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Biden's Disastrous Israel Trip
The Daily Beast ^ | March 10, 2010 | Reihan Salam

Posted on 03/11/2010 3:27:09 AM PST by rightwingintelligentsia

Israel apologized for embarrassing Vice President Joe Biden by announcing it had approved 1,600 new homes in disputed east Jerusalem while the vice president was engaged in talks with Palestinian leaders. But Biden's blast at Israel's plan will only make the Obama team more unpopular in Jerusalem. Reihan Salam on America's waning influence abroad.

Among Israelis, opinions of the Obama administration are decidedly mixed. Last year, many latched onto poll numbers that suggested that President Obama only had the support of 4 percent of Israelis. Yet those shockingly low numbers were misleading. Another survey, sponsored by the New America Foundation, found that 41 percent of Israelis held a favorable opinion of Obama, while 37 percent held an unfavorable opinion. Interestingly, only 42 percent of respondents believed that Obama supports Israel. If we accept that reality lies somewhere between these extremes, one gets the impression that while the White House has alienated many Israelis, the damage isn't necessarily permanent. That's why Vice President Biden's mission to Jerusalem is so vitally important, and why it's been such a disaster so far.

Unlike President Obama, an outsider without a long track record on issues relating to the Middle East, Joe Biden had a reputation in the Senate as one of Israel's staunchest allies. Last year, during a memorable address at AIPAC's Annual Policy Conference, Biden had very warm words for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he claimed as an old and dear friend. More broadly, he described his lifelong commitment to the American partnership with Israel, which he traced to a fateful meeting with Golda Meir that occurred shortly before the Yom Kippur War.

(Excerpt) Read more at thedailybeast.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Israel; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: antisemitism; biden; bidenantisemitism; dncvsjews; israel; sntisemitismat1600

1 posted on 03/11/2010 3:27:09 AM PST by rightwingintelligentsia
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

The midas touch


2 posted on 03/11/2010 3:29:07 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

Joe Biden... the man who thought he was King of the Jews.


3 posted on 03/11/2010 3:29:25 AM PST by pnh102 (Regarding liberalism, always attribute to malice what you think can be explained by stupidity. - Me)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia
Did he suggest that Israel be broken up into three separate nations? During his debate with Palin he had seven factual statements wrong in a span of two minutes regarding the region. Imagine the damage he did meeting with Bibi for an hour or so?
4 posted on 03/11/2010 3:34:11 AM PST by Shqipo (Manassas III... Where will it be?)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia
"(Biden's) lifelong commitment to the American partnership with Israel"

Possibly sincere, if by "lifelong commitment" he meant "career-length traditional lip-service until I became Barack HUSSEIN Obama's personal sock puppet."

Mr. niteowl77

5 posted on 03/11/2010 3:39:09 AM PST by niteowl77 (You wanted him, and now you have got him. I say, "Good day to you," America.)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia
Well Israel has been lucky they haven't had to test the Obama administrations support for them yet.
6 posted on 03/11/2010 3:54:29 AM PST by Dem Guard
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

Anybody who thought Slow Joe had anything like a thought in his head or any kind of a reasoned, principled position on anything was just deceiving himself.

Slow Joe just goes along and tries to be inoffensive, and often fails at that!


7 posted on 03/11/2010 4:01:21 AM PST by Haiku Guy (If you have a right / To the service I provide / I must be your slave.)
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To: Haiku Guy

“Stand up Yassir! Let ‘em see ya!”


8 posted on 03/11/2010 4:09:09 AM PST by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ( Ya can't pick up a turd by the clean end!)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

Mickey Mouse diplomacy. The United States of America appears as a fool on the world stage. Worse yet, a weak fool.

9 posted on 03/11/2010 4:22:59 AM PST by SJackson (In wine there is wisdom, In beer there is freedom, In water there is bacteria.)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

Mickey Mouse diplomacy. The United States of America appears as a fool on the world stage. Worse yet, a weak fool.

10 posted on 03/11/2010 4:27:29 AM PST by SJackson (In wine there is wisdom, In beer there is freedom, In water there is bacteria.)
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To: SJackson

This entire Obama crew from the White House staff on down the line continue to demonstrate that they are in way over their heads. To get blindsided by an ally on an important mission while the VP is leading the delegation is inexcusable. These jerks are amateurs and put this country at great peril with their feckless and cavalier attitudes toward foreign policy.


11 posted on 03/11/2010 5:29:29 AM PST by nj patriot (Gore is beyond help.... Snakes in the head.)
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To: pnh102
Before Israel takes care of the Iranian nuclear threat, perhaps they need to consider taking out a greater threat to their nation?

Consider the options Israel, with one fell swoop, you can make this world safe for democracy again!

I'm Just saying Mossad?

12 posted on 03/11/2010 7:06:44 AM PST by STD (-Obama Comes, Riding Upon The Pale Horse of Islam)
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To: nj patriot
This entire Obama crew from the White House staff on down the line continue to demonstrate that they are in way over their heads. To get blindsided by an ally on an important mission while the VP is leading the delegation is inexcusable. These jerks are amateurs and put this country at great peril with their feckless and cavalier attitudes toward foreign policy.

Oh, I think the obama crew is following a well laid out plan to the letter. You think they are just silly and don't know how to lead?

Check the record so far....It is our allies and our country they are doing the most damage to, never the Muslims or the commies.

13 posted on 03/11/2010 7:33:58 AM PST by BARLF
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To: AdmSmith; Berosus; bigheadfred; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Fred Nerks; ...
Unlike President Obama, an outsider without a long track record on issues relating to the Middle East, Joe Biden had a reputation in the Senate as one of Israel's staunchest allies. Last year, during a memorable address at AIPAC's Annual Policy Conference, Biden had very warm words for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he claimed as an old and dear friend. More broadly, he described his lifelong commitment to the American partnership with Israel, which he traced to a fateful meeting with Golda Meir that occurred shortly before the Yom Kippur War.
So, does everyone who works in the MSM smoke crack? Thanks rightwingintelligentsia.
14 posted on 03/11/2010 3:21:30 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Freedom is Priceless.)
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