Photo by Amos Ben Gershom/Israeli Government Press Office via Getty Images.
President Obama and Mitt Romney are both jostling to upstage each other prior to Romney’s trip to Israel. Obama is set to authorize an additional $70 million in military assistance to Israel today. Haaretz reports that “U.S. Jewish leaders and a long list of Democratic and Republican congress members and senators have been invited to the signing ceremony of the act, which will take place in the White House.”
But the Romney campaign knows how to squash that news.
From the Associated Press‘s Romney jabs Obama on US policy toward Israel day before Republican visits Jerusalem:
The Republican’s campaign says Romney is happy steps are being taken to enhance security cooperation with Israel. But that the bill “does nothing” to address whether Obama recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
But is it Romney’s position that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, which would recognize Israel’s illegal annexation of the city? That is what he’s indicating–but Romney was criticized by Rick Santorum during the primaries for refusing to explicitly say that Jerusalem was Israel’s capital. You can bet that Sheldon Adelson, who helped create the group One Jerusalem to advocate for Israeli control over all of Jerusalem, has been pressuring Romney to echo Santorum.
Ahh, the sycophantolympics. Romney’s leading in shamelessness, but Obama has the edge in pandering.
somebody radically shined up my draft.
thank you ;)
A good politician is someone who can be bought. A better politician is someone who can be bought cheaply. The best politician is someone who pays you.
I think I can hear Netanyahoo laughing with glee from here.
the one jerusalem group is just relentless. they have been pounding away for over a decade on this goal (as a coordinated group) and if the US caves to this radical illegality what it will signal in terms of the region and our FP is something i don’t even want to consider.
A capital is the city in which a country stores its institutions of government. Since Israel’s institutions of government are almost all in Jerusalem (the ministry of defense is in Tel Aviv), and in addition roughly 100% of the citizens call Jerusalem the capital – whether they’re in favor of dividing it or not – it’s hard to see what case can be made that it isn’t. Perhaps, one might say, it OUGHTN’T be, but in the meantime it clearly is.
“A capital is the city in which a country stores its institutions of government. ”
No, it isn’t. What you are describing is the seat of government.
As I already explained to you:
link to mondoweiss.net
@Woodrow
He’s right, you’re wrong. A capital of a country is the place where the people of the country decide it is, not where some outsiders want to pretend it is.
Fredo, The people of a country can declare whatever the hell they want. No one is obligated to agree. The North Koreans have declared that their current president is someone who’s been dead since the early 1990s. The rest of the world simply believes that your state (and the North Koreans) are crazy.
The official capital of Norway was London for five years. (When the Nazis invaded and put Quisling in power).
Perhaps, one might say, it OUGHTN’T be, but in the meantime it clearly was.
It did not last for ever :-)
I hope The official capital of Palestine will be all of Jerusalem. The zionistas has proved that they can not be trusted to rule the city.
Winnica July 27, 2012 at 11:46 am
“A capital is the city in which a country stores its institutions of government”
Usually within the sovereign extent of that county.
Since Israel’s institutions of government are almost all in Jerusalem”
Contrary to UNSC res 252 and seven reminders. Try 476, it encapsulates the illegality of Israel’s attempted annexation of Arab territory …. including Jerusalem.
” (the ministry of defense is in Tel Aviv)”
A prime valid military target in amongst civilians. How cute ..
” and in addition roughly 100% of the citizens call Jerusalem the capital – whether they’re in favor of dividing it or not – it’s hard to see what case can be made that it isn’t. Perhaps, one might say, it OUGHTN’T be, but in the meantime it clearly is.”
Clearly is …. a minority opinion, without any legal basis what so ever.
Winnica, out of curiosity, are you Israeli, American, or something else?
“Winnica, out of curiosity, are you Israeli, American, or something else?”
He’s a Zionist. For a Zionist, Israel is just a place where Zionism can be put into practice, to the advantage of its adherents. How many Jews they kill or harm in the process (let alone others) makes no difference, as long as their ideology is vindicated, and its advantages gained. Beyond a place for their ideology to triumph, Israel itself (let alone Palestine) means nothing to them. If Jews lived in Palestine/Israel without Zionism, Zionists would lose all interest in the place Think about it.
@ Winnica,
There’s a good reason why non of the world’s embassies are located in Jerusalem. You know damned well why, hence the reason why you omit it. According to you, Kim Yong Un, now that he’s ‘married’ has to be labeled ‘Kim Yong Deux.’
Lest we forget? link to science.co.il
Not only is Jerusalem the capital of Israel, it’s also recognized as such by every single political leader from other countries, from American presidents down, when they make officials visits to Israel’s leaders in Jerusalem.
‘if the US caves to this radical illegality what it will signal in terms of the region and our FP is something i don’t even want to consider.’
It would be great if they did and the UN took the US’s veto from them for bias.
What is this with UN vetos? In a court of law, if your position is prejudiced, you can’t stand for or against something. Can anyone tell me how the mechanism of the UNSC works and why the US is continually permitted to veto the indefensible?
If you give Don Corleone the right to veto. Then DC (Don Corleone) should be held accountable for what they do.
If anyone tries to reform the UN?
DC veto……
It’d be the end of the U.N. We’d pull out of the U.N. altogether and expel them from the country. Without the USA, there’d be no point to having a U.N. at all.
The mechanism works because the 4 most powerful nations in the world, plus France, after WWII demanded permanent positions with vetos as the price of joining the U.N. There would be no point to a U.N. which excluded them (other than France), so they got it. How France got the veto and permanent seat is a mystery to me. Anyone else know?
The U.N. is neither a court nor a democratic institution. Dictatorships get the same number of votes as democracies.
” Without the USA there would be no point to having a U.N.”
You got that ass backwards, Freddy!!
Without the UN the USA could not carry out half of its mercenary and offensive actions all over the world.
Do we want to attack a country? We get the SC to pass a resolution and we are ready to send those troops. Remember Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, etc.? They are all “legal” wars, because the “UN” is worried about the well being of those population, but only in case the US has such interests.
If we kick out the UN and leave it, we lost over half of our firepower needed to run this world. Remember, we are the police that guaranties peace, democracy and freedom for all nations!! Without the UN we have no legitimization, they are the priests/rabbis/ministers/mullahs who bless our weapons before the killing starts.
What are you babbling about, dude?
Vietnam???? UN Security Council resolution?? What are you talking about?? When did the UN ever pass a resolution to invade Vietnam?
Iraq?? The only relevant SC resolution regarding Iraq was the resolution demanding Iraq let UN investigators in, which it did. Do the names David Kelly or Hans Blix ring a bell? There was no resolution to invade Iraq. That was the whole freakin’ point, dude. The UN DID NOT BACK THE IRAQ WAR — it was, essentially, Bush and UK going it on their own.
Are you trying to re-write history, or what?
Yup, I agree with Dennis. The UN is relevant only in so far as it bows to and obeys US demands. Same with the IMF, World Bank, NATO, the whole shebang.
Article on this.
link to newsday.com
comments section so far:
Real-time updating is paused. (Resume)
Kraut58 2 hours ago
The infrastructure of this country is rusting away. We keep graduating kids from high school who can’t read or write. We have a $15 trillion national debt and have to rely on Russia to ferry our astronauts up to the space station. We can’t afford hi-speed rail transportation between cities as as China is building. We spend 48% of the worlds total on arms & armaments, but that’s still no enough. Now we’re giving $70 million of our tax dollars to Israel as well? Where will it ever end?
Botenemy1 hour ago
WHY ARE WE GIVING MONEY TO ISRAEL? WTF?
So far this year it’s 3 billion for Israel
Plus another 250,000 million for their missile defense
Then upped to 500 million for missiles defense
Then another flat out 1 Billion for their “military edge” maintenance
I’m not even going to count up all the other ”agency’ packages for Israel.
I can see the world looking at the US and saying yes indeed the Jews of Israel have taken over America…look at their President using taxpayer money to buy Jewish votes, all the politicans trying to outdo each other to make Israel happy.
There is no way to describe this insanity …no words can describe it….except as we’ve been taken over by a foreign interest.
I’ve gone back and forth on voting for Obama, may go back and forth again but today I ‘m saying I’m not voting for Obama. Will write in a name.
Let Romney win, let the US really get hurt, let it all crash.
It’s time. No point in keeping the patient on life support any longer.
Needs to be buried so we can get a new country.
election years are cash cows for israel
Report: Casino Billionaire Sheldon Adelson Headed to Israel to Hook-Up with Romney
A Mitt Romney fundraiser in Jerusalem was changed to the day after Tisha b’Av.
A new invitation sent this week now lists the fundraiser as taking place Monday morning at the King David Hotel. Romney’s campaign had come under fire from some religious Jews for calling the fundraiser for Sunday night, although it had been timed for 9:30 p.m., more than an hour after the completion of the fast commemorating the destruction of the ancient Jewish Temples.
Romney at the fundraiser will confer with donors for two hours and pose for photographs. On the original date, his appearance was planned to have lasted 45 minutes.
Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, a major donor to Republican campaigns as well as Jewish causes, reportedly will make an appearance at the event, which is tagged at $50,000 a donor or a minimum of $100,000 raised.
Meanwhile, Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor who has been tapped by the Romney campaign as a surrogate to Jewish voters, was touring South Florida on Thursday, where he was appearing at the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center in Miami, among other venues.
link to theuglytruth.wordpress.com
that’s pennies compared to what we normally allow the zionists to extort from us … hey, Paul Bremer, what happened to that $1 Billion in cash you lost in Iraq? Hey, Dov Zackheim, what happened to that $2 TRILLION you “lost” while managing the money at the Pentagon (announced 9/10/01) ?
True anti-semites will never get over Obama’s liberal Jewish existence in terms of friendship and philosophy as described by Norman Finkelstein. Minister Farakhan and David Duke have long memories, and the progressive anti-zionist crowd is in a perpetual state of depression over Obama’s actual pro-Israel policies. But all of this does not gain the President any succor amongst the pro-Israel voting bloc. BTW, isn’t this all of this similar to Carter-Reagan where the polls showed a Carter lead then a dead heat, but never factored in the intensity of the dislike of Carter amongst the Reagan voting bloc. I feel sad for the itsy bitsy progressive voters. Dispirited, lonely, deflated at the hope and change thingie =)
True anti-semites will never get over Obama’s liberal Jewish existence …..the progressive anti-zionist crowd is in a perpetual state of depression over Obama’s actual pro-Israel policies.
“True anti-semites…the progressive anti-zionist crowd”…you’re so subtle bior
Watch out what you say, Annie. The man insinuates he is a Rabbi! Why, do you know how much reverence for Rabbis you must have to take on the title fraudently? You should have more respect for a man of the whole cloth.
@biorabbi
Is this some club you can join in ? Some vows you have to make that you truly are anti-semite ? So who are those who do the judgement, give testimony and be the prosecutor in this case. They are all the same and one ? Thats curious, in just of in a legal terms how someone can be all of those.
@ biorabbi,
You the inspiration behind ‘Biohazrd?’
what happened to that $2 TRILLION you “lost” while managing the money at the Pentagon (announced 9/10/01)
i remember that speech. it was rummy as i recall. by the time the news reported it the towers were crashing and no one was paying attention. trillions, gone. impeccable timing on that announcement, coincidence natch.
There is an article by jeff goldberg exhorting ( quoted in salon by Gleen Greenwald) Israeli to pray for Obama’s victory on the ground an attack by him will be acceptable since Obama is progressive ,democratic,peace loving and character comparing the Romney lacking in these.
The prison guard is asking that a goon should not go for killing an old lady for the affliation with the gang violence will not garner street support, instead the old lady should be killed for her “witchy” appearance by someone who can fly on the Aladin’s carpet of ME peace to the heart of international community and can masquerade as a priest with experiences in manicures and spa.
One wonders how is this different than any exhortations by any Nazi or by Pol Pot or by Idi Amin sympatizers
If they want one Jerusalem, then there should be one state, and no Jewish state at all. You can’t have it both ways.
Interesting and revealing piece by Greenwald on the seemingly imminent prospect of a US attack on Iran, and how this earns many bonus points for Obama in his coming campaign, see here:
link to salon.com
Does our Anglo Saxon heritage make our relationship with Britain more special?
Evidently Mitt thinks so. Maybe he’s a closet WASP supremist. LOL.
During Mitt’s trip to Great Britain…
“We are part of an Anglo-Saxon heritage, and he feels that the special relationship is special,” the adviser said of Mr Romney, adding: “The White House didn’t fully appreciate the shared history we have”.
American, it is nice you learned from MSNBC to quote unnamed sources given to a British tabloid.
Juan Cole isn’t a British tabloid.
It also appeared in the Guardian.
All originating from the unnamed source given to a British tabloid. The Romney camp denied these allegations. There has been no shred of evidence to the authenticity of such a statement. It surely didn’t come from Mitt Romney.
Juan Cole | Romney, and Aryan Racial Theory As Basis for
Foreign Policy
Juan Cole, Informed Comment
Cole writes: “I heard Mitt Romney’s tepid and unremarkable
foreign policy speech, which had a lot of posturing but no
substance, on Tuesday.”
link to lists.readersupportednews.org
<<<<
Must read.
What would really be funny is if Mitt did turn out to be as Anglo and Saxon superior as he is right wing and all the Jewish Semites and Israel backers behind him got the same treatment as the Arab Semites.
You never know what you're gonna get do y0u?
We certainly didn't expect what we got in Obama.
“We certainly didn’t expect what we got in Obama.”
Um . . . we?
There were those of us, even some liberals, who saw this pimp-talking fraudster coming in 2008. No honest politician has ever come out of the political filth that is called “Chicago,” or ever will. Most of them seem to end up in prison.
It was only by Bush being so despised and the Republicans making a catastrophe out of the economy and the Iraq war that Obama ever had a hope of getting elected. Oh! There’s that word is again . . . hope. Hope is what politicians sell to suckers.
I was using ‘we’ in the sense of the nation. I didn’t vote for Obama, I wrote in a name.
I guess if you feel an ethical or moral obligation to vote, and you also feel an ethical or moral obligation to not perpetuate the fraud of American elections, write ins are about all you’re left with. I quit voting after Nixon won his second term by a landslide. I don’t feel an ethical obligation to support idiocy in any form, and American elections are idiocy incarnate.
Some countries, Australia I believe, provide a “null vote” option — essentially “none of the above.” Imagine how strong the message from the American public would be if they had that option and 50% of them chose it and neither candidate got more than about 25% of the total vote. As it is, candidates now get about 50% of the vote, but only 60% of the eligible voters vote. So it’s the same, it just looks better.
The electoral college as originally designed was a brilliant idea: people would choose a person from the local community they thought best qualified to be a member of the college that would decide who the president should be. The fondling fathers were smart enough to see that if the populace were to choose the president, they would chose movie actors, recovering alcoholic scions of past presidents, and other crooks and clowns. Under the original system no presidential candidates were identified or campaigned or made election promises that everyone knew they couldn’t keep. The college met and drafted the best person from the entire population and ask that person to serve, which service was an honor and a sacrifice rather than a sure ticket to a multi-million dollar bank account.
Unfortunately, after Washington declined to serve a third term the electoral college idea was de facto scuttled by the partisan BS of the likes of Jefferson and Hamilton.
RE: “Election theatrics: Obama to sign bill that gives Israel $70 million while Romney hints Jerusalem is capital” ~ Annie Robbins
IT’S NOT JUST THE CONGRESSMEN ANYMORE:
• The Education of Henry Adams by Henry Adams – link to gutenberg.org
• The Education of Henry Adams: An Autobiography (Google eBook) – link to books.google.com
P.S. Henry Brooks Adams’ paternal grandfather was Pres. John Quincy Adams, and his great grandfather was Pres. John Adams.
It’s clear all of you blog-bunnies have been too busy whining to actually read the bill.
First, the bill doesn’t “give Israel $70M”. It doesn’t give Israel any money or mention any amount. That sort of thing has to be done by the Executive Branch in the US. The bill merely supports this waste of taxpayers’ money in general terms.
And here is one of the “policies of the US government” set forth in the bill that is sure to ring your bell.
(3) To veto any one-sided anti-Israel resolutions at the United Nations Security Council.
IOW, anything Israel wants to do is OK w/ the House, the Senate, and that disaster of a President you all elected.
If you’re actually interested in seeing what this is all about, the bill is here. It’s not long.
link to gpo.gov
When I first saw this headline, I thought it was regarding voter registration, enfranchisement, and disenfranchisement efforts by the Republicans ahead of the November elections.
I believe its been reported before here, but Republicans are pushing for voter registration of American citizens living in Israel.
From link to usnews.com:
‘The Republican Jewish Coalition announced Monday that its board of directors, together with former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleicher, are headed next week to Israel to encourage Jewish Americans living abroad to register to vote just in time for the presidential election.
…
The RJC estimates that roughly 150,000 U.S. citizens and eligible voters are living in Israel, including many from key battleground states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Florida.’
This occurs while there are active efforts to disenfranchise perhaps millions of Americans living in the United States with voter ID laws. In Pennsylvania, the voter ID law is currently being debated in the state capital of Harrisburg, after having been passed by the Republican-controlled State Congress and signed by Governor Corbett.
From link to articles.philly.com:
‘In court Thursday, a University of Washington political scientist with extensive background in polling testified that his survey found that more than one million registered voters, or 12.7 percent, lacked valid identification to vote.’
Sometimes you have to shake it off and realize we live in a world where countries like the US spout hypocritical nonsense. The reality is that Palestinian rights will be sold for votes to allow US politician get re-elected/elected as President.
We have a country that spouts phrases such as “everyone deserves democracy”, yet cries for Assad to step down, and ignores pleas from other Arab states that want a sense of freedom (Bahrain, Saudi Arabia).
We have a country that cries how “people should abide by the rule of law”, yet they open a illegal base to hold captives.
What we have is a country that only deals in double standards.
These politicians forget that the only thing they leave is “history”, so make the correct decision for once.