Obama Tells Jewish Donors: ‘No Ally More Important Than Israel’

[slipslidingaway]

Source: ABC

"MANHATTAN – During an exclusive campaign fundraiser on New York’s Upper East Side tonight, President Obama offered reassurances to some of his most loyal Jewish supporters about the administration’s commitment to Israel.

...“Whether it’s making sure that our intelligence cooperation is effective, to making sure that we’re able to construct something like an iron dome so that we don’t have missiles raining down on Tel Aviv, we have been consistent in insisting that we don’t compromise when it comes to Israel’s security.”

...American Jewish Congress chairman Jack Rosen, who hosted Obama fundraiser at his private home, acknowledged the concerns generally in his introduction of the president. But Rosen praised the president’s record.

“America’s never been as supportive to the state of Israel” than since Obama took office, he said..."





Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/obama-tells-jewish-donors-no-ally-more-important-than-israel/

[on point]

1. And THAT is the problem.

[Ian David]

36. *THE* Problem? Really? n/t

[JackRiddler]

95. on point said: "And THAT is the problem." Why do you misread that as " *THE* Problem " ?

One is about the issue at hand. It's a problem (to on point) that Obama follows the Israeli line on issues related to Israel.

The emphasis you impose implies on point is saying it's the primary problem of the world. (Next step: the slur.)

Funny thing is, Obama's rhetoric is easier to interpret as mono-obsessive. No more important ally? Really? Does this mean there's a list of countries, and Israel is No. 1, above Canada and everyone else? Israel can do no wrong?

[Prometheus Bound]

2. And this after Tony Blair sold his soul so Britain could be America's best friend.

[No Elephants]

21. ...

"In 1998, with First Lady Hillary Clinton, From began a dialogue with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other world leaders, and the DLC brand -- known as The Third Way -- became a model for resurgent progressive governments around the globe. In April 1999, he hosted an historic Third Way forum in Washington with President Clinton, Prime Minister Blair, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Prime Ministers Wim Kok of the Netherlands and Massimo D'Alema of Italy."

http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=1131&kaid=86&subid=191

Blair's tribute to Al From, founder of the DLC: http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=255026&kaid=85&subid=108

Google Tony Blair at www.dlc.org. It's enlightening. Not to my liking, but enlightening.

[JackRiddler]

96. Poodles are nice, but the Lord of the Manor loves his attack dog best.

[Hulk]

3. And this, my good friends, is why.....

....the Middle East, and Muslims in general, HATE America. Nuff said.

[Mosby]

29. liking israel and considering them a close ally is a provocation to arabs?

Is that your point?

:rofl:

[sendero]

72. Taking their side.

... whether they are right or wrong, yes. If you don' know this you must live under a rock and BTW, you laughing icon is laughing at you.

[Mosby]

78. were we taking the israeli's side when we sell the saudis advanced weapon systems?

Nope.

How about when we supported the arab spring in egypt? Nope.

How about when the israelis announced new settlement development did the us admin support that? Nope.

[JackRiddler]

97. "We"? Who is we? I supported the "Arab Spring" in Egypt, but the US government tried to kill it.

Where do you get the absurd idea that the US government supported the Egyptian uprising against Mubarak? Are you confused by the way they gave up their attempt to save Muabarak during the last couple of days, when his position was no longer sustainable?

Of course, the US is now supplying the military junta with the weapons used against the continuing uprising in Egypt.

The Saudi Arabia to which the US sells advanced weapons is leading the efforts to strangle the Arab uprisings and poses no threat to Israel, whatever the rhetoric. The Israelis don't think so, either, all they ever make threats about is Iran, Hisbollah and Hamas: all enemies to the Saudi monarchy.

And yes, the US de facto supports Israeli settlements. A statement of mild critique is irrelevant; billions of dollars in aid to Israel every year, without any threat to it, means support for Israel regardless of settlement activity. Furthermore, the US refuses the Palestinian condition that negotiations can only begin when Israel suspends its land grabs and settlement building on Palestinian land. So talk is cheap. The money and the de facto support for Israel's position count.

[sendero]

100. Did they do JACK SHIT about it.

... other than jawbone, the only thing Obama is good at? No.

Please, we need "friends" like Israel like we need a lobotomy which so many seem to have on the subject.

[totodeinhere]

47. If doing what is right causes some to hate us, then so be it. n/t

[Carolina]

83. Exactly, Hulk

Israel -- right or wrong -- gets political support, military support and OUR tax $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[AtheistCrusader]

4. What the fuck. POLAND has stood by us stronger than Israel.

What the hell is this crap.

[LanternWaste]

38. i think the term he used was

i think the term he used was not "stronger" (an arguable sentiment, though) but rather "more important", most likely implying a somewhat more geo-strategic relevance to regional security and interests in the here and now compared to the rather benign alliance that has little relevance outside of Poland itself. :shrug:

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Poll_Blind]

6. Why? Why is "no ally more important than Israel"?

:shrug:

PB

[IamK]

10. Jewish votes ... and Israel likes us

[slackmaster]

33. The technical term is "weasel words". It's what politicians do when they are pandering to a group.

It doesn't necessarily mean that Israel is more important than any other ally in any particular way.

[JackRiddler]

98. Sure. Either way, it's wrong.

[BiggJawn]

101. Because that's where Jeebus is going to return.

Our foreign policy in the Mid-East is governed by a book of "revelations" written by an alcoholic 7th-Century monk.

[Citizen Worker]

7. AIPAC runs US foreign policy. That should be clear to anyone.

[totodeinhere]

49. Better them than the people who would destroy Israel if they had the chance. n/t

[krabigirl]

81. ? Why should any country control our policy??

[Behind the Aegis]

8. Blah, blah, blah

[JackRiddler]

99. Blah, blah, blah.

[Behind the Aegis]

9. dupe

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Behind the Aegis]

12. It was a "dupe" of my own post. The system posted my remark twice.

Now I have told. Happy?

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Behind the Aegis]

14. That is because my original comment was to the OP...

...thus the duplicate also posted, usually they post as #, but this one didn't.

Seems you are trying to make something out of nothing, precious. I wonder why? Well, not really.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Behind the Aegis]

16. You are the one who seems paranoid.

Projectionism. How sad for you.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Behind the Aegis]

18. I am a Zionist. You know how powerful and evil we are.

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AtheistCrusader]

39. This is my favorite side-thread ever.

[oberliner]

42. Hard to follow it

Every other message is deleted.

[AtheistCrusader]

45. Exactly.

[ileus]

75. Deleted message.....LOL

[Turborama]

79. Impossible for me

This is what I see...

Ignored #9
Deleted message Name removed #11
Ignored #12
Deleted message Name removed #13
Ignored #14
Deleted message Name removed #15
Ignored #16
Deleted message Name removed #17
Ignored #18
Deleted message Name removed #19

:spray:

[ellisonz]

55. +1000

[saras]

20. This includes, unfortunately, the American people. We're WAY down the list.

[MarkCharles]

23. Great point! n/t

[No Elephants]

22. True or not, good for fundraising or not, this is not a diplomatic thing for any head of state

to say about any nation. It does nothing good for our relations with our other allies, to the extent that the entire concept of one nation TRULY being an ally of another, apart from self-interest, exists to begin with.

[leftynyc]

25. Which allies

should we be worried about pissing off? Like it or not, this site in no way represents most American's feelings about Israel which enjoys overwhelming support. I can rake out the polls again if you like.

[No Elephants]

57. We should not piss off anyone gratuitously. Seems self evident.

"Like it or not, this site in no way represents most American's feelings about Israel which enjoys overwhelming support. I can rake out the polls again if you like."

Giant straw man. I never said anything relating to those comments.

[leftynyc]

71. Sigh - the thread

is about the President expressing support for an ally. You don't think how the American people feel about this ally is important? Seriously? If you think expressing support for an ally is "gratuitious", that's your problem, not the President's. And you haven't told me who I'm supposed to be caring about pissing off.

[grantcart]

32. Actually it is standard diplomatic language and has been for decades

It is somewhat meaningless.

When the President says "no more important ally than , , , ," people hear "most important ally"


That is not so.

There are about 40 countries that fit the "no more important ally" classification.


Canada
Mexico
Every European Country
Australia
Japan
and so on.

It is one of the most polite but meaningless phrases in diplomatic parlance.

For example yesterday President Obama said that

http://m.rnw.nl/english/%252Fnode/93777


AD begins its coverage thus: “For the United States there is no more important ally than the Netherlands. This is what American president Barack Obama said to Mark Rutte yesterday evening.”

You may be forgiven for thinking that the overrun and this compliment were clever moves by the US presidential team, designed to make the Dutch delegation feel a touch more important than they might otherwise feel? Indeed, US historian and Amsterdam University professor James Kennedy seems at first to agree when Trouw asks him just “How important was the visit by Mark Rutte for Barack Obama?”

His response (condensed version): “Not important at all.


It is standard diplomatic phrasing which simply means that the country in question is an ally in good standing.

[oberliner]

37. Thank you for this level-headed post

Some folks seem to be reading something into this statement that isn't there.

As you correctly point out, Obama did not say that Israel is our most important ally. There are numerous allies that Obama (or any US president) would use the same language to describe.

Your list is a good one. Any country on that list would be referenced with the phrase "there is no more important ally than ..."

No one would (or did) even notice when this language was applied to The Netherlands, nor would anyone notice if it was used with respect to South Korea, Canada, Britain, etc.

Somehow, when Israel is involved - hackles are raised by some.

[oberliner]

40. delete

[Violet_Crumble]

93. I agree the language is used for multiple countries...

In fact, it was used very recently by Obama towards my country when he visited here.

I suspect the difference when it comes to Israel, is that it's kind of hard to see what benefits are in it for the US. In the case of Australia, the US is concerned with China's growing influence and were busting to station thousands of Marines here. I don't see that same sort of thing with Israel. Plus while most folk are aware of diplomatic speak being just that, some folk grab and run the bestest friend and closest ally thing when it comes to Israel...

[totodeinhere]

50. But the Israel haters at this forum don't want Israel to be an ally in good standing.

So your nuanced analysis of what Obama said is not relevant to the anti Israel crowd.

[Carolina]

84. please tell me what

our unwavering support of Israel does for the US?!

An alliance should be mutually beneficial, but it seems as though Israel gets all the bennies: money and military might!

[Prometheus Bound]

53. LOL. Good point.

[No Elephants]

61. Good point.

[mac56]

73. +1000

Wish I could recc a post.

:thumbsup:

[Nihil]

24. K & R for inadvertent truth. (n/t)

[jerseyjack]

26. Damn right Israel is important. It has cost us dearly.

[GeorgeGist]

27. As supporters will point out ...

only intellectually lazy readers will assume Obama is speaking literally.

[grantcart]

43. Actually it is standard diplomatic language and has been for decades

It is a phrase that includes about 40 other countries as well.

Yesterday Netherlands was also 'no more important ally than "

It is commonly used and literally means no one is more importand but there are several dozen that are as important.

[totodeinhere]

51. But anyone who has been following this issue since Obama took office knows that he is a strong

supporter of Israel, whether Israel is our most important ally of not. They are definitely an important ally, and that fact is enough to set off the anti Israel crowd.

[legin]

28. Basically

if you want to adequately sort out the israel/Palestine problem then it can only be done over the rotting carcass of the u.s.

The u.s. is a major part of the problem and has no interest in ever being part of the solution.

[fascisthunter]

30. oh brother...

[Islandlife]

31. Don't worry. He's just campaigning. Just words.

[freshwest]

34. If we could follow the money trail, we'd know what motivates this. I'm not talking about donors.

The USA and Israeli along with many 'western' nations are into arms and propping up first and second wave economic systems. Or there may be some banking connection, some elite family connections, but it doesn't matter. It's been a part of American foreign policy for almost as long as Israel was granted nationhood by the British, etc. it's a fact of political life, it's just there.

I don't believe the Founders would have agreed with the alliance for the reasons presented for the problems between the Israelis and the Palestinians. They rejected getting involved in the old world's millennial blood feuds which we really don't have a stake in. We cannot win, and neither side respects our system. But if what some allege is true, they are both our pawns, not the other way around.

There has been a concerted effort by the religious right to tie America's survival to the modern state of Israel as it currently exists, claiming it has a divine root that cannot be disputed. Those who believe this hope that Americans showing unquestioning allegiance will give Americans immunity from the coming wrath that they preach every Sunday. These fanatics dream of a planetary war slaughtering billions of non-believers, in which they will be spared and rule the Earth under old testament laws.

I'm not worried about AIPAC ruling the USA when they have so many Christians spewing this stuff year in and year out.That's where the power lies, those who frightening people to vote for the GOP or literally burning in hell for eternity for not supporting Israel.

The reasonable objection to USA support of Israeli is not rooted in anti-semitic-ism but the the belief in self-determination. That does not argue against Israel's right to exist. Allowing the Palestinians their own state is self-determination, too, just as allowing Israel to exist was promoted as a safe haven for an ethnic minority who was being persecuted. It may have been about something else entirely, but after a while what's promoted becomes reality. Generations of people have worked to continue these myths, if they are myths.

For some people the creation of Israel is a sort of people coming to America for religious freedom argument, but they colonists came here to make money in the colonies, so that's the money angle. Was there any money to be made in the creation of Israel? I'll leave that to the conspiracy folks. They may have a bead on it, but it won't change the world's acceptance of the status quo in the Middle East at this point, without some incredible discovery that will galvanize the world into ending the conflicts there.

Israel is accused of following the colonial model, which is, and should be offensive to Americans. They don't have the same Constitutional rights as we have here, but are called a democracy. I won't defend either side as America has enough of her own problems to work out without meddling with other nations' affairs. Exception to being offended to the colonial model being the fundies who find any opposition to their view of reality and God damning and worthy of death.

Self-determination was one of FDR's tenets he wanted to push after the end of WW2, but since he didn't live to continue that, things have regressed to how they were before that light of following democratic ideals was taken from us. And in many ways, we have roughly become what we fought against in WW2, in terms of business and social changes as we stumble into fascism.

I just can't help but feel there is something we're not being told. something big, that would change everything if it was revealed. That would give a push to solve the conflict over there and get us out of this high-powered, over-hyped media circus in campaigns where things are so biased. it's all love and hate, them and us in the corporate controlled media. OWS has done a great job in revealing the extent to which we're controlled by the financial cabals of this world, but done so without hatred.

We don't need to hate or get angry at either side over there. It was never intended to have foreign lobbyists in Congress pushing these old world battles. Nor should we get involved with what they are doing over there, because if we fund one side or the other, our money will continue those feuds which they would have exhausted themselves with and made peace.

I won't condemn Obama for trying to keep a coalition together, even though I don't support any involvement abroad as I believe America's best chance to influence the world is with a good example, not weaponry. But hey, what do I know. In our private lives we can generally pick and choose who we associate with and feel at peace about it. Presidents don't have that luxury. It's easy for me to sit here at a keyboard and be so pure and certain.

LOL at myself.

[ellisonz]

59. Slight addition.

Self-determination as an important part of American foreign policy predates FDR...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteen_Points

"Wilsonianism and self-determination"

http://www.americanforeignrelations.com/O-W/Self-Determination-The-wilsonian-response-principles-and-practice.html

[freshwest]

62. Could be argued that it came in first with the Founding Fathers, too.

[Spider Jerusalem]

35. I should think that the USA's "most important ally" would probably be Britain.

How many soldiers did Israel send to Iraq and Afghanistan again? How much does Mossad cooperate with the CIA compared to MI6? How many American bases are there on Israeli soil?

[grantcart]

44. Nothing was said about "most important ally". But it is a common misread

See reply 32 above.

No other ally more important is a general classification which yesterday also included Netherleands.

Its diplomatic usage is very specific and not very special.

[oberliner]

41. If you actually read the speech he gave, it is mostly about domestic policy

Barely mentioned Israel at all, but of course, that's what sells papers (and gets the message board humming, so to speak).

[slipslidingaway]

65. Please post a transcript of the speech he gave at Jack Rosen's residence, thanks. n/t

[oberliner]

74. Here ya go

Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event

Private Residence
New York, New York

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/11/30/remarks-president-campaign-event

If you read through the whole thing you will see that my comment is an accurate reflection of the content of the speech (which was all of ten minutes long).

[slipslidingaway]

89. Comments on Israel may have been noted because of who hosted the fundraiser ...

thanks for posting the link!

http://www.hudson.org/learn/index.cfm?fuseaction=staff_bio&eid=RosenJack

"Biographical Highlights

Jack Rosen is Chairman of American Jewish Congress. Jack Rosen also is a successful business leader. He is the chief executive of several commercial and residential real estate firms. His wide array of business interests includes ventures operating throughout the United States, Europe and Asia in healthcare, cosmetics and telecommunications.

...He was also a special guest of President Clinton’s at the historic signing of the Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty. In addition to his work at the American Jewish Congress, Mr. Rosen is frequently called upon to lend his expertise to other public interest organizations. He is a member of the Executive Committee of AIPAC, and is a trustee of Park East Day School and Park East Synagogue in New York City, which honored him as its “Man of the Year,” an honor bestowed on him as well by the American Cancer Society. Mr. Rosen also serves on the Board of Directors of Israel Humanitarian Fund and Long IslandUniversity’s School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations..."

[oberliner]

90. He did some serious fundraising for Obama last time around

Looks like he is helping the cause again in 2012.

[slipslidingaway]

92. He helps both sides of the aisle, looked earlier at some of his connections ...

gold plated tiles in the swimming pool and settlements in Israel.

:shrug:

Not impressed.

[oberliner]

94. Not in the presidential election

All of his fundraising in the 2008 presidential election was for Obama (Hillary and Biden in the primary also). Only one side of the aisle.

Look like 2012 will be the same deal.

[Marrah_G]

46. Why is that? I would love a rational reason why they are chosen as our BFFs

[totodeinhere]

48. Israel is never going to get a fair shake at this forum. I suspect that the anti Israel posters

around here would have opposed the formation of Israel in the first place. There has been a strong bipartisan consensus on our foreign policy toward Israel ever since Democratic President Harry Truman supported the formation of Israel in 1948. You wouldn't know it from reading DU, but the vast majority of Democratic office holders and policy markers today strongly support the existence Israel.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

54. i support the existence of israel, but am highly critical of the government of israel

these are different things, and i am pretty sure you know it. posts like this attempt to shut up all criticism of israel by blanketing accusing people of being anti-Semitic or anti the existence of israel. i am sure in SOME cases this is true, but i hardly think its true for the majority of du'ers who criticize israel

[Behind the Aegis]

56. The only one using the "anti-Semitic" charge is you.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

67. its been used multiple times here whenever israel is criticized

[Behind the Aegis]

69. And often used in the manner YOU used it.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

77. what does that even mean? just yesterday someone accused someone else

of anti-semitism for posting an article about marrying american jews.
'
if you are really implying that people do not frequently accuse others of anti-semitism when criticizing israel, you're using extremely selective perception.

[Behind the Aegis]

88. Is it really that difficult for you to understand.

It is more likely to see posts like yours (i.e. accusing someone of accusing you (or others) of anti-Semitism), than actual posts accusing posters of anti-Semitism. Until YOUR post, no one had even mentioned anti-Semitism. Only YOU! It is a pre-emptive accusation. The other poster was VERY correct in his assessment of posters on DU in their reactions to things about Israel, and your comment as well as many on this thread are perfect examples. The only one here with "selective perception" is you, but that is not unusual for posters like you in regards to Israel being the topic.

[totodeinhere]

58. The OP was about Obama's calling Israel an important ally. It didn't address the

present government of Israel. We can legitimately disagree about this government's policies. But I was addressing the many posters in this thread who object to Obama's calling Israel an ally. We can be their ally while disagreeing with the polices of the current government, but too many don't want us to be her ally no matter what the makeup of their government is. They also objected to our being her ally when a more liberal Labor government was in power.

[slipslidingaway]

68. IMO any news should take into account the current happenings. nt

[krabigirl]

82. a fair shake? Sorry, but the USA has moved mountains for Israel..enough is enough.

[Carolina]

85. Touche, krabigirl

And for all our tax dollars, military resources and the other support funneled to Israel, what have we gotten in return?!

Hell, Israeli cammandoes can kill an American on an aid ship

Netanyahu can thumb his nose at BHO

Israel can bomb Lebanon

Israel can IGNORE the UN

And what are the consequences?

Zip, nada, zilch!

But we invade Iraq, threaten Iran and call the Palestinians, whose homes are routinely bulldozed, terrorists

Sheesh

[and-justice-for-all]

52. Israel is highly overrated..nt

[Lance_Boyle]

60. 'No disease is more important than cancer.'

"Important" is a fun word that way.

[ozone_man]

63. Why? Because we strive to be as fascist as they? n/t

[slipslidingaway]

64. Thanks for all the replies and recs, in light of the US selling the bunker buster bombs to Israel...

in 2009 the statement “America’s never been as supportive to the state of Israel” rings true.

[classysassy]

66. America the honest broker

When will the American citizens wake up and realize what most of the world already know,we can never be trusted when Israel does something bad in the world,we always defend their acts good or bad and as far as honesty goes we are liking.We tend to defend Israel when ever they attack an Arab country,what they are doing in Palestine is unlawful,the world realize it so do most Americans but they are fearful of being called anti-semitic,the Israeli leaders have caused the government officials in this country to shake in their boots if they vote against any resolution that remotely goes against Israel and their bad behavior.Those of you who defend Israel behavior,you have a right to speak up,but you have no right to accuse those of us who deplore the Israeli(governments) behavior.

[Carolina]

86. Excellent post, classysassy

As I said upthread,

For all our tax dollars, military resources and the other support funneled to Israel, what have we gotten in return?!

Israeli cammandoes can kill an American on an aid ship with impunity

Netanyahu can thumb his nose at BHO with impunity

Israel can bomb Lebanon with impunity

Israel can IGNORE the UN with impunity

Yet we invade Iraq, threaten Iran and call the Palestinians, whose homes are routinely bulldozed, terrorists

[Name removed]

70. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ileus]

76. He's needs the money and votes...He doesn't really mean it.

This is how the game is played...

[krabigirl]

80. ugh..so tired of politicians kissing Israel's ass.

Why are we pretty much controlled by a foreign government (foreign-policy wise)? Time to cut the strings.

[Doctor_J]

87. Most right-wing states are our allies

Israel, Saudi Arabia, China... It's liberal democracies that we want to destroy.

[oberliner]

91. You are comparing Israel to Saudi Arabia?

Do you realize how preposterous that is?

Have you been to either country?