Obama's Silence: shows his wisdom, but also Israel's

[Sensitivity]

The President-Elect’s studied silence on Gaza demonstrates both his foreign policy smarts and Israel’s geo-strategic intelligence.

Obama’s silence shows that he does not share Bush rubber-stamp approach to Israeli military adventures. If he did he could easily make a statement mimicking the multitude of pro-Israel platitudes coming from almost every America politician. Hi silence signals that he intends as President to promulgate a policy position that is far more complex and nuanced than the Bush/Israel doctrine.

At the same time his silence tells Israel that they were right to launch their campaign now – Obama could not have been counted on to reflexively support Israel’s interest. Israel has executed effective strategy to hem Obama in by acting while they have free-reign to put facts on the ground and rally their vocal U.S. foreign policy lobby. By acting now with overwhelming preemptive force Israel may have changed the futureof U.S . Arab-Israel policy under Obama:

1. The U.S./Israel relationship has been brought to inauguration center stage, diminishing it as the rise of Obama as the leader the world has been waiting for.

2. They have created the perception that Obama, along with entire U.S. political class, is complicit in Israel’s disproportionate approach to “self-defense” against even the most minimal threats.

3. They have delivered to Obama "facts on the ground" of a neutered Hamas, unquestioned Israeli power and unambiguous immunity from world opinion.

4. They may well have hobbled the planned Obama diplomatic initiative to the Muslim world.

Come January 20, Barack Obama is in more trouble than he could have imagined.



http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jan/04/obama-gaza-israel

Obama is losing a battle he doesn't know he's in

The president-elect's silence on the Gaza crisis is undermining his reputation in the Middle East
Guardian, 4 January 2009

Barack Obama's chances of making a fresh start in US relations with the Muslim world, and the Middle East in particular, appear to diminish with each new wave of Israeli attacks on Palestinian targets in Gaza. That seems hardly fair, given the president-elect does not take office until January 20. But foreign wars don't wait for Washington inaugurations.

Obama has remained wholly silent during the Gaza crisis. His aides say he is following established protocol that the US has only one president at a time. Hillary Clinton, his designated secretary of state, and Joe Biden, the vice-president-elect and foreign policy expert, have also been uncharacteristically taciturn on the subject.

But evidence is mounting that Obama is already losing ground among key Arab and Muslim audiences that cannot understand why, given his promise of change, he has not spoken out. Arab commentators and editorialists say there is growing disappointment at Obama's detachment - and that his failure to distance himself from George Bush's strongly pro-Israeli stance is encouraging the belief that he either shares Bush's bias or simply does not care.

The Al-Jazeera satellite television station recently broadcast footage of Obama on holiday in Hawaii, wearing shorts and playing golf, juxtaposed with scenes of bloodshed and mayhem in Gaza. Its report criticising "the deafening silence from the Obama team" suggested Obama is losing a battle of perceptions among Muslims that he may not realise has even begun.

[RiverStone]

1. When he is president, he will be silent no more

2 weeks!

[Sensitivity]

12. Wonder if Bush/Omert has in plan to tie everything up within the window of opportunity

[HeraldSquare212]

2. Silence is a big improvement over the cheerleading we're used to getting from our pols,

Dem and Rep, so I'm very pleased so far.

[Sensitivity]

7. Unfortunately, Israel is repeating his previous works out of context, and Muslims are interpreting

his silence as consent.

[mmonk]

3. It's a lose lose right now.

He won't be able to stop the violence if he does speak. He will only garner attacks from the body politic. But it is time to be a good friend to Israel instead of a panderer to Israel like all the other politicians. A good friend tells another when enough is enough when an action becomes self defeating.

[Sensitivity]

8. For Obama. That, I have no doubt was Israel's calculation

[northernlights]

4. he can start with action

by cutting off all funding to Israel. All of it.

Let it be part of his stimulus package back here. Or put the money to war reparations for the victims of Israel's genocidal slaughter.

Give it to anybody for anything good. Just stop funding Israel's war machine.

[Sensitivity]

5. Obama may be ticked that Israel preempted him, but the air is now filled with pro-Israel propaganda

that he may not dare oppose.

[Pavulon]

10. That is exactly what harry reid said on mtp...

except he said the opposite. I wonder if he talks to barack?

[Sensitivity]

11. Funny

[StudsT]

6. if it leads to some adult ideas and talk when he comes to power however if he repeats

what many dems and especially our leaders have said recently (essentially regurgitating the reThug line) than it will all be an especially cruel hoax.

but to remain silent during a crisis like this only serves to give tacit approval of the ongoing atrocities... which for the life of me I can not see the wisdom in.

The Outline for Peace - Bernard Weiner

It's been clear for decades what the outlines of a just peace might look like and what each side would have to do to get there:

1. Both sides would have to abandon the "I'm the true victim" and "you started it" loops. Each side has some history on its side, each side has behaved abominably, each side has some justice in its arguments. Both sides would have to stipulate, so to speak, to these recognitions and vow not to get bogged down in whose claim is the more righteous but stick to how to make living together in the same region workable and mutually beneficial.
   
   
2. Israel would have to return to its pre-1967 borders, fully end its occupation and control of the West Bank and Gaza, abandon its settlements on Palestinian land and make sure no new ones are allowed to intrude into the new viable Palestine state, which Israel would officially recognize. (In terms of Gaza and the West Bank, Israel would cease its ruthless policy of "a hundred eyes for an eye" overkill, and constant humiliation of the Palestinians by engaging in way-over-the-top violence that constantly reminds them of their utter powerlessness.
   
   
3. The Palestinians (both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority or, better yet, Hamas inside the Palestinian Authority) would have to officially recognize the de facto State of Israel and its right to exist within secure borders. No more rockets, no more suicide bombers inside Israel, no more calling for Israel's destruction, etc.
   
   
4. Realizing that there are crazy fanatics on each side, acting out of religious zealotry or ultranationalist urgings, both sides would have to agree to crack down on those extremists and not let occasional militant violence interfere with the peace process as it unfolds and in living together after the peace treaty has been signed.
   
   
5. Jerusalem, prized for historical and religious reasons by both sides (and by Christians as well), would become an international city, administered by the U.N. and/or a tri-religious civic council agreed to by all.
   
   
6. If Israel will not permit the "right of return" of Palestinians forced off their lands by the original establishment of the Jewish state or by the Separation Wall, they will pay fair compensation for the land. Perhaps Arab nations separately and the Arab League collectively can aid in this regard as well.
   
   
7. Treaties would be worked out regarding the travel rights of Palestinian workers inside Israel, the fair allocation of precious water resources, sharing technological developments, etc.
   

much more...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x414139

pretty good idea for progress there, imho.

:hi:

StudsT

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

9. Query:

Is there any precedent for this total abdication of responsibility by Bush? I am loathe to put Obama on the spot when it comes to foreign policy since he is not yet the President, but I struggle to recall any time at which a sitting president went on fucking vacation during an international crisis near the end of his term in office.