Krauthammer's take on Obama's treatment of Netanyahu
Here's Charles Krauthammer on President Obama's treatment of Prime Minister Netanyahu in Washington this week (Hat Tip: Memeorandum). There's a striking oddity here. This is a president who bows deeply to the king of Saudi Arabia, who's in a photo-op with the dictator of Venezuela, and will not allow the press in when he has a meeting with the prime minister of the only democracy in the Middle East and the strongest American ally in the Middle East.It's worse than that. Name one other visitor that Obama has treated as shabbily as he treated Netanyahu. The only one I can think of that came close was the Dalai Lama. Even Professor Gates got his photo opportunity.
It is odd, indeed.
This is on a level as insulting as what our own Deputy Foreign Minister did to the Turkish ambassador to Israel in the wake of a blood libel shown on Turkish television. And it was totally undeserved. If I were Netanyahu, I would not go back to the White House again without assurances that I'd be treated as a head of state. Let Obama see how he can have a Middle East policy without dealing with Israel.
What happened this week was disgusting.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:29 PM
7 Comments:
It was beyond humiliating. Netanyahu should have insisted Obama received him with proper diplomatic protocol AND the press in attendance and if he wouldn't he should have cut the visit short and returned home. No Israeli Prime Minister should have put up with that kind of treatment. And since Netanyahu did, Obama must not be rewarded for it.
Elections have consequences ...
Some here had it too good for too long and forgot history ...
The only thing more disgusting than the treatment Bibi received is the way Bibi bent over and took it.
Self-respect and sovereignty........no longer in the Hebrew lexicon k'neer'ay
SabaShimon,
Begin would never have put up with it. And if Israel's leaders have no self respect, they should not be surprised when the world treats the country like something you scrape off your shoes. There should be a "red line" and when Israel is subject to rude and discourteous treatment - walk out. You don't expect that from an enemy and its unbecoming from a friend - and nothing is worth enduring humiliation - not even the relationship with America.
There are limits to everything in life.
This is a disaster, but for one thing. BiBi has out-played Obama at his own game.
We will now see if the current U.S. administration has any respect for silently taking abuse and behaving in a "more humble, less unilateral" fashion. Well, of course, the answer is no. So BiBi shows up the President as a hypocrite, forcing an admission to those who can hear it that President Obama himself knows that humility in the face of provocation is worse than useless--it is further provocative.
Don't get me wrong--I am not cheerleading any of this sorry mess. But there is a fantastic takeaway for those who know how to run with it.
These days, we usually don't even get that.
Netanyahu should continue to come to this country, continue to interact with congress, continue to work the people.
He should also, at all costs, avoid dealing directly with this administration. If there is a need for a conversation, this could occur at the ambassador level or below.
This administration is beyond saving. Unfortunately, impeachment won't be an option until the republicans take back congress, which is looking like 8 months from now.
Not impeachment because of his treatment of Netanyahu, but because the guy and his ideology are dangerous to the future of this country. He has alienated our allies, coddled our enemies, bankrupted our future, and grabbed large swaths of private enterprise for the government.
Impeachment is not about punishing. It is about protecting the country from the predations of a dangerous person. Netanyahu just experienced this first hand.
Will someone please give Obama a "blow job" so we can impeach him?
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