The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg was rewarded for years of diligent cheerleading for Barack Obama with an exclusive interview that was published this morning. Goldberg asks some interesting questions as well as some that can be characterized as mere sucking up. But though there’s not much here that we haven’t already heard, the transcript of the exchange provides a summary of the Obama attempt to persuade Israel, American supporters of Israel, Iran and the rest of the world that he means business about stopping Tehran from gaining nuclear weapons.
Obama is at pains to try to assert he doesn’t “bluff” when it comes to threatening the use of force, but after three years of a feckless engagement policy followed by a largely ineffective effort to impose sanctions on Iran, it’s hard to find anyone who really believes he would actually launch a strike to prevent the ayatollahs from getting their hands on a nuclear weapon. Much of what the president says in this interview is exactly what he should be stating. But his credibility is undermined by his disingenuous attempt to deny that until his re-election campaign began the keynote of his Middle East policy was to distance the United States from Israel. Equally false is his attempt to make it seem as if he doesn’t despise Israel’s prime minister.
Obama complains, with Goldberg’s assent, that it is unfair to characterize his administration as unfriendly to Israel. But in order to buy into his assumption, you have to ignore the entire tenor and much of the substance of the U.S.-Israel relationship since January 2009. Though, as I have often written, Barack Obama has not sought to obstruct the decades-old security alliance between the two countries, he has needlessly and repeatedly quarreled with Israel’s government in such a way as to create the justified impression there is a wide gap between America and the Jewish state on a host of issues including borders, security arrangements, Jerusalem and settlements.
More to the point, despite Obama’s statements about an Iranian nuke being as much a danger to the United States and the West as it is to Israel, talk is cheap, and that is all he has ever done on the issue. That has left Israel with the impression Obama will never take action on an issue that is an existential threat to the Jewish state.
The Goldberg interview is, of course, not just one more salvo in the administration’s charm offensive to American Jewish voters. It is part of his effort to head off an Israeli strike on Iran, something he may fear far more than the ayatollahs getting their fingers on the nuclear button. For all of his lip service to the Iranian threat, Obama clearly is still more worried about Israel.
But the problem is Obama is bluffing when he talks about being willing to hit Iran. His halfhearted attempt to force Iran to its knees via sanctions is failing, and the idea that waiting until the end of the year (when, Obama hopes, he will be safely re-elected and thus free from needing to worry about Jewish voters or donors) to see if it works is just hot air. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who will be in Washington to meet with Obama following his address to the AIPAC conference, knows this, and that will be focal point of their next confrontation.
Netanyahu knows Obama does not have his country’s back despite Goldberg’s cajoling this promise out of the president. But he will likely smile when he reads Obama’s answer to Goldberg’s question about the relationship between the two men. Though Obama has bragged of his close relationships with other leaders such as the Turkey’s Islamist Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, he makes little effort to disguise his contempt for Netanyahu. He tells Goldberg he and Netanyahu are too busy to discuss anything other than policy. Obama then slips up a bit and attempts to explain their differences as being the result of belonging to “different political traditions,” as if there was some sort of natural tension between being an American Democrat and an Israeli Likudnik. This actually tells us more about Obama than anything else.
The truth is, these two “traditions” are not natural antagonists because they are the result of two entirely different political systems and histories. If Obama sees them as inherently opposed to each other it is because his conception of American liberalism sees an Israeli nationalist faction dedicated to their nation’s security as somehow antithetical to his own view. In fact, the origins of both parties are “liberal” with a small “l” in the sense that they are based on the idea of democracy and opposed to socialism. Indeed, the Likud is far closer to both American major parties because it is dedicated to free market principles the Israeli left abhors.
The divide here is not between a Democrat and a member of the Likud but between an American who is ambivalent about Israel and an Israeli who is deeply sympathetic to the United States. That is why a close reading of Goldberg’s attempt to help Obama to portray himself as Israel’s best friend only reinforces the phony nature of the president’s Jewish charm offensive.
Netanyahu's contempt for Obama is exceeded only the contempt the Iranians have for him as a feckless and weak American President. Netanyahu will be looking for absolute guarantees and an understanding of America's red line when it comes to Iran. He'll get the same platitudes from Obama that Obama will deliver to AIPAC as Israel's "BFF" and it holds just about as much sincerity as a Twitter tweat. Two weeks later, Israel will act – decisively. This will go way beyond the propaganda American Generals and Diplomats have been feeding to the NYT about Israel's inability to take out the Iranian nuclear program for less then 1 -3 years. The Israeli's understand the risks and know they'll get one shot at Iran and its allies. They'll make the most of it. Nothing will be off the table in this war. Otherwise, why take the risk?
Simplicity is the best option and considering that both the U.S. and Israeli intelligence as well as their Military have concluded that Iran does not have a nuclear weapons program all the hawks urging military strikes are insane. Basically, the issue at had has little or nothing to do with nuclear weapons and everything to do with petroleum. Specifically, petroleum and natural gas located in the Caspian Basin. Zionist Capitalism is on its last legs and in serious need of a boost which can only be provided by lot's of petroleum. The most cost effective way to this resource is through Iran and not the BTC Pipeline. However, Iran is not Iraq, or Afghanistan and even with Iraq the U.S. and Britain carried on a nine year bombing campaign, together with sanctions, prior actually invading and a decade later left only destruction. Iran is a very intellectually capable nation, building naval ships, tanks, submarines, cruise missiles, air to air systems, surface to surface missile systems, fast running torpedoes as well as fighter, fighter bomber and long range bomber aircraft. Just last week Russia warned Israel against attacking Iran, they were very serious because like Iran it has an extensive shoreline on the Caspian that it shares on the Caspian Sea. A strike against Iran will open a conflict that will reach far beyond the Middle East.
I don't know where you're getting your information but the only intelegence or security forces in the world that Iran is nowhere near to having the bomb is the US, Israeli intelegence provided conclusive proof of how close Iran was a good six months ago. The hate speech and violent threats coming out of Iran together with their ICBMs and ( soon) nuclear weapons make it imperative that both Israel and the US strike before Iran acts on those threats.
Anyone who believes a word BHO says is a fool. The man's words have been nothing but spent air; they never match his actions. But the media go along with this and refuse to confront him! This is dangerous and very sad for our country, and for Israel too, to have this president continue to spout out a bunch of empty words that no one can trust! You cannot trust the man; look what happened to Cardinal Dolan and the conscience clause! And he has treated Israel and Netanyahu very poorly and dangerously.
Obama says he doesn't "bluff" when it comes to using force. Mmm. Just like he wasn't "bluffing" when he threatened Eric Cantor last summer that he'd take debt ceiling negotiations to the American people. If I were Iran, I'd assume he was bluffing. Everything a liberal says (especially Obama), ASSUME that what they really will DO is the exact opposite. Netanyahu, I assume, knows this. n n
Regarding the two different traditions Obama and Netanyahu come from, how do you know Obama wasn't referring to Muslim versus Jewish traditions? After all, one of the first things he did when he took office was to go to Cairo and talk about his his ties to the Muslim community, from childhood through adulthood. And yet, he hasn't quite found the time to visit Israel. Having said that, I do not believe Obama's religion is Islam. He's a Marxist. As such, he sees morality not in terms of objective right and wrong, but in terms of inequality of power. In Marxist morality, Israel is seen as an "oppressor" and Muslims as "victims." At best, Obama is indifferent to Israel's fate. At best. This Goldberg interview is nothing more than a puff piece to assuage the conscience of those American Jews who put Leftism ahead of Israel and Torah.
Going to Cairo was not Obama's idea, it was part of the PR campaign strategy of Wall Street's Think Tank's to lull the Islamic world into complacency as the west expanded its military assault in the region. Unfortunately, the "bump" his Wall Street supporter's expected has backfired big time. What's happening has little to do with morality or religion and everything to do with economic power which is rapidly declining in the west; when western financial systems revert to FRAUD you know they're grasping at the last straw. Perhaps it would be a far better option that everyone stepped back and rethought their economic systems, making modifications where required. The worlds in a far different place than the fifties or seventies… Get used to it becasue it'll be around for a good while.
Just why you'd refer to Obama as a Marxist is way off the mark, Karl Marx was Jewish Obama is neither Jewish or Muslim but is being used for his academic clean sheet, no different than the Presidents Spokesman Jay Carney being selected for his youthful appearance which lull's people into accepting what he's spewing. Historically Muslims have been the victims more so than Europeans. For starter's European Crusader's invaded and occupied their lands numerous times, in the process murdering and maiming hundreds of thousands. I assume from your view that you support Netanyahu the Hawk who, if left to his devices would propel the world into a catastrophic war. If Obama were all you seem to think he'd have straight forwards have forced Israel to back out of the West Bank… which he's not done. Several Israeli leaders have suggested – "If the Israeli's continue pushing as have they for the past sixty years they're going to fine themselves in a similar position as they confronted when the Roman's tired of their pushing and lose everything. Remember, everyone and nation has their limits and would be well advised to know and observe them.
Mr Tobin, thank you for stating what I believe to be the obvious. I mentioned the same propositions in a commentary to Mr Goldberg's original article. n nI am reminded of Mr Machiaveli's dictum that he wants a populace with morals as long as he need not possess the morals of the common man.
As the in-house Jewish meldia publicist of the Democrat party, whatever stance Goldberg presents of Obama, Israel would best run the other way. He'll talk out of every orifice to serve the party. In his "exclusive" interview aimed at nervous Jewish voters Goldberg finishes the presidents sentences and acts as his cheerleader with pre-rehearsed faux tough questions. Goldberg is a farce and those of us who have been following the president's behavior towards Israel see right through it.
The government of Israel is part of the problem in the middle east and refuses to be part of a solution (my apologies to the many decent Israeli people, but if it is any consolation – we have similar problems). Netanyahoo and his wingnut allies should have their US visas permanently revoked so that they can no longer come here to waste our precious time and oxygen. Many of you seem to be under the mistaken impression that most US citizens give a hoot about Israel's opinion or status – WAKE UP – WE DONT! The only good thing about the Israeli government is that they provide something we cant point at and say – wow – look at the despicable behavior of those guys! The US should have ended all financial and military support support Israel years ago. Thats not anti – semitism – it just pragmatic! We have our own problems to worry about without having false friends to create more of them. God bless Obama for having the huevos not to pander to Israels nonsense.
I notice you don't refer to the xenophobic fascist dictatorships of all the Arab countries as any part of the problem despite the fact that the hatred for all Jews ( not just Israelis) is taught from the youngest ages. The bile that is spewed is worse than even the most extreme of the kkk ever spouted here (against blacks) this is not even mentioning the hatred for everything and everyone not Muslim.