Filed under: Democrat Corruption, Foreign Policy, Islam, Israel, Terrorism | Tags: Ignoring Congress, Separation of Powers, The Imperial Presidency
The White House seems to have an odd relationship with the separation of powers. The 2010 mid-term election when Republicans took over control of the House of Representatives was a sharp rebuke to the administration and congressional Democrats. Rather than understand that as a call for more cooperation and bipartisanship, Obama saw it as a sign that he should just go around Congress, accomplishing his goals by executive orders and agency regulation.
The Friday night news dump showed that Obama had exceeded his own guidelines. He decided that he would ignore the restrictions of Congress’s Palestinian Accountability Act with a “waiver.” He made the decision to pour American taxpayer dollars —$192 million — into the coffers of the Palestinian Authority despite its being illegal. This was first printed in the foreign press (AFP), where many of the more interesting things about this administration first appear.
Congress mandated that no funds may be made available to the Palestinian Authority until it ends its terrorist activities and an independent audit is conducted of its finances. White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said it would ensure “the continued viability of the moderate PA government.” This is the same moderate government which has tried to form a pact with Hamas. He added that “the PA had fulfilled all its major obligations, such as recognizing Israel’s right to exist, renouncing violence and accepting the Road Map for Peace.”
In the real world, the PA is not only not moderate, but has reneged on all its commitments. The whole thing is a blatant lie.
Obama’s thinks of himself as an imperial president, above mere laws. His rant against the Supreme Court in the wake of the ObamaCare hearing was a disgrace. The Supreme Court is a fully equal branch of the government to the executive branch, and they decide what is Constitutional — not the president, who was a part-time lecturer on the 15th Amendment at the University of Chicago —not a professor of Constitutional Law.
Obama instructed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to inform Congress of the move, on the grounds that “waiving such prohibition is important to the national security interests of the United States.” Embarrassing.
Former federal prosecutor Andy McCarthy suggests that Congress should slash the executive branch’s budget— perhaps with a treble damages rule. Will they do it? remains to be seen, but unless they respond definitively, the imperial presidency will continue. Obama doesn’t think anyone will dare to do so.
Filed under: Foreign Policy, Israel, Middle East, National Security, Politics, Terrorism, The United States | Tags: Fair Weather Friends, Israel and America, Strange Politics
The Israelis produced this film exposing their understanding of the relationship between the Obama administration and the state of Israel, over the past three years. They call it “Daylight.”
I would describe the video as straightforward and fair. I believe our relationship with Israel is important and the administration’s treatment of this great friend has been deplorable. Constant demands that Israel give up more land, more lives so that the Palestinians will want to make peace is a pipedream. The Palestinians have no interest in peace. They want to eliminate Israel. That’s what they teach their little kids in school— grow up to be a shahid. They don’t even show the state of Israel on their maps.
Once again, Obama’s public words have no relationship to his actions. If you care to read his speech at the AIPAC Conference yesterday, it is here.
ADDENDUM: An article from the Times of Israel expresses Netanyahu’s dilemma: Does he dare rely on Obama? It’s an interesting piece and shows just how far the administration’s intemperate words and acts have decayed the relationship.
Filed under: Islam, Israel, National Security, Politics, United Kingdom | Tags: British Conservative, Debate at the Cambridge Union, Douglas Kear Murray
Here is Douglas Murray at the Cambridge Union last year, debating three members of the British establishment. Murray is a British Conservative, writer and commentator. He appears regularly in the British broadcast media commenting on issues from the conservative standpoint, and is frequently critical of Islamic fundamentalism. Only 33, he is author of a number of books, and skilled at debate. An interesting young man.
Filed under: Foreign Policy, Israel, Middle East, National Security, The United States | Tags: Strategy and Intent, The Middle East, U.S.-Israel Military Exercise
Every time I think I’m getting a grip on what is going on in the Middle East, I find that is not the case. Reader Spartan noted that Debka File had said there were U.S troops in Israel in readiness for a military engagement with Iran, categorized as the biggest joint US-Israel war game ever held. I demurred as I have read that Debka File is not a reliable source. So, Spartan, mea culpa.
Iran had some more excitement in which a drive-by motorcyclist slapped a ‘sticky bomb’ on the car carrying one of Iran’s nuclear scientists. Motorcyclist escaped, car blew up, one less Iranian nuclear scientist, and Hillary Chamberlain Clinton rushed for the closest microphone to insist we had nothing whatsoever to do with THAT. Americans just don’t do that sort of thing.
Iran’s foreign ministry boldly proclaimed that it has:
reliable documents and evidence that this terrorist act was planned, guided and supported by the CIA. The documents clearly show that this terrorist act was carried out with the direct involvement of CIA-linked agents.
Other complications: Obama had finally grasped that Nigeria’s labor strike against oil producers, the war against the Canadian pipeline and topping that off with an embargo on Iranian oil, would probably boost the price of gas over $5 a gallon and boost reelection chances to zero. So last Thursday the U.S. postponed any oil embargo for 6 months or so, though European governments were not quite so craven. They are expected to agree to a ban on imports of Iranian oil on Jan. 23.
A joint U.S.– Israel military exercise that is to be the biggest ever between the two countries has been postponed, Israel Radio reported. Israeli Defense Ministry spokesman Josh Hantman said in a phone interview that the exercise was still under discussion and declined to give further details.
The exercise was moved to the second half of 2012 for “a variety of factors” to promote “optimum participation by all units,” said Captain John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman. “We remain dedicated to his exercise and naturally want it to be as robust and as productive as it can be,” he said in an email.
U.S. sanctions imposed last year were to cut off oil dealings with Iran’s banking system, making it difficult for consumers to buy the country’s oil. Iran responded by threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz, the route for about a fifth of globally traded oil, if sanctions are imposed.
Israeli Vice Premier Moshe Yaalon told Israel Radio that while Congress had shown itself determined to place tougher sanctions on Iran’s nuclear program, the Obama administration “appears more hesitant out of fear that oil prices might rise.”
Russia is parking its warships in Syrian harbors, while they pursue bilateral trade, supply ammunition to the locals, and replacing the dollar with the rial and ruble in trade.
I guess if we can just be persuaded to wait until after the election, then Obama will be firm and deal promptly with these nasty little foreign policy glitches. It’s not exactly “appeasement,” it’s just, um, that “we take no options off the table,” according to press secretary Jay Carney. “But we are engaged in the kinds of diplomatic efforts that you would expect in a situation like this.” Carney is getting good at empty words that convey nothing, nothing at all.
The U.S.will not enforce a no-fly zone over Syria. Israel says US-Israel exercise postponed for “Budget Reasons.”Army General Martin Dempsey is making his first visit to Israel as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but “he is not delivering any specific message to the Israelis.” A White House spokesman, Tommy Vietor, declined to elaborate on Obama’s January 12 call with Netanyahu.
So there you go. All perfectly clear. ––
Filed under: Freedom, History, Israel, Middle East, United Nations | Tags: History, The State of Israel, There Is No State of Palestine
Filed under: Foreign Policy, Freedom, Israel, National Security, The United States | Tags: American Foreign Policy, Michelle Bachmann, The State of Israel
Michelle Bachmann has been a long-time and consistent supporter of the State of Israel. It is refreshing to see an American politician, and presidential candidate, take a firm stand in supporting our allies. These Republican women are a force to be reckoned with. Brains, beauty, loyalty, common sense and clarity.
(h/t: Powerline)
Filed under: Freedom, Islam, Israel, Middle East | Tags: 27 Standing Ovtions for Bibi, American Foreigh Policy, Explaining Israel
Walter Russell Mead writing in the American Interest on May 25, said that President Obama has three times taken on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and three times he has failed miserably.
Where [Obama] has failed so dramatically is in the arena he himself has so frequently identified as vital: the search for peace between Palestinians and Israelis. His record of grotesque, humiliating and total diplomatic failure in his dealings with Prime Minister Netanyahu has few parallels in American history. Three times he has gone up against Netanyahu; three times he has ingloriously failed. This last defeat—Netanyahu’s deadly, devastating speech to Congress in which he eviscerated President Obama’s foreign policy to prolonged and repeated standing ovations by members of both parties—may have been the single most stunning and effective public rebuke to an American President a foreign leader has ever delivered.
Netanyahu beat Obama like a red-headed stepchild; he played him like a fiddle; he pounded him like a big brass drum. The Prime Minister of Israel danced rings around his arrogant, professorial opponent. It was like watching the Harlem Globetrotters go up against the junior squad from Miss Porter’s School; like watching Harvard play Texas A&M, like watching Bambi meet Godzilla—or Bill Clinton run against Bob Dole.
Mead, I should add, is a Democrat who voted for Obama. Obama’s policies have been rooted in the idea that the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is the primary reason for unrest and problems in the Middle East. He is wrong. President Obama has made no secret of his attitude towards Mr. Netanyahu and Israel, and many in the administration are known for their opposition to Israel. Scholar Stanley Kurtz has documented President Obama’s extensive Palestinian ties. The faculty lounge is not the place to develop foreign policy.
The “Arab spring” is unrelated to the Israel/Palestine conflict. Young educated middle class Arabs who communicate through Twitter and Facebook want democracy and liberty. Canadian journalist David Warren pointed out several years ago, that the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and the pictures of Iraqis, and Iraqi women, voting in free elections was like an earthquake in the Middle East. Iraq is a model, and Arabs want that freedom. But there is a long way between protests in the street and a new form of government. The Muslim Brotherhood is influential and organized.
What will come of the protests in the Middle East, no one knows. The administration has misunderstood the dynamics there, but Arab nations are a puzzle to Americans. We don’t understand dictators.
The protests in Tunisia began with a man who self-immolated after the government repeatedly refused to allow him to sell vegetables from his cart, his only way of making a living. The Middle East is a place of conspiracy, suspicion, authoritarianism, deceit and guile and absolute brutality.
The administration had Syria’s Assad pegged as a potential reformer, and sent Hillary Clinton, John Kerry and Nancy Pelosi off, separately, to visit. Who knew Assad would have his army shooting citizens in funeral procession as they carried the bodies of their executed friends to the cemetery. The malevolence of a despot who intends to remain in power is beyond our understanding.
The administration does not grasp the relationship between the people of United States and Israel. Walter Russell Mead captures that as well. The ideas of the faculty lounge don’t translate well into foreign policy. Mead said:
As the stunning and overwhelming response to Prime Minister Netanyahu in Congress showed, Israel matters in American politics like almost no other country on earth. Well beyond the American Jewish and the Protestant fundamentalist communities, the people and the story of Israel stir some of the deepest and most mysterious reaches of the American soul. The idea of Jewish and Israeli exceptionalism is profoundly tied to the idea of American exceptionalism. The belief that God favors and protects Israel is connected to the idea that God favors and protects America. …Being pro-Israel matters in American mass politics because the public mind believes at a deep level that to be pro-Israel is to be pro-America and pro-faith. Substantial numbers of voters believe that politicians who don’t ‘get’ Israel also don’t ‘get’ America and don’t ‘get’ God,
These juxtaposed images of a young Bibi Netanyahu and a young Barack Obama demonstrate the life experiences and outlook of the two men. Bibi Netanyahu did not, as some say,”lecture” to the American president. He explained, with deep passion, the position of Israel. Obama seemed not enlightened, but angry.
Filed under: Foreign Policy, Freedom, Israel, Middle East | Tags: Peace in the Middle East, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, The State of Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a magnificent speech before a truly supportive joint session of Congress this afternoon. It is an excellent speech, the text is here. One very memorable passage:
Of the 300 million Arabs in the Middle East and North Africa, only Israel’s Arab citizens enjoy real democratic rights. Now, I want you to stop for a second and think about that. Of those 300 million Arabs, less than one-half of one percent are truly free and they’re all citizens of Israel. This startling fact reveals a basic truth: Israel is not what is wrong with about the Middle East, Israel is what is right about the Middle East.
Filed under: Foreign Policy, Israel, Middle East, Politics, Terrorism | Tags: "Peace Process", Israel, Obama's Middle East Speech
President Obama’s much heralded speech on the Middle East exhibited nothing so much as his failure to grasp the nature of the office of the presidency. He has never understood that he represents, not his own prejudices and ideology, but the American people—all of them. His personal interests must be subsumed in what is best for the country, its national security and its national interests.
The president clearly is consumed by the idea that the World hated us because of George W. Bush and the Iraq War, and Obama wants to make them like us again. Democrats hated George W, Bush, and assume that everyone else must hate him too. Obama was sure that he could succeed in creating peace in the Middle East when he managed the “peace process.” Liking each other is not the point. Nations have their own interests, and try to find ways to cooperate while securing those interests. America doesn’t need to be liked, we need to be respected. Trying to be “liked” is an exercise in futility. Trying to be liked is childish.
The “peace process” is complicated by the fact that the Palestinians are “Refugees.” Being refugees means they are underdogs, and that seems to mean that any amount of rockets, killings, suicide bombers, attacks and lies before the United Nations must be accepted as the natural protests of underdogs. The Israelis, of course, are in the wrong because they insist on defending themselves. Besides, the Israelis are rich and don’t live in refugee camps. That they have become a successful society due to their own hard work is beside the point.
There has never, in the history of the world, been a nation called “Palestine.” When Israel became a nation, their Muslim neighbors were invited to become citizens of Israel. Many did, and they are free Israeli Muslims who vote and fully participate in Israeli society. When the Arab nations of the Middle East expelled their Jewish citizens, Israel took them in. The Arab nations didn’t want the Palestinians, and have helped to keep them in refugee camps and urged them to blame Israel for all their problems.
If Israel’s Arab neighbors wanted peace, there would be peace. They don’t. They want Israel eliminated. President Obama doesn’t seem to know this complicated history, and assumes that the “Peace Process” depends on how much Israel is willing to give up. Israel has the ability to destroy any and all of its large neighbors, and in spite of constant provocation, has never attempted to do anything except defend itself. Hamas has it in its charter to destroy Israel.
The Arab states were unimpressed with Obama’s nice words about self-determination. Uprisings against dictatorial governments have been going on since January, and the “Freedom Agenda” has largely been nowhere to be seen. Months later, after all the dithering, they are not particularly interested. There’s a big gap between protesting in the street and wanting a despot overthrown— and democracy and self-determination. These are people who have never in history had any experience of democracy.
Iraq had a lot of help in founding a government, holding free elections and writing a constitution. They have an unbelievable number of political parties, and General Petraeus laughingly said it wasn’t exactly democracy, but “Iraqracy”— their beginning efforts to do it their way. And that is good. The administration has sanctioned Syria, but still believes that Assad is a potential reformer in spite of all evidence to the contrary. The Arab Middle East erupted beginning in January. A statement that the United States supports self-determination in late May is more than a little late.
It is not up to the President of the United States to determine the borders of other nations. In the 62 years since Israel became a nation, the Palestinians have never offered a single concession in the interests of peace in the Middle East. They are not interested in peace, they are interested in the destruction of Israel and its people.
For the President of the United States to side with the Palestinians is shameful step, and breaks with the policy of every president since 1949, and disdains a long-standing friendship in return for — nothing, nothing at all. He has created a weak and unreliable United States that is earning the contempt of the world.
A video of Bibi Netanyahu’s meeting with Barack Obama is available here.
Filed under: Energy, Israel, Middle East, National Security | Tags: Developing Natural Resources, Middle East Conflict, New Israeli Discoveries
Back in 2002, I preserved a quotation that I liked from an article in the Wall Street Journal by Todd Bucholtz:
And then there is Israel today. It may be settled by God’s chosen people, but He chose not to give them a drop of oil, while gushers spout across Arabia. And its terrain doesn’t naturally grow enough green for a sprig of parsley on your dinner plate. Yet the land blooms. In the race for development would you rather bet on a country with tons of zinc or one with a couple of extra IQ points and a free flow of ideas?
Now, drilling has begun on the Leviathan, a record-setting exploratory well in a massive natural-gas field off the coast of Haifa. The area is thought to contain 16 trillion cubic feet of gas, and it might also contain oil. The Tamar natural-gas field struck last year is expected to produce enough gas to supply Israel for 20 years. Leviathan may be twice as big. This is a very big deal for Israel has long depended on natural gas imports from Egypt. If Leviathan produces as much as is hoped for, Israel might even become an exporting country.
The Lebanese government and Hezbollah are claiming that whatever is found off the Israeli coast actually belongs to them. Israel says the fields it is developing do not extend into Lebanese waters, which officials say seems to be correct, but the maritime boundary between the two countries has never been precisely set, and they are still officially at war.
The development does raise security issues. The offshore infrastructure could become a target. If Lebanon brings in their own deposits. There are signs of deposits although their size is not known. Warnings from Hezbollah may be more for domestic consumption. Israel and Lebanon have been among the few countries in the Middle East without substantial and lucrative natural resources. Israel has a powerful high-tech sector, and Lebanon has boomed with tourism and real estate, so the discoveries are not desperately necessary, but would be a nice boost.
A new preliminary geological survey suggests that there may be 26 million barrels of recoverable oil underneath two kibbutzim in the Western Negev, near Gaza. Additional studies are needed, but if it proves out it would strengthen Israel’s energy independence.
If the new sources of energy lead to greater prosperity, it may lead to less conflict; or then again, maybe not.
Filed under: Developing Nations, Foreign Policy, Freedom, Israel, National Security | Tags: Human Progress or Lack Thereof, The United Nations General Assembly
President Barack Obama addressed the United Nations General Assembly this morning, nearly two years, he reminded them, after his election as President of the United States.
Nine years ago the destruction of the World Trade Center signaled a threat to the world, and “two years ago a financial crisis on Wall Street devastated American families on Main Street.”
The global economy suffered an enormous blow during the financial crisis, crippling markets and deferring the dreams of millions on every continent. Underneath these challenges to our security and prosperity lie deeper fears; that ancient hatreds and religious divides are once again ascendant, that a world which has grown more interconnected has somehow slipped beyond our control.
It’s a really, really, big challenge that he has faced, and here is what he has done. He has rescued our economy from potential catastrophe, and joined with other nations to spur growth and restart job creation. He has reformed Wall Street and the system of global finance so this can never happen again. The global economy has been pulled back from the brink of disaster. We have resisted protectionism and are exploring ways to expand trade and commerce. Modestly, he has saved the world.
This is pleasant hooey. The financial crisis was not caused by Wall Street, it was caused by the U.S. government. He has not rescued the economy, and whether the reform of Wall Street accomplishes anything remains to be seen.
The causes of the financial crisis have not been addressed, and the Government Sponsored Enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have not been reformed and are free to do it all again. Congress has dreamed up a protectionist bill to punish the Chinese that is a very bad idea, and free trade agreements with Columbia, Panama and South Korea are still sitting in the President’s inbox.
That’s what goes on at the United Nations. Heads of State come to address the General Assembly, and each tells the assembled Ambassadors how much he is doing for world prosperity, human rights, ending war, encouraging tolerance, ending nuclear proliferation, feeding the hungry and so on and so on. And each nation continues to address their own self interest, and nothing changes.
The President’s agenda has not changed in the slightest in response to changes in the world; he’s still talking about talks with Iran, Peace between Israel and Palestine, and democracy in the world not because the United States dictates it, but because people demand a say in how they are governed. He apparently has no recognition that his actions often belie his pleasant assertions, nor that the real world is going in a different direction.
Everybody seems to recognize that the UN needs to be reformed, but there is no drive to reform anything, and everyone tells the members how really swell they are and how noble the intent of the United Nations. And they promise to come back next year for more of the same.
Filed under: Islam, Israel, Middle East, Terrorism | Tags: Arabs and Persians, Aspen Institute Ideas Festival, The Middle East
Unless you are one of the elite who goes to the Aspen Institute’s Ideas Festival, you probably did not hear of the ambassador of United Arab Emirates words in a discussion on the Middle East. The ambassador was asked whether the UAE would support a possible Israeli air strike against the Islamist regime in Tehran. Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba said: “A military attack on Iran by whomever would be a disaster, but Iran with a nuclear weapon would be a bigger disaster.”
These were unusually candid words. Iran is just across the Strait of Hormuz from the UAE and trade between the two nations is an ordinary everyday occurrence. Business relationships between the people on each shore have been ongoing for centuries. But Both Israel and the Arab states around the Persian Gulf recognize a common threat in the regime in Tehran.
The diplomat added, it would lead to a backlash. “There will be problems of people protesting and rioting and very unhappy that there is an outside force attacking a Muslim country.” He said, “Am I willing to live with that versus living with a nuclear Iran, my answer is still the same. We cannot live with a nuclear Iran. I am willing to absorb what takes place at the expense of the security of the U.A.E.”
Otaiba was merely expressing in a public forum the standard position of many Arab countries, said Jeffrey Goldberg. who moderated the discussion. “The Jews and Arabs have been fighting for one hundred years,” added Goldberg. “The Arabs and the Persians have been going at [it] for a thousand.”
Next to Jordan, the UAE is the only Arab country with soldiers deployed in Afghanistan — fighting on the side of the United States. Abu Dhabi, the richest of the seven emirates, has been pressuring Dubai to keep closer tabs on the influential Iranians living there. The Arab nations on the Gulf are pursuing realpolitik in their dealings with Iran. They come down on the side of the Americans, but they would prefer to pursue the route of negotiation and trade.
Isn’t this odd. What we hear about is the administration’s reluctance to use the word ‘Islam’ or “Islamist,” and reference to “man-caused disasters” instead of terrorist attacks. That may change now that President Obama has noted that al Qaeda is “racist.” Though it is not my impression that al Qaeda attacks people based on the color of their skins. They just kill people indiscriminately. Any people.
