IMPORTANT UPDATE:
My post below may well be inaccurate. According to Jeffrey Goldberg, who normally has good sources, Emanuel did not make a direct linkage between Iran and Israeli-Palestinian peace. If Goldberg is indeed accurate, I surely stand corrected
Did Rahm Emanuel just put the screws to his own people? Quite possibly, although all we have at present is a second hand report of what he told 300 big donors to AIPAC in a private meeting. According to the Jerusalem Post: Thwarting Iran’s nuclear program is conditional on progress in peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. [bold mine]
Great, Rahm. What a guy you are for spelling this out. But before you do anything, would you please explain the word “progress”? When last we saw serious negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians (Bill Clinton and then Taba), the Palestinians, led by Arafat, walked out and began Intifada II. Would you have blamed Israel for that lack of “progress” and allowed Iran to get the bomb? Could it just be that the Palestinians (Hamas and Fatah) don’t really want a two-state solution? Has that occurred to you after all this time? What if that turns out to be true? Think about that, Rahm. This isn’t a Hollywood negotiation that your brother might conduct between Warner Brothers and Universal. People die here, big time. As Ayatollah Rafsanjani has told us, the Iranians don’t fear a nuclear war with Israel because there are hundreds of more millions of Muslims than there are Jews.
One last question, Rahm. How do you sleep?
You are implying that he should not be saying such things because he is Jewish. While that is true, the bigger point to make is that it’s not a good strategy for America, not because it could hurt Israel, which it can, but also because in the long run and probably in the short run, it will hurt America.
Rahm sleeps by denying to himself the likely consequences of his actions.
Amazing that he served in the IDF.
Don’t forget who yanks Rahm’s leash.
Barack Obama hates Jews. Always has, always will.
His middle name is Hussein.
He’ll join with the Iranians to threaten the nuclear annihilation of Israel to extract whatever concessions he can from them.
Really though … if you’re astute, you’ll realize it’s just a fund-raiser. It’s Rahm’s way of saying: “You’re not donating enough.”
The gun at the head is purely symbolic.
remember how we heard American Jews say, “trust Obama?” Well most of us did trust him- to sell out Israel.
Back in the Six Day War (1967) America supported Israel. Now, in 2009 America Israel is so scr***d.
You’re own your own Bibi, do what you have to do.
Just hope that Rahm Emmanuel is reading your blog Mr Simon instead of that idiot named Sullivan who his boss Comrade Hussein gets his so-called original ideas from. Isn’t it maddening how Hussein’s team lie through their teeth? How CNN IS PRAVDA WEST.
Now its high time American bloggers quit being so nice to this chicago mob running the white house and tell it like it is; that Hussein managed the most corrupt election campaign in presidential politics, that Comrade Hussein is not american born, that he is a muslim, that Hussein is a sickening example of democratic programs gone really bad – Hussein is the MINORITY QUOTA PRESIDENT- (Whitey gave him a pass in school since he was window dressing- thats why you can’t review his school transcripts).
The thing to fear is that with Emmanuel in the central position as white house adviser that he is in, when this presidency finally collapses, there is fear that the Jews will be blamed for what happened to America, when in reality all of America’s problems are Hussein’s fault for what he is doing to undercut American institutions. Rahm emmanuel is a chicago punk in company with another chicago punk Comrade Hussein
Did Rahm Emanuel just put the screws to his own people?
His own people = Jews, instead of Americans in general?
Ram sleeps very well. You have to have a conscience for it to bother you.
It’s silly, naive and parochial to expect Rahm Emanuel to do anything except enthusiastically do the bidding of his boss. Why take the job otherwise? The real point is, Obama’s administration is putting the screws to Israel, as many of us had predicted. Now it’s up to Israel to decide who it fears most, Obama or Ahmadinejad.
One would think with Emanuel being American his people would be Americans. No?
Rahm wasn’t really in the IDF. He was just part of a volunteer program, one among many who did clerkly things in support of the IDF for a period of time.
Rahm went over to the dark side, Roger. Currently, he’s about as Jewish as Pat Buchanon. Get used to it.
In other words, Rahm and Obama offer vague, unspecific promises to deal with the immediate Iran threat of destruction for Israel on condition they ensure the longer term ‘Palestinian’ threat for the destruction of Israel continues because the latter will score political points for Obama.
Israel should tell them to go F themselves. Most of the American people will support Israel’s necessary actions.
Roger, let’s face it. This is a cop-out, plain and simple.
Remember that trial balloon a few days before the inaugeration? Israel lays off Iran and in exchange they’re under our “nuclear umbrella” (i.e. we promise that if they’re annihilated, we promise to avenge them. Really. We won’t get second thoughts or anything. You won’t be like Georgia. Trust us.) It was shot down because it was obviously a self-serving attempt to get everyone to accept a nuclear Iran in exchange for rhetoric that even Obama’s supporters didn’t believe.
OK so the new message is this. But what’s the real problem?
The fact is that President Obama’s attempt to recruit the other powers to put the screws on Iran failed. It’s just us. His only remaining option is military (directly or sanctioning Israel). Which he won’t do. So the new plan is to find some excuse, any excuse, which can justify the US sitting on its thumbs. Someone to blame.
Israel can be pressured to make concessions Obama wants anyway, and since they’ll never give enough to satisfy the Palestinians, when Iran gets the Bomb it can be Israel’s fault. Or they cut loose from us and take matters in their own hands– in which case we can deny all responsibility.
So the reality is that President Obama is sacrificing Israel’s existence and the stability of the middle east to a much higher principle: his reputation and sense of helplessness.
When it is all over Pres. Obama and his insiders, his Rev. Wright etc. & others, will just point in Rahn’s direction and say, “He sold his own people down the river”, what else is new…
SamIam, don’t count on it, anti semitism is stronger than ever, and with the increase of job’s being lost and big financial ruin for many, who can they blame, as usual, the jew’s.
We live in ughly times and cannot take anything for granted, Pres. Obama is a user and will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. It is sad because he has
been given an oportunity to become a good leader , but has chosen a path of self interest created by educators in the socialist world as they strive for control of our country.
Good grief! I don’t see how being pals with Iran is going to make or break the US. In fact, it’s beginning to look like the US doesn’t give a damn about human rights. It sends the wrong message to the real freedom lovers in Iran. I really, really hate this kiss ass government.
Bibi will teach Obama a lesson he won’t forget.
I’m pro-Israel, didn’t vote for Obama and would like to see the Mullahs hanging from the lamp posts in Tehran, and even I think this comment thread is over the top.
mr rahm for sure sleeps better than you do.
He represents the future while you are stucked
in a fetid past.
Face it, the Obama admin couldn’t thwart Iran’s acquisition of nukes if they wanted to. Talk won’t do it and going to war with them isn’t in the cards anymore, if it ever was.
Barack Obama is to New York City’s first African-American mayor, David Dinkins, as Israel is to Crown Heights. But that didn’t happen until three years into Dinkins’ first (and only) term. Hopefully the Israelis also see the parallel coming at them and are ready to take preemptive measures.
He has no trouble sleeping since he is convinced of his supreme knowledge and wisdom. Without doubt he is a major scumbag, dangerous and thoroughly convinced he knows what is best for the Jews. He is not evil, simply deluded. Born Judenrat material.
Mi Rant: Iran is just chomping at the bit to be given an excuse to reply to any Israeli military attack against its territory. Iran wants the bomb to maintain itself in power, the mullahs don’t care about anything else but their own elitist survival. If Israel attacked Iran it would have to fight against enemies on several fronts. Including against a muslim leader hiding in plane sight as the President of the United States. Bet Rahm Emmanuel is going to go down in the history books as a modern day kapo.
Hows this scenario of three predictions; Hussein won’t allow Israel to succeed against Iran so Israel chickens out, Iran and Pakistan team up against the USA (or whats left of it), and finally, Comrade Hussein, the MINORITY QUOTA PRESIDENT gets re-elected by a much larger black electorate that locks America into a black dictatorship.
You know somethings wrong when people think that its radical to be an American patriot.
I have to express complete admiration for Wellspring’s analysis at #14.
Obama and Rahm and all the rest are Chicago machine people. They have no ethic other than to win the next election. Which is in 2010. Foreign affairs is only relevant if the subject is a gain or a loss in votes. American Jews – like African Americans – are solid Democrat. No loss there for Obama, so no problem either.
If/ when the Middle East blows up, Obama will ONLY be interested in the number of Democratic votes in the next election. In fact, to his administration, the Middle East is only relevant if the price of oil goes up enough to affect Dem votes. But then, he has already kissed the Saudi ring, so where’s the problem, eh??
Am I missing something here? The President’s Chief of Staff just said he was going to forgo something that is of critical interest to the United States, i.e., Iran not getting the bomb, just to advance some whim of a peace process that has been going on for more than sixty years without an real detriment to the US? That borders on treason, in my mind.
FACT: Obama, and his equally juvenile sidekick, Rahm Emmanuel – DO NOT CARE, WHATSOEVER – for Israel’s safety nor its existence. In fact, the opposite is true.
FACT: The complex political dynamics and stability of the middle east are COMPLETELY BEYOND their comprehension. This fact will likely result in substantial “unintended consequences” for this cowardly and wholly corrupt presidency.
Israel MUST AND WILL DEFEND ITSELF – irrespective of the the overt ignorance of Obama and his self-appointed ambassador of extortion, MR RAHM EMMANUEL.
FACT: Obama, Emmanuel, et al, are nothing more than a well documented hicago corrupt political cartel. They care about ONE THING ONLY – their political advancement and personal financial gain. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS to this clan.
If Rahm’s “own people” are not exclusively American, let him haul his dancy behind to wherever his “own people” live
Hopefully there’s at least one adult in the Obama Administration who can explain why putting Israel’s back against the wall is a Bad Idea.
They do have nukes, and I have no doubt that they will use them if they feel sufficiently threatened.
The fact that Rahm Emanuel is Jewish shouldn’t factor into anything.
The broader point about Hamas and Fatah is well-taken however.
Don’t blame me. I warned Roger L. Simon that Rahm Emanuel left much to be desired. He might have meant well—but Bill Clinton and he unintentionally are responsible for the murders of many Israeli citizens. At the end of the day, the Democrats and the “moderate” Republicans are a bunch of guilt tripped white people who believe the United States and Israel are crapping on the generally darker skinned Palestinians.
I’m with Ming here.
C’mon guys – seriously – did you even read the JPost article?
What it says is that dealing with Iran will be easier if the situation with the Palestinians is calmer and shows progress. Many people in the Arab nations are also concerned about Iran however the Palestinians’ situation upsets them.
Therefore to form a Middle Eastern coalition to deal effectively with the threats from Iran would be greatly helped by progress between Israel and the Palestinians.
That is a far cry from what is being implied either in Mr. Simon’s article or in the comment thread.
We could use a little moderation and common sense out here for heaven’s sake.
It is hard to believe that any US administration would believe the various ‘Palestinian entities’ are sincere in negotiations for a ‘settlement’. Or recent Israeli governments, for that matter.
So what goes on here?
A fantasy world of bribes and coercion, mostly. A bizarre dance where hundreds of lives are needlessly sacrificed in dribs and drabs, all to prop up a demented delusion for no end. Just run the con till the next aministration takes over.
Does anyone seriously think Obama or Emanuel care anything at all about the future of Israel? They care about themselves and their POWER. Its the P word!!
One small suggestion: why not send Obama to Iran. He could talk them to death.
@ David Davenport
By the way, your point is well taken. I’d be very worried if any american political leader put another country over this one.
Nearly every one of Roger’s points, all of my own, and most of the rest in this comment thread apply to America’s self-interest, not just Israel’s. Finding a convenient scapegoat for the Iranian Bomb is worse for Israel, but it’s still pretty terrible for us, and don’t think this isn’t a threat to the rest of the world. I suspect that even Russia (which, after all, is the architect of this whole thing) will end up paying the price for their mischief. The only beneficiary of this strategy is President Obama, who no doubt hopes to be out of office before the timer reaches 0:00.
Israel is target number one. Don’t think for a minute that Washington, New York, LA, and San Francisco are on the list too. Do you think a Chechnyan terrorist would hesitate a moment before hitting Moscow? Or a MILF wouldn’t go after Manila? Or a Pakistani after… well any big target in India? Al Qaeda has targeted Spain, and they have cells in Paris, Amsterdam and London.
And don’t forget our now-forgotten allies. The Poles and Chechs, Georgia and Ukraine (to his credit, Obama’s finally remembered the sacrifice and friendship of Colombia). I go to grad school with a Georgian– I can’t bear to look her in the eye knowing we’ve abandoned her. Does Obama have a snazzy speech for her?
This isn’t just about tribal loyalties. This is about dire threats to world security, left to fester to pump short term poll numbers.
‘the Palestinians, led by Arafat, walked out and began Intifada II’
- because he couldn’t accept the offer we made him and give uo the claim to Jerusalem – and we still retained 58% of the West Bank and Gaza and control of the water. Sharon incited the second intifaa- it wasn’t started by Arafat.
People like you who see this as a one-sided conflict, that we have no blame for, give us all a bad name.
If Iran does manage to get the bomb and nukes Israel because of Obama’s idiocy Washington should be included in the Samson option.
The majority of American Jews voted for President Teleprompter and his goon Rahm. I wonder how they’ll feel about that if Israel gets hit by an Iranian WMD?
Rockford, guilt over not having participated in the marches and the bus rides of the ’50′s and ’60′s trumps any concern American Jews might have for Israel.
Obama is all about sound good, feel good and look good. All the energy allocated to window dressing is unavailable to dealing with reality, unless one sees reality through the hollywood lens.
Netanyahu’s brother was killed during a counterterrorism operation in Entebbe. He is not going to let Obama take him to the movies.
I wonder if the administration knows they are increasing the odds that Israel will attack Iran and encouraging Iran to interfere with the peace process.
Whether the report in this particular instance is accurate or not, Roger, “How do you sleep?” is still a great question to ask the little weasel.
Unfortunately, I have no doubt the answer is, “Very well.” >:-(
And you expected something different from a Kapo? He’d be the one to make sure that there would no problems on the line to the showers.
Of course Rahm wrapped his statement in deniable rhetoric about how those other Arab states would be more amenable on the Iran front if they saw progress on the Palestinian front. I read that in the quotes the first time around.
This has been a pattern within the Obama administration. They demand that you parse their language very closely, but that language is very slippery and open to interpretation. We saw this on a host of issues during the campaign.
Look at the rhetoric they directed at Israel and Netanyahu after the election there. Look at the rhetoric they’re pointing at Iran (and the approach they’re pushing for nuclear weapons). Look at the (quickly recanted) attempt to accede to nuclear Iran and offer a retaliatory umbrella to Israel.
On a President with a record for being straightforward, I’d give them the benefit of the doubt. But I think it’s safe to say that all the deeds of this administration support your original interpretation of Emmanuel’s statements.