Caroline Glick tells us in
her article that most Israelis have not yet run up the white flag to Hamas, and Hezbollah. But she is greatly troubled over the recent Foreign Policy brush ups with the U.S. and allegations of Israeli espionage by the Obama Administration.
What is going on here? Is our alliance with Israel in trouble? Is Israel really spying? Yes and no to both questions. The good cop-bad cop approach to Israel these days is certainly confusing until you place it into the larger context of the Obama Administration's world view. But, if things keep going sideways in Israel, there is trouble for us all. If Israel were to fall, the entire Middle East would become a very dark place indeed. Glick is absolutely correct in saying that under the Obama Administration, and with the help of the Kadima Party, Israel is being treated worse than a "Banana Republic" run by some Tin-pot Dictator. I would tell Ms. Glick that she has plenty of company, as outlined below.
A bit of background: While I am no expert on Israeli politics, here is my understanding of Israeli "Insider Baseball." There is a political struggle in Israel today pitting opportunistic Tzipi Livni's Kadima Party "go-along-get-along" appeasement, versus Benjamin Netanyahu's "national survival" Likud Party, which seeks to sustain Jewish State identity and sovereignty. The Leftist Israeli Labor Party is presently the junior coalition partner of Kadima. Labor appears to desire "Kumbaya Collaboration" with Arab negotiators. It is little wonder that Ehud Barak renounced the Labor Party's post-Zionism and fled to Likud. Ehud Barak did not move to the Kadima Party because he was not welcome. Livni, in an attempt to make political points and because she wants no competition, has attempted to scandalize Ehud Barak.
Wikileaks: Condoleezza Rice to "spy" on Israel and to gather information on Israeli officials
Now, go on to Glick's second point about espionage. Perhaps, a bit too much is made of the Wikileaks publication of State Department communiqués from Condoleezza Rice to "spy" on Israel and to gather information on Israeli officials. It is relatively common practice of many Embassy Officials and Military Attaches to collect such information openly. This "game of foxes" actually contributes to international stability in the sense that it promotes a bit of transparency and openness. All sides do it. Such information [or disinformation, as the case may be] projects all kinds of images and opinions to friend and foe alike as to who a nation is and what their intentions are. This forces analyst to sort out fact from fiction, but even that leaves open a few questions. It is all fairly common practice. Where this all crosses the line into espionage is when gathered, raw information goes beyond open sources, when agents unconventionally or illegally obtain, pry open, or gain access to information of limited or restricted access. This would be information unintended for open sharing and which contains many answers to those open questions.
If I were Israel's Leader, I would be far more concerned about the "Chicago Way." The Obama Administration knowingly and willingly uses open source information [as well as classified information] gathered from our "ally" to arm-twist, to demoralize, to threaten, and to cajole compliance with Obama's internalized Muslim worldview. Such techniques are being used against Israel to force compliance with their own national suicide. The creation of a hostile State of Palestine, run by radical, anti-Semitic Islamists would be a dire threat to Israel. The intolerable demands for concessions by Israel to accept such a flawed concept bodes ill for their National Survival. President Obama, despite any statements to the contrary, is no friend of Israel. Neither is Hillary Clinton and the Left Wing of the Democrat Party. Friends do not disrespect their friends by by having them eat a stale sandwich in the kitchen with the servants and then shoving them out the back door. This is simply disgraceful. But I want to assure Ms. Glick that Israel's treatment is not an isolated anomaly.
"The World Turned Upside-down."
It is said that at the surrender of General Cornwallis to General Washington at Yorktown, the British Military Band played a popular song of the day: "The World Turned Upside-down." Many, if not most Americans are expressing shock and bewilderment at how American Foreign Policy has changed since the days of Ronald Reagan. Ponder the following few, bizarre examples and judge for yourself who the Obama Administration is, and what his Clinton State Department's policies are:
This week, a State Reception with full honors is given to the Chinese President. We kowtow to the murderous Communist Chinese leaders who have blood on their hands. Since 1980 [the Carter Administration] China has had Most Favored Nation [MFN]trading status. It had been denied since the days of the Korean War. Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson and Nixon all denied China MFN. Still,presidents since Nixon thought that this would open China to more democracy. Well, has it? Reagan blustered about closing it for a time, but it is alive and well. So, Mr. Obama bows to the Chinese Leader and throws a lavish state dinner for this tyrant who make ever more demands. Today, the Chinese even more boldly demand a return of Taiwan. For thirty years we have played the smarty pants "Gingerbread Man" to the Chinese "Fox." We are now at the river bank, and the Fox offers cooperation to take us across the river. We know how that story ends.
We treat our one true South American ally, Columbia, with contempt. Columbia is a rare, true democracy in South America. Columbia fully cooperates with the U.S. anti-drug trade efforts and they work to bring down the murderous Communist FARC Revolutionaries. Columbia seeks a Free Trade Agreement with the United States, alliance, stability assistance and friendship. The US Labor Union Lobbies and Leftist lobbyists continue to block this effort contending that Columbia is anti-worker. Obama gives scant notice to Columbia. Why do we trade with our enemies and bar trade with our friends?
Cuba, Nicaragua, Honduras, Venezuela
When the former President of Honduras refused to abide by that country's Constitution and wanted to create a dictatorship, Honduran Courts ordered him to stand down. When he refused, that Nation's Army stood by their oath to their Constitution and restored free government. President Obama and Secretary Clinton rushed to condemn the forces of legitimacy and stood instead for the Leftist Dictator in in exile. Fair and free elections have since been held in Honduras. Democracy has been restored. Still, we criticize Honduras. Why do we praise their Nicaraguan neighbor and its Marxist Dictator Daniel Ortega? Why does our President accept political gifts from Venezuelan Marxist-Revolutionary Dictator Hugo Chavez?
President Obama, January 14, 2011, has called for easing trade and travel and relations with Cuba, This is a victory for that murderous octogenarian assassin, Fidel Castro. It seems we have forgotten the 'unspoken Castro connections to the Kennedy assassination and Oswald's ties to the Soviets and to Cuba. Meanwhile Cuban dissidents languish in filthy prisons, and the people in Cuba have no freedom and suffer a lower standard of living than any other Caribbean nation except Haiti. Note: Public employment accounts for 76 % of employment in Cuba, and 23% is semi-private. Average monthly salary is $18.00. Who does this agreement please besides Fidel & Raul Castro and their toady friend Hugo Chavez? Have we asked for Cuba to become a free democracy in exchange? No.
The U.S. is lending billions of dollars to Brazil's state-owned oil company, Petrobras, to explore an offshore discovery near Rio de Janeiro. The U.S. Export-Import Bank has issued a "preliminary commitment" letter to Petrobras in the amount of $2 billion with the promise of more. Brazil recently elected an anti-American Communist Revolutionary Dilma Rouseff as President to replace the former anti-American Socialist President Luiz Lula. Meanwhile back at the ranch, Obama has shut down all U.S. Drilling interests in the Gulf of Mexico, and will likely dampen shale oil drilling efforts in the Bakken area of North Dakota and Montana, and the Green River area of Wyoming. Untold, untouched reserves lie beneath ANWR. The Gulf drilling moratorium alone is costing 20,000 American jobs, and forcing us to import more oil. The price of gasoline is headed toward $4.00 per gallon. How good does that get? Are you a happy camper yet?
If the above examples are true indications of how Obama treats us citizens, our allies, and our enemies, it is reasonable for Israelis to be concerned, even worried. I would not trust this Administration to have my back ... at all. Benjamin Netanyahu should surely have received that message by now. On would think that Israel would be resolved to go it alone if necessary. Appeasement never works. That Kadima and Labor now want to adopt the diplomatic version of Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance" or "Imagine" as Israeli Foreign Policy is shocking indeed.
