“We have always said that in our war with the Arabs we had a secret weapon – no alternative” – Golda Meir (1898-1978), one of the founders of the State of Israel and the fourth Prime Minister of Israel from 1969-1974
In the annals of US foreign policy no country has benefitted more from Washington’s largesse than Israel. Since the 1960’s the foreign policy of the United States in the Middle East has been almost exclusively influenced by its relationship with the state of Israel. Economic assistance to the tune of $140B since the country’s formation in 1948 dwarfs that of any other nation. Today, Israel still receives an annual “gift” of approximately $3B, despite the fact that it is considered a reasonably affluent country in its own right. The United States has continually ignored Israel’s proliferation of nuclear weapons while sanctimoniously condemning other nations in the region from developing their own nuclear capability. Israel has continually cited its national security and virtual existence as its reasons for building a nuclear arsenal and waging a series of regional wars over the past forty years.
Why has Israel benefitted from such preferential treatment from the United States? One hypothesis often floated is that Israel and the United States share the same enemies; terrorist organizations and rogue states in the Middle East that are bent on the destruction of Israel and the creation of a regional Arab hegemony. While it is true that many of the Arab nations in the region view Israel as an illegitimate state, created on lands that Arabs believe belong to the Palestinian people and are therefore hostile to Israel, it is also equally true to say that Arab resentment and hostility towards the United States is largely as a result of America’s unilateral support for Israel and her policies. What is the reasoning behind this unprecedented level of US support for Israel and why does America, in my opinion, continually turn a blind eye to the blatant and disproportionate aggression meted out by Israel on the Palestinian people?
After Israel launched yet another massive land invasion and aerial assault on the Gaza Strip in December, I asked my wife if I was the only person in America that was angered at yet another example of Israel’s belligerence. Israel is perfectly entitled to defend itself but why must its aggression be totally disproportionate – as I write, in excess of one thousand Palestinians have been killed in this latest round of violence. Even ultra conservative commentators here in the United States have been openly critical of Israel’s action. Former Nixon speechwriter and apologist and two time presidential candidate himself, Pat Buchanan, referred to Israel’s most recent incursion in to Gaza as a “blitzkrieg”, in the process creating a “concentration camp” where Israel are “controlling the food, electricity and fuel”.
The pro-Israeli lobby here in the United States is a powerful one. Criticism of Israel in either the House of Representatives (Dennis Kucinich excluded) or the Senate is practically non-existent. There are many prominent Jewish politicians who make sure that Israel’s interests are well served along the corridors of power in Washington and in the White House. Money of course is the fuel that drives every political campaign and pro-Israeli organizations across the country have for decades helped politicians at a local and national level. On the whole however, America’s history of ongoing, unilateral support for Israel has to be seen as having negatively impacted its standing in the Middle East and the world at large. The Arab world’s hostility to the United States is at an all time high and has made America susceptible to Arab backlash, whether it be in the form of a terrorist attack, control over the flow and price of oil or broader support for America’s regional policies.
While I don’t expect huge changes in U.S. foreign policy towards Israel with the inauguration of President Obama and the confirmation of Hillary Clinton as the country’s top diplomat, I will be interested to see if the United States will adopt a more nuanced approach towards its relationship with Israel and the Arab-Israeli conflict in general.
"President Obama”
On January 20th, Barack Hussein Obama will have been sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. Forty years after his death and the day after the holiday that commemorates his memory, Dr. King’s dream has come to pass with the inauguration of America’s first black president. As we leave the disastrous presidency of George W. Bush in the rear view mirror, Americans are looking forward with hope, optimism and excitement at the dawning of a new era in national politics. I for one feel privileged to have had the opportunity to be an interested onlooker while the remarkable story of Barack Obama’s election to the office of President has been written. In the words of Byron, “the great art of life is sensation, to feel that we exist, even in pain”. Indeed.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Closing thoughts on 2008...
Without a doubt the highlight of 2008 was the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States. His message of hope, change and promise of a return to the ideal of an open and transparent government resonated with an American public that hadn't felt as dissilluioned with it's public officials since the dark days of Watergate. Despite a worsening economy, one that is likely to get worse before it gets better, Americans feel optimistic about the future and the possibilities that lie ahead with a new President in the White House. Expanded majorities in the House and Senate will make President elect Obama's job of implementing his legislative agenda a little easier once the 111th Congress kicks into gear.
Here in California, the passage of Proposition 8 ("Prop 8") in last November's election changed the state constitution and eliminated the right for same sex couples to marry. It was only in May of 2008 that the California Supreme Court had ruled to recognize the right to marry by same sex couples. Despite mass protests across the state and the country in reaction to the results of the November election, the new ruling went into immediate effect on the state's books. There is a current open legal issue that relates to the approximately 18,000 same sex marriages that were conducted between May and November and whether the passing of Prop 8 will have retroactive application to those cases. With Connecticut becoming the second state (after Massachusetts) to recognize same sex marriage in November, there is no doubt that the citizens of Calfornia will be asked to vote again on this issue in the near future.
The political miscalculation of the year had to be John McCain's decision to ask Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska to be his Vice Preisdential running mate. McCain displayed an appalling lack of political and personal judgment in picking a woefully inexperienced and out of touch governor who became the laughing stock of every late night TV comedian. While it is true that Palin helped to energize the Republican base with her down home, "you betcha" style of campaigning, in truth these were folks who were never going to vote for Obama anyway, and, rather than inspire women who may have been dissaffected after a bruising primary fight between Clinton and Obama; Palin did the exact opposite, driving women to vote for Obama in record numbers.
Speaking of aspiring women politicians, Caroline Kennedy, daughter of JFK and one of Barack Obama's three person Vice Presidential advisory team, has thrown her hat into the ring in the race to be picked as Hillary Clinton's replacement as the junior senator from New York. Clinton, who is awaiting confirmation as Obama's Secretary of State, will leave vacant her New York Senate seat, the one formally held by Kennedy's uncle, Robert F Kennedy between 1965 and 1968. The appointment of Clinton's replacement lies solely with New York Governor David Patterson and he has said that he will make no decision on the matter until Clinton is formally confirmed as the country's top diplomat. Should Caroline be chosen, it would mean that two Kennedy's would again hold Senate seats at the same time. Ted Kennedy, who served alongside his brother Robert in the 1960's, is entering his 47th consecutive year as US Senator. Patterson is likely to make a decision in the next three weeks so stay tuned.
Here in California, the passage of Proposition 8 ("Prop 8") in last November's election changed the state constitution and eliminated the right for same sex couples to marry. It was only in May of 2008 that the California Supreme Court had ruled to recognize the right to marry by same sex couples. Despite mass protests across the state and the country in reaction to the results of the November election, the new ruling went into immediate effect on the state's books. There is a current open legal issue that relates to the approximately 18,000 same sex marriages that were conducted between May and November and whether the passing of Prop 8 will have retroactive application to those cases. With Connecticut becoming the second state (after Massachusetts) to recognize same sex marriage in November, there is no doubt that the citizens of Calfornia will be asked to vote again on this issue in the near future.
The political miscalculation of the year had to be John McCain's decision to ask Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska to be his Vice Preisdential running mate. McCain displayed an appalling lack of political and personal judgment in picking a woefully inexperienced and out of touch governor who became the laughing stock of every late night TV comedian. While it is true that Palin helped to energize the Republican base with her down home, "you betcha" style of campaigning, in truth these were folks who were never going to vote for Obama anyway, and, rather than inspire women who may have been dissaffected after a bruising primary fight between Clinton and Obama; Palin did the exact opposite, driving women to vote for Obama in record numbers.
Speaking of aspiring women politicians, Caroline Kennedy, daughter of JFK and one of Barack Obama's three person Vice Presidential advisory team, has thrown her hat into the ring in the race to be picked as Hillary Clinton's replacement as the junior senator from New York. Clinton, who is awaiting confirmation as Obama's Secretary of State, will leave vacant her New York Senate seat, the one formally held by Kennedy's uncle, Robert F Kennedy between 1965 and 1968. The appointment of Clinton's replacement lies solely with New York Governor David Patterson and he has said that he will make no decision on the matter until Clinton is formally confirmed as the country's top diplomat. Should Caroline be chosen, it would mean that two Kennedy's would again hold Senate seats at the same time. Ted Kennedy, who served alongside his brother Robert in the 1960's, is entering his 47th consecutive year as US Senator. Patterson is likely to make a decision in the next three weeks so stay tuned.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
44 - www.change.gov
I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power the greater it will be – Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States 1743-1826
The American economy is in the grips of its worst recession since the great depression of the 1930’s. In November, 533,000 American’s lost their jobs, the worst monthly drop since December 1974. Home foreclosures are at an all time high and the average American has seen their retirement fund slashed, due in no small part to a 37% drop in the value of the stock market in the last 12 months. There is palpable concern for the future of over 3 million jobs that are either directly or indirectly supported by the automobile industry. After 3 decades of gross inefficiency, bad management and abject failure to stay competitive with their Japanese and German counterparts, America’s top three automakers; General Motors, Ford and Daimler Chrysler, have finally been taken to task by politicians. Claiming that their companies will go bankrupt unless they receive an economic bailout from the federal government, the CEO’s of the Big 3 arrived on Capitol Hill looking for a combined early Christmas present totaling $38B. Yes, that’s billion with a B.
In days of old, the Congress might well have huffed and puffed and then written the check, but times are changing in Washington. Reflecting the views of the new President-elect and flexing its legislative muscles in advance of an expanded majority in the House and Senate come January, the Democrat controlled Congress this week offered the Big 3 a bridge loan of $15B, all of it tied to extensive reform and restructuring of their companies. Despite all this malaise however, Americans are excited and energized at the prospect of welcoming in a presidency that is open, accountable and focused on doing the people’s work.
The night of November 4th was a memorable one in our house. Even though Barack Obama had held a consistently steady lead of anything from 5 to 10 percentage points in the polls over John McCain in the weeks leading up the election, I was still nervous that something out of the ordinary would happen to dash our hopes. I need not have worried. In midst of a few celebratory drinks, it became very clear as the polls closed across the country that the Obama-Biden ticket had won a crushing mandate. Although the final percentages looked somewhat close at 52.9%-45.7%, the Obama-Biden ticket won the popular vote by almost 10 million (69,394,675 to 59,892,681), and more than twice the number of electoral-college votes won by McCain-Palin (365-173). At 62.9%, turnout was at its highest since 1964. Not only did Obama win every state that John Kerry won in 2004 but added Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio and Indiana.
In recent weeks, Barack Obama has said on a number of occasions that there is only one president at a time in America. While factually correct, it is clear that W has already checked out and the president-elect has taken center stage, putting in place his much advertised “team of rivals” cabinet. As I write we are still 44 days away from the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, however it already feels like we have a new commander in chief in town.
Oh, happy days!
Office of the president-elect transition website: www.change.gov
The American economy is in the grips of its worst recession since the great depression of the 1930’s. In November, 533,000 American’s lost their jobs, the worst monthly drop since December 1974. Home foreclosures are at an all time high and the average American has seen their retirement fund slashed, due in no small part to a 37% drop in the value of the stock market in the last 12 months. There is palpable concern for the future of over 3 million jobs that are either directly or indirectly supported by the automobile industry. After 3 decades of gross inefficiency, bad management and abject failure to stay competitive with their Japanese and German counterparts, America’s top three automakers; General Motors, Ford and Daimler Chrysler, have finally been taken to task by politicians. Claiming that their companies will go bankrupt unless they receive an economic bailout from the federal government, the CEO’s of the Big 3 arrived on Capitol Hill looking for a combined early Christmas present totaling $38B. Yes, that’s billion with a B.
In days of old, the Congress might well have huffed and puffed and then written the check, but times are changing in Washington. Reflecting the views of the new President-elect and flexing its legislative muscles in advance of an expanded majority in the House and Senate come January, the Democrat controlled Congress this week offered the Big 3 a bridge loan of $15B, all of it tied to extensive reform and restructuring of their companies. Despite all this malaise however, Americans are excited and energized at the prospect of welcoming in a presidency that is open, accountable and focused on doing the people’s work.
The night of November 4th was a memorable one in our house. Even though Barack Obama had held a consistently steady lead of anything from 5 to 10 percentage points in the polls over John McCain in the weeks leading up the election, I was still nervous that something out of the ordinary would happen to dash our hopes. I need not have worried. In midst of a few celebratory drinks, it became very clear as the polls closed across the country that the Obama-Biden ticket had won a crushing mandate. Although the final percentages looked somewhat close at 52.9%-45.7%, the Obama-Biden ticket won the popular vote by almost 10 million (69,394,675 to 59,892,681), and more than twice the number of electoral-college votes won by McCain-Palin (365-173). At 62.9%, turnout was at its highest since 1964. Not only did Obama win every state that John Kerry won in 2004 but added Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio and Indiana.
In recent weeks, Barack Obama has said on a number of occasions that there is only one president at a time in America. While factually correct, it is clear that W has already checked out and the president-elect has taken center stage, putting in place his much advertised “team of rivals” cabinet. As I write we are still 44 days away from the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, however it already feels like we have a new commander in chief in town.
Oh, happy days!
Office of the president-elect transition website: www.change.gov
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