Obama's Middle East Policy:The Combination Of Arrogance and Clumsiness

The Lid/Weekly Standard ^ | 1/26/10 | The Lid

[Shellybenoit]

President Obama's Middle East policy is in ruins. The U.S. continues to press Israel for a settlement freeze (and a freeze on Jerusalem), but Obama's strategy has totally fallen apart. He turned the Israeli populace against him and strengthened the hand of Prime Minister Netanyahu (who he has no use for). At the same time has pressured political hacks such as Congressman Steve Israel to lend their names to the anti-Israel group known as J Street to give his administration some "cred" amongst the pro-Israel community.

The Arab League nations answered no to the President's request for a peace gesture, and the President of the Palestinian Authority has used Obama's settlement pressure toward Israel as his "out" preventing the PA from reentering negotiations. Settlement-building started way before Netanyahu, but it didn't become a roadblock to negotiations until Obama was elected.

[flowerplough]

The Combination Of Arrogance and Clumsiness - that’d describe Bammy’s first year in office, hayna? I’m not one of his fans, but I can’t think of a single thing he’s done well in his first year.

[TheClintons-STILLAnti-American]

The name Obama may be used in history as synonymous with Peter Principle, as his administration gives new meaning to that term.

[Shellybenoit]

He did pick out a nice Puppy for his kids.

[SunkenCiv]

...has pressured political hacks such as Congressman Steve Israel to lend their names to the anti-Israel group known as J Street... The Arab League nations answered no to the President's request for a peace gesture, and the President of the Palestinian Authority has used Obama's settlement pressure toward Israel as his "out" preventing the PA from reentering negotiations. Settlement-building started way before Netanyahu, but it didn't become a roadblock to negotiations until Obama was elected.

Of course, I'd quibble with one underlying assumption, which is that Obama *wants* a peaceful solution. Thanks Shellybenoit.

[tessalu]

I get angry, because a huge part of Obama’s life gets completely swept under the rug. Over twenty years of Obama’s life was spent in the Jeremiah Wright church which is about America's equivalent the KKK. Rev. Wright is Obama's radical lunatic former pastor from the Trinity United Church in Chicago. The hatreds of Jeremiah Wright and his "God damn America" spews on as Obama tries to spread his racist hatred on to Israel. This man was never qualified to be president of the United States. He is a shame and a disgrace to us all.