The Gaffester won't change anything
The gaffetastic Joe Biden will be visiting Israel for three days starting on Monday during which he will be making what is billed as a 'major policy address' at Tel Aviv University. Like John Kerry before him, Biden is coming here to try to convince the Israeli government to get behind the Obama administration's ineffective Iran policy. But Biden is also trying to resurrect Israel's Left, says Caroline Glick in her weekly column in the JPost, because Netanyahu is not likely to go along with a policy that includes exempting China from sanctions against Iran's energy industry. Biden is being sent here because he's seen as the most 'pro-Israel' senior member of the Obama administration. In the process of explaining why Biden's mission is unlikely to succeed, Glick also takes a swipe at Biden's 'pro-Israel' reputation. In light of the gaping disparity between the Obama administration’s policies and those of the Israeli government, the apparent goal of Biden’s address is to shore up the position of the Israeli Left as an alternative to Netanyahu. Apparently, the picture emerging from all of the senior US officials’ meetings with Netanyahu is that Israel’s leader still feels comfortable defying them. Presumably, they now believe that the only way to force him to toe their line is by making him believe that the price of defiance will be his premiership.Read the whole thing.
This of course is a difficult task. The Left after all was roundly defeated in last year’s election. Making it a credible alternative is no mean task.
The Israeli Left for its part is doing its best to tie its own fortunes to the administration. Opposition leader Tzipi Livni placed herself squarely in the Obama camp this week during her confrontation with Netanyahu at the Knesset. Belittling the results of last month’s Gallup poll that showed that Israel enjoys the support of two-thirds of Americans, (and 80 percent of Republicans vs 53% of Democrats), Livni blamed the premier for Israel’s international standing. By not bowing to Obama’s demands and ending all Jewish construction in Jerusalem and accepting the radical peace proposals she and former prime minister Ehud Olmert made to the Palestinians during their tenure in office, Livni claimed that Netanyahu is ruining Israel’s diplomatic position in the US and throughout the world.
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Biden was selected for the job because he is widely perceived as the most pro-Israel senior member of the administration. The fact that before becoming vice president Biden had one of the most pro-Iran voting records in the Senate has done nothing to mitigate this perception. Indeed, despite the fact that Biden voted repeatedly against sanctions on Iran, claimed that Iran’s quest for nuclear bombs was understandable and called for the US to sign a nonaggression pact with the mullocracy while threatening to move for president George W. Bush’s impeachment if he were to order a military strike against Iran’s nuclear weapons programs, Biden continues to be viewed as a solid supporter of Israel.
And indeed, in line with this perception, he can be expected to declare his undying love for the Jewish state several times during his speech at Tel Aviv University. Yet still, and sadly for the Israeli Left and for the Obama administration, his charm offensive will fail to get the girl. The most his visit is likely to yield is a momentary rise in support among Israelis that will quickly recede. And there are four reasons this is the case.
Scott Johnson adds:
Glick notes that during his trip Biden will give what is being billed as a major policy speech at Tel Aviv University. She also gives four good reasons why Biden's mission is a lost cause. The fact that Joe Biden is a pompous buffoon doesn't make Glick's list, but it also deserves consideration.Heh.
Tel Aviv University is possibly the most Leftist campus in the country (Haifa University is probably as Leftist, but they're off the map), so if Biden is going to meet up with a less-than-hostile audience, that would be the place to find it.
It's looking more and more like Israel is going to have to go it alone on Iran. All the simulations to date assume that if Israel succeeds in striking Iran, it will then be reined in by the US. But what if we're not? Hmmm.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:32 AM
5 Comments:
America is lost under the leadership of a spineless President. He is incapable of standing up against Iran.
Israel will have to "go it alone".
I suggest Israel hit Iran's obvious targets as well as Iran's oil refineries, major power generating abilities as well as any major industry that supports the revolutionary guards.
I do recommend the IDF 1st hit Iran with EMP's, and if the IDF has the ability to use EMP's on a smaller scale hit syria and lebanon as well with that technology.
Time will be short. Destroy as much as possible as quickly as possible. Get in as many hits within 24 hours as possible. Use tactical nukes for the underground lab's...
You will not get a 2nd shot...
So if your going to be accused of war crimes in Gaza, might as well give the persians and arabs something that will take 5 years to dig themselves out of...
As for any reaction by hamas and hezbollah?
Cut off all water, power and fuel to gaza and blow open the rafah border with egypt, start a human stampede into the desert...
Lebanon? any and all villages that has rocket launchers? Cluster bomb them. PERIOD.
Start a human stampede running north...
Syria? hit the secret sites we all know about and take out Assad's palace on the 1st sortie...
HIt the Syrians, Lebanese & Iranians were it hurts...
Make it so that their governments topple and MILLIONS are made homeless....
Create a new fact on the ground, genocide of Israel will not be tolerated.
As for a popular uprising within Israel? Any rocket throwing will be met with withering force.
Anyone attacking the state will be deported or imprisoned in POW camps in the Negev.
It's war folks...
pull your head out...
In my experience, Haifa is much better after Pappe left, and even TAU is improving. It's Ben Gurion Uni. which is the most leftist campus...
Oh, and speaking of Iran, have you read Barnea's article in Yedioth's "Mosaf Leshabath"? He outlined an Iranian response scenario (no immediate response, transfer of Iranian personnel to Syria and Lebanon, followed by rocket attacks and the IDF fighting a guerrilla war in Lebanon. Like other scenarios, the US was not predicted to support Israel, but there was a risk of suspension of ties). I found his implied conclusion to be ridiculous - as if the rockets will rot if we let Iran get nukes!
I was wrong about Tzipi Livni not coming to UK because of Islamist threat to have her arrested.
I think she should definitely come and test out their threats. And of course if she's locked up here, she cant get into any mischief in Israel!
Wonderful plan, "what is "occupation"!" You are absolutely right, now is the time to use everything Israel has, including nukes.
If they could also hit mecca and medina and possibly Pakistan, Sudan, Turkey etc etc...and the East London Mosque, please!
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