Aaron David Miller is famous for his comment post-Camp David that the U.S. acted as "Israel’s lawyer." He’s reasonable, his book on the unending peace process is pretty good. But in Politico, what’s his advice for Obama after the insult by the Israelis?
“It’s a setback,” veteran Middle East peace negotiator Aaron David Miller said of the East Jerusalem dust up. “But the last thing Bibi or Obama wants right now is a fight … Still Obama must find some way to restore his reputation on the street.”
Imagine people urging George Bush to restore his reputation in France?! What if Obama wanted to walk away, or quietly force the Netanyahu gov’t to collapse? Does the US have any power here? The Times also urges Obama to be conciliatory, even as it suggests imposing a solution: "[we hope] if progress lags, the administration will be ready to put forward its own proposals on the central issues of borders, refugees, security and the future of Jerusalem."
What about when the natural American reaction at last occurs to this absurd abdication of government will? The other night at the IDF demonstration, people were handing out flyers saying, If you want free health care, end the aid to Israel. It’s a point.
Even the US right wing, which loves to demonize Obama, doesn’t necessarily like for a bunch of furriners to diss the US president.
And will they ever even know? The Israelis made all sorts of comments about Bush eating out of their hand, during his presidency. How many of those blurbs got air time?
I maintain that when George Bush stood in Knesset and alluded to Obama as Chamberlain, he was absolutely correct and he knew it: W knew that the next US president would be forced to appease
GermanyIsrael and its expansionist ambitions.Except that no one appeased Israel more than George Bush, including his greenlighting the Iraq war.
Give Obama time. It’s only his first year or so in office. I mean, he’s already killed more civilians by atrocious drone attacks in countries we aren’t formally at war with than Bush ever did. I’m sure he can still outdo Bush in that regard, especially with Rahmbo pushing with that knifepoint from behind.
And anyway, PG, you give Bush too much credit. We’re lucky Bush even got the pronunciation of Chamberlain’s name intelligible. Expecting Bush to grasp the historical significance beyond, “He’s a Democrat and I have to smear him, but I can’t use the word ‘poopiehead.’ Good thing Dick’s staff wrote me this notecard!” is too much of a stretch.
When will any Likudist ever be obligasted to restore his/her reputation to in the US?
Oh, wait, really stupid question: for a reputation to require restoration, it would first have to be sullied and tarnished and besmirched. No chance oft hat ever happening to the reputation of any Israeli on any consistent basis in this here Land of the Free and home of the Brave.