseNews (8/16):
The White House has sent a formal request to Congress for permission to shift roughly $1 billion of next year's proposed Pentagon budget to pay for a previously announced temporary boost in Army end strength, aimed at reducing strain on the heavily deployed force.
No, that's not it either.
...
Well, could it be because of Obama's military experience that would automatically gain Israel's trust?
- Washington Post: U.S. Deaths Hit A Record High In Afghanistan
- New York Times: Could Afghanistan Become Obama’s Vietnam?
- Wall Street Journal: Could Obama Lose Afghanistan?
- Fox News: Obama: 'Victory' Not Necessarily Goal in Afghanistan
...
How about Obama's inspired handling of the Israel-Palestinian conflict so far?
Wrong again.The whole delay in the peace process is a self-inflicted wound on the Obama administration. Let's remember that for over a year, the previous prime minister of Israel, Ehud Olmert, had been negotiating with the head of the Palestinians and made an astonishingly generous offer in December of '08, which the Palestinians refused, as they always refuse.
So Obama comes in and instead of picking up and trying to get the Palestinians to moderate, what does he do? He attacks Netanyahu. He tries to make an issue of settlements, which had been in consensus. The U.S. and Israelis had agreed: No new settlements, no new expansion of territory in settlements and dismantling of existing settlements.
And the Palestinians had accepted that, had never refused negotiations for anything else. But then Obama adds a condition of no thickening of settlement, i.e., you don't construct a kindergarten if children are born, which the Israelis have rejected.
And all of a sudden the Palestinians and Arabs have said no negotiations until Israel jumps through this higher hoop.
Well, by golly, why is Obama personally heading this conference?
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Wednesday shows that 28% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty percent (40%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -12 (see trends).
Yeah, that's it!
Crossposted on Soccer Dad
Technorati Tag: Israel and Obama
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