[Fishrrman]

Interesting how some here swear the United States will never “abandon” Israel.

That was _then_, pre-Obama.

This is now:

“The Devil’s Bargain”
by Arthur Herman:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/12302008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/devils_bargain_146440.htm

Excerpt:

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” Imagine if, in the summer of 1941, Adolf Hitler had approached Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt with this deal: I will cease hostilities and leave the British Empire alone, if you leave me alone to finish my extermination of the Jews. Expect Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to offer a similar deal to Barack Obama come January.

“Officially, the offer will be Iranian cooperation with the West in Iran’s nuclear program, possibly including United Nations inspections - if the United States reverses course on its support for Israel, including its actions against Hamas in Gaza.

“Iran expert Ze’ev Maghen of Bar-Ilan University thinks this may be what top Iranian officials are preparing to offer the West in a kind of crude devil’s bargain. In short, Iran’s price for getting along with America, “the Great Satan,” will be our acquiescence in the destruction of “the Little Satan,” Israel.”

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This could never happen, right?
Not a chance, right?
Not even with a pro-Muslim president of Islamic origins and upbringing, right?
Right?

- John

[quadrant]

I am skeptical that the offer will be that crudely put - especially, if offered as a direct quid pro quo - but I do expect Iran to offer B. Hussein Obama something for either a “moderation” of US support to Israel or increased pressure on the Jewish state. I am skeptical of a direct swap for one reason alone: a direct quid pro quo would entail a radical redirection in US policy, an act which would generate a political firestorm. Obama is too shrewd for a folly of that magnitude. I do believe he wants to decouple the US from Israel, but realizes the change must be gradual and imperceptible. One might liken the change Obama seeks to that of the old story of a frog in water. If you drop a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will leap out. But if you put it in a pot of water at room temperature, the frog will not drop out. Then, if you slowly, very slowly, heat the water, the frog will not notice the change in temperature until its too late. I fear that one day within the next four (or God forbid) eight years we will wonder how the US came to abandon so many of the pillars (foreign and domestic) that held this country up since 1776.

[verity]

IMHO, abandonment of Israel is not a strategic possibility because she could easily resort to her nuclear capability to even the playing field with the islamist crazies.

[TalBlack]

“if the United States reverses course on its support for Israel, including its actions against Hamas in Gaza.”

I have little doubt that an Obama would do such a thing. However if he does he’ll curse the day his mother met his father. Hell curse the day he developed political ambitions outside of Chicago. He’ll curse the rising of every sun, and he will curse the setting of each sun. If he stabs Israel he stabs me.