The humiliation of Barack Obama

[Che -Guevara]

As he prepares to singularly veto Palestine's statehood bid, he must be thinking to himself: 'This isn't right'.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has no qualms with rejecting President Obama's terms outright [GALLO/GETTY]

 

Sooner or later, it's going to happen. Most likely, the moment will come just before his first head-of-state meeting in New York. Or perhaps it will happen just before his first side-bar meeting with Binyamin Netanyahu. Or then again, it may come as the cumulative reaction to a series of embarrassing encounters with fellow world leaders. But the moment will come.

 

At some point this coming week, during his visit to the this year's opening of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, US President Barack Obama is going to have a nearly irresistible urge. He is going to want to stand up to his hovering political handlers and the smothering bureaucracy which tries to dictate his every move, summon his personal dignity, and say "Enough".

 

In April of 1995, President Clinton played host to then-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan. US-Pakistan relations were in sharp decline. A few years before, the US had begun to implement sanctions mandated by the so-called Pressler Amendment, under which Pakistan was to be punished with a complete cutoff of aid and of military sales if it were found to be pursuing a nuclear-weapons capability. The first President Bush had made such a finding, and now the ties between the two countries were being progressively cut.

 

At the heart of the growing ill-feeling between the two nations was the US cancellation of a previously-agreed sale of 28 F-16 fighter aircraft. The Pakistanis had realised when they signed the purchase deal that it might be cancelled if the Pressler Amendment were invoked. Now, given the law and the previous assertion of Pakistani culpability from President Bush, there was no longer any question of delivering the aircraft. But there was another wrinkle.

 

The Pakistanis had paid enormous sums of money which they could ill afford, in advance, for the airplanes. And now, according to the US, not only could the Pakistanis not have the warplanes, but they couldn't have their money back, either. You see, the money wasn't there anymore; it had been spent by the contractor. The planes had been built. There was no provision under US law to provide appropriated funds to compensate the Pakistanis.

 

Yes, the F-16s could perhaps be sold to another country and the proceeds given to Pakistan, but that, too, might require approval from a hostile US congress, and would most likely not be forthcoming. In short, there was nothing to be done. And as if to add insult to injury, the Pakistanis were also being charged a hefty annual storage fee for each plane - each plane that they could not have.

 

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[Che -Guevara]

One of better articles I have seen in awhile.

[xiinfaniin]

An eloquent, and moving piece.

 

It is not only Obama, the entire American political system is being held hostage by well entrenched Zionist forces. It is amazing how most Americans understand it but seem helpless to do anything about it.

[Som@li]

Nice read, US will veto it, and in order not to look bad or be single, were trying to lobby others to vote against.

 

But the day will come ,when justice will be served.

[Som@li]

Waxaan maqli jiray, GEED baa la saaray, Nimanka waxa ay ku qafileen baan garan la'ahay.

[Che -Guevara]

How this entrenched interest is derailing America's geopolitical interest-Palestine is the litmus test for America's involvement in ME, whatever goodwill they have might attained in the Arab will evaporate soon enough. It will be interesting to see what will major European powers will do?

[nuune]

Obama's two state solution was to convince the Arab World when he gave that moving speech at Cairo, thanks to few visits of Netanyahu to Washington by telling to shut up, they know if they accept peace, it is their end, and that is it, so they have no choice except to do their things(settlements, killing, start negotiations, end negotiations etc)

[Prometheus]

Why Israel insists on acting against its own self-interest befuddles me. Despite my sympathy for the state of Israel, it is becoming increasingly impossible to defend their policies with a straight-face.

[Che -Guevara]

^Considering your anti-religious stance, it is rather perplexing you are sympathetic to a State whose claims to Palestine is derived from the Bible and unabashedly persecute an entire nation.

[Naxar Nugaaleed]

sentimental none sense not in touch with the reality of American Politics and how much wiggle room Mr Obama has on this issue. We just witnessed what happened the Anthony Weiner's seat in a lopsidedly democratic district where a conservative new comer was able to paint the President as anti-isreal. Imagined what would happened if he were to be held responsible for allowing a single vote that would result in a weaker and delegitimized Israel. He would't even make it past the fake Dem primary let alone having a shot at winning the presidency.

[Som@li]

^and why is that?

 

I understand why Isreal playing the game, they are in a position of strength, and their strategy is endless negotiations with no outcome, while the expansion and settlement continues, and always the Palestinians , being desperate, are shifting their position, to please Isreal or to get something out of it.

[Prometheus]

The special election in NY probably reflected a more general economic malaise, and the ire of voters seemed to point more towards the administration than the intransigent Republican party. But the fact that the Republican also painted Obama as less than a stalwart ally of Israel also helped his cause. It's somewhat unfortunate for both parties to be beholden to the interests of a foreign state. It's almost scandalous. You can be a Zionist without being self-destructive.

 

@ Che, sxb, things are not as simplistic as you think.

[Naxar Nugaaleed]

The last time the time the Ninth congressional district sent a republican to congress was in 1920, lol, every imaginable "economic malaise" has taken place between then and now yet they have sent one now because he was able to paint Obama as anti-Isreal and told voters to send a message to the President.

 

Somali, we don't know but this country is very pro-Isreal, Most Americans might not able to distinguish Israel and America. Doesn't hurt that the current PM is actually a Philadelphian and a lot of those Israelis in Jerusalam and Tel aviv are actually from brooklyn. What ever the reason, its just a fact out there. I understand the predicament Abu Mazen is in as far as an unwilling Israeli peace partner and an American president bogged down my domestic politic but am not sure dragging Obama in front of the security council and forcing him to choose sides is the best option. Fayyad has accomplished a lot before he took over as the PM, I just hope that this action does not lead a cut in funding.

[xiinfaniin]

NN, it is not like we don't understand America's blind support for Israel. We do. But we (at least I am) are lamenting how a mere domestic political consideration is getting in the way of America's larger interest in the world. This by the way is a known fact for most American thinkers and leaders. Even Bob Gates (former Secretary of Defense) admitted as much. Israel is a strategic liability to America. The relationship is one-way, and America gets nothing in return. On top of that, the Zionist movement is increasingly becoming intellectually bankrupt.

 

As for Obama, I think it is utterly unrealistic for us to expect one man to change/ignore the underlying political forces that underpin America's domestic and foreign policies. I think the man tried to be very realistic and reasonable but because of bad timing (his reelection bid is already underway) and his party's loyalty to certain political forces is proving rather insurmountable challenge in relation to the Med East question.

[STOIC]

The Jewish people (and of course their American dhabodiliif) are defending the indefensible here and they know that very well.Any sensible American or worldly person can see that Palestinians are sure winning a moral victory here.Abbas need to stick to the plan of presenting his paper work to the general assembly.Israel will never agree to withdraw from any settlement neither do i see any good relation with Arab and Islamic world after Obama use his veto... hatred for Israel will never turn to apathy after that veto is used i hope they know that ....