Doubts about Kerry-We welcome any pro-Israel manifesto, but Kerry's paper doth protest too much

Now the Democrats have a ticket, and that ticket has a pro-Israel position paper that, like the candidates' voting record, is reportedly "second to none."

Festooned with the obligatory button with his name in Hebrew, John Kerry sent out a paper that could have been written for George W. Bush. So those concerned with Israel's security can breathe easy, right?

Let's take a closer look. Kerry's paper claims he "has been at the forefront of the fight for Israel's security during his 19 years in the US Senate." Indeed, he has signed on almost every pro-Israel letter and voted for every pro-Israel resolution. But so have 80 or so other Senators. Yet hopping on such measures after most of the Senate is on board can hardly be characterized as being in the "forefront," unless the train is being driven from the caboose.

It is a happy fact, but a fact, that a Senator must go out of his way to rack up a record considered to be anti-Israel. Kerry did not. We are happy that Kerry dutifully followed the pro-Israel pack, but spare us the "forefront" rhetoric.

Kerry's paper gives the impression that every time Israel responds muscularly against terrorism, he has been right there behind us. "Kerry supports Israel's right of self defense to eliminate threats to its citizens, including actions taken by Israel against Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other terrorist groups in Gaza," his paper says.

Heartwarming stuff. But where was Kerry during the lonely first year of the current Palestinian terror offensive when first Bill Clinton and then George Bush were urging "restraint" on "both sides" in what the State Department affectionately called a "cycle of violence"? Bush did eventually come around to openly backing Israel's right to self-defense, and there were Kerry and the Democrats, leading right behind him.

But has Kerry really even following Bush? Bush did not exactly cheer when Israel killed Hamas terror chieftain Ahmed Yassin, but Kerry's paper gives the impression that he must have. In fact, the Forward reported March 30 that "John Kerry's campaign last week used the excuse that the senator was on vacation in Idaho to dodge repeated requests... for a statement [on Israel's killing of Yassin]. It is still dodging the matter."

Finally, on April 18, Kerry was asked directly by Tim Russert whether he supported the killing of Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi. "I believe Israel has every right in the world to respond to any act of terror against it," Kerry responded. "Hamas is a terrorist, brutal organization. It has had years to make up its mind to take part in a peaceful process. They refuse to. Arafat refuses to.... The moment Hamas says, 'We've given up violence, we're prepared to negotiate,' I am absolutely confident they will find an Israel that is thirsty to have that negotiation."

"Forefront" aside, did Kerry support the killing of Yassin and Rantisi? Not in so many words. Rather, he is confident that once Hamas finally touches that peacemaker within, Israel will be waiting with open doors.

Kerry's paper goes on playing music to pro-Israel ears, from backing Bush's commitments against the Palestinian demand of "return" to Israel and to the pre-1967 borders, to calls for a new Palestinian leadership, to vetoing anti-Israel UN resolutions, to that perennial favorite, moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem. Indeed, his paper is a masterful collection of every pro-Israel noise ever made.

We cannot but welcome any pro-Israel manifesto, but Kerry's paper doth protest too much.

The more salient question is, what do "pro-Israel" position papers really mean in this day and age? Let's get this straight: the American contribution to the security of Israel, and of Jews around the world, for that matter, depends almost entirely on how successfully the US fights the global jihad, of which Israel is the leading and most long-standing target. If America is losing, we will feel it here; if Israel is losing, America is likely to feel it there.

If Kerry really wants to be "pro-Israel" he should not just follow Bush, but outflank him on the need to drive the regimes in Teheran, Damascus, and Riyadh either out of power (a la Saddam) or out of the terror business (a la Qaddafi). If the war against jihad devolves into a September 10-style police action, Israel – and America – will be in trouble.

The Democrats did to Israel what Carter did to the Shah of Iran.

"Murder and terrorize all and anywhere you want, Yassir.
Blow up planes, embassies, kill and rape Jews and Christians and anything else.
Yassir, just tell me more about how I can use 'honor killings', your revenge squads,
and how I can get approval for four wives."

Sounds like the Israelis have been dragged through this particular mud field before.

As the saying goes, "once bit, twice shy."

They have a lot to be shy about in the Dem ticket.

Let's get this straight: the American contribution to the security of Israel, and of Jews around the world, for that matter, depends almost entirely on how successfully the US fights the global jihad, of which Israel is the leading and most long-standing target. If America is losing, we will feel it here; if Israel is losing, America is likely to feel it there. If Kerry really wants to be "pro-Israel" he should not just follow Bush, but outflank him on the need to drive the regimes in Teheran, Damascus, and Riyadh either out of power (a la Saddam) or out of the terror business (a la Qaddafi). If the war against jihad devolves into a September 10-style police action, Israel – and America – will be in trouble.

first Kerry tells an Arab-"American" audience that the Fence is an obstacle to peace. A few months later, he's telling a Jewish audience that the Fence is a necessity for Israel's survival. That's what the Dims call "nuanced" -- everyone else calls it flip-flopping, or lying.

George W. Bush will be reelected by a margin of at least ten per cent

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.