Israel Matzav

Obama going to Saudi Arabia, will skip Auschwitz liberation anniversary

Having blown off France two weeks ago, Barack HUSSEIN Obama will skip the Taj Mahal next week to visit the new king of Saudi Arabia. In case that doesn't make his priorities clear enough, the President of the United States will then skip the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

This is from the third link.

World leaders have been streaming into the country to pay their respects to the powerful kingdom, which controls one of the world's largest reserves of oil. The late King Abdullah had been a close friend of the United States, but the new king, Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud is less known in the West.

The president has been on a bad streak of late. He skipped the Paris march after the massacre at the Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris, instead watching NFL playoof football. The White House later acknowledged that it should have sent someone with a "higher profile" than just the U.S. ambassador to France.

Then this week, the White House announced that Obama will not see the Israeli Prime Minister on his March visit to address Congress, calling the invitation from House Speaker John Boehner a breach of protocol. But the president did make time on Thursday to visit with a YouTube star who once took a bath in a tub filled with milk and Fruit Loops, prompting much ridicule.

Now, with the change announced Saturday by the White House, Biden will stay in Washington as Obama makes the trip to Saudi Arabia.

But once again, Obama will be a day late and a dollar short. He won't stop in Riyadh until Tuesday, while Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande and Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito will visit on Saturday and Sunday to offer condolences.

Well, maybe Obama is afraid that Hollande will treat him about as well as Netanyahu does.

And then there's the Auschwitz snub.

Treasury Secretary Jack Lew will represent the United States at the 70th anniversary ceremony for the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp on Tuesday—rather than President Barack Obama or Vice President Joe Biden—while other countries are slated to send their heads of state.

Tuesday’s ceremony will likely be the last major anniversary where a significant number of survivors of the Nazi camp are present. About 300 are expected to attend, and most of them are in their 90s or older than 100. Nazi authorities killed 1.1 million people at the camp, mostly Jews, which was liberated by the Soviet army in January 1945.

The New York Times reported on the foreign dignitaries that would be present:

A preliminary list of those attending includes President François Hollande of France, President Joachim Gauck of Germany and President Heinz Fischer of Austria, as well as King Philippe of Belgium, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark. The United States delegation will be led by Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew.

The White House claims that Obama will be in India on a 'long-scheduled' trip. As if they didn't know when the liberation of Auschwitz took place. At least he'll avoid Hollande there too. 

Labels: Auschwitz, Barack Hussein Obama, France, Francois Hollande, India, Saudi Arabia, Saudi King Abdullah, Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, Taj Mahal

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:20 PM