Obama at AIPAC: Working for the Jewish Vote
Clearly, at the present moment, the leaders of Israel may see things quite a bit differently than the president of the United States. As Tobin and others argue, the previous attempt of those in the administration to make J Street its preferred Jewish organization is now dead on arrival. J Street and its cadre continue to argue against tough sanctions and for negotiations with Iran, and are not putting an emphasis on pressure to stop them from going nuclear. They once had high hopes that they would grow in great numbers as the Jewish allies of the Obama administration. By putting the Iranian threat on the front burner as a very real threat to be dealt with, the administration clearly has made the decision to move far from any identification with the self-proclaimed peace camp among American Jews. On that front, the attempt to depict AIPAC as right-wing and out of touch with most American Jews has been thankfully defeated.
The president may argue and emphasize all the military and technological intelligence that has been shared with Israel under his administration, but this aid and cooperation is different than the issue of a coherent foreign policy. As Tobin also points out:
The president’s Jewish admirers may believe his assertion that Russia and China have joined his coalition to isolate Iran, but the ayatollahs know that both countries are opposed to any further sanctions and that China stands ready to buy the oil the U.S. and Europe might boycott later this year.
The big question — will the U.S. and Israel have to eventually use some kind of force to prevent the ayatollahs from getting a nuclear bomb? — is still in effect on the back burner. Rather than pledge to use force, the president — as did Jane Harman earlier in the day — asked instead that the world, the U.S., and Israel all be patient and give diplomacy a chance. Critics rightfully respond that it has been given a chance, and each time the Iranians say they are ready to talk it is only to stall and play the U.S. so they can move along their chosen path of developing atomic weapons.
The president bemoaned “loose talk” about war with Iran, and seemed agitated when he said in the speech — in a rather hostile and annoyed tone of voice — that people don’t seem to understand what a great friend he has been to Israel. He seemed to be surprised, as if even those at AIPAC, the audience most concerned with the fate of Israel, were supposed to have forgotten all the undue pressure he put on Israel during his first two to three years as president, while not requiring anything similar from the Palestinians.
So the question remains: is Obama the best friend Israel has ever had as he would have us believe, or its worst foe? This is not likely to be answered Monday night when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the same audience after a day of talks with President Obama. Given that Netanyahu has to assume that Obama has at least a 50/50 chance of a second term, he cannot publicly criticize him, and if strong differences occur in their private meetings, he will have to be diplomatic and make it appear that there is a unity between the two nations.
But any Israeli P.M., even one from the opposition Kadima or even Labor, has to put Israel’s fate first, and not wait for years of diplomacy until it finds that they waited too long, and Iran has a bomb.
Barack Obama’s speech was an attempt to keep the Jewish vote in the Democratic column in as high a number as possible. On that count, we suspect he will not be happy. It will be large and, yes, a majority of American Jews whose own religion is that of the Democratic Party will remain a solid bloc. But more than likely, the percent will be less than usual, and if that percent is in Florida, the president could indeed lose the election in 2012.
Obama has made a career out of voting “present” in order to kick the hard adult decisions down the road.
Anyone who thinks he will stop doing so now has a hopium pipe stapled to their lips.
Agreed. But the issue for Americans of Jewish descent will probably be overwhelming allegiance to grandparents and great grandparents who were of the immigrant generations. I wrote about that here: http://clarespark.com/2011/06/17/the-famed-jewish-vote/.
I do hope that American Jews, as well as Israelis, don’t believe what Obama is trying to sell during an election year. Obama has proved time and again that, when it comes to either supporting Israel or supporting Islamist causes (or nations), the Islamist causes win. Two great examples of that are the downfall of Mubarak (and Obama’s total disregard to what the ramifications of that would have on Israel) and the Gaza boat incident, where Obama criticized the Israelis much more than the people who tried to break the blockade.
So I hope Jewish voters will not be fooled by a man who is simply trying to hold onto his job, rather than helping the nation of Israel.
Thanks for so succinctly pointing out that the President’s 1967 call was in fact a 1948 call.
Your 4th paragraph before the end of your article: ” will the US and Israel will have to use some kind of force …etc..” Sorry to be blunt with you but you still don’t read the warning on the wall ; My assesment is the following : ” Will the US will have to use some kind of force to avoid Israel neutralizing the iranian nucleat threat “.
Why ? BHO has refused to deliver enough bunker-busters bombs to Israel
BHO has refused to set clear redlines for Iran race towards nuclear weaponization
BHO has warned Israel not to attack.BHO is not an ally of Israel, BHO is an open ally of Iran , exactly as he was an open ally of the Teheran theocrats when they butchered the green opposition in Iran after the botched elections in 2010. So the remaining military option for israel is extremely difficult to engage because Israel has to evade the BHO warden who will not miss the occasion to sink the premeptive israeli strike with his loose lips.
Obama’s concern for Israel is about like his concern about high gas prices–after election day he won’t give a darn.
Israel must attack before election day if they want Obama’s help.
Everything that comes out of this president’s mouth is a lie, a mistake, or a promise with an expiration date. As they say, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
the response at AIPAC to obama was barely polite and room temperature. ‘too much loose t alk about war”. this from the one with the loose bowels. at least any time there is an action that will protect democracy, a system obama clearly does not value. whatever one can say of any american president, even those about whom we were ambivelent in supporting, or those in whom we were disappointed, we never doubted their patriotism. or, the degree to which they would support democracy.
everywhere in the western world, nations are awakening to the threat of islam as it has gone viral, seeking not democracy or equality or freedom, but dominion.
for americans and israelis, let us be vigilant that the values obama does not share with us, is his malignant narcissism speaking. not allah.
Some people still have a hard time admitting what is most glaringly obvious about Obama – That he cares about nothing but his own position, that there is no sliver of character there. He doesn’t even hide it well. For a politician who reached the top, he is a remarkably inept liar. He’s like a 12 year-old, certain of his silver tongue, that it will get him out of doing what his parents require.
I recall that in l956 before the election there was the Hungarian Revolution and some problem with Egypt. Eisenhower did nothing but he garnered even more support that prior to the crisis. An Israeli attack on Iran will probably encourage the electorate to back our President.