Obama’s refusal to congratulate the reelected Benjamin Netanyahu is shameful, but not unexpected, from the petulant immature little boy we call President. Instead of congratulations he makes sports picks:
¯_(ツ)_/¯ pic.twitter.com/nKn4xZKhA4
— Jimmy (@JimmyPrinceton) March 18, 2015
Obama had no problems congratulating radical Islamist Tayyip Erdogan, radical Islamist Hassan Rouhani, Communist Vladimir Putin, Communist Xi Jinping, and Radical Islamist Mohammed Morsi. But Netanyahu? No call.
Probably adding to Obama’s petulance is the fact that the outside influence that he and his pals brought to bear in Israel, as well as his support of Iran, more than likely helped Netanyahu get elected.
President Obama, friend to tyrants…
See author page
So is it just me, or does it seem totally ridiculous for the US government to be spending tax dollars to influence foreign elections when:
1) We have $18 trillion in debt AND
2) It is illegal for foreign contributions to be used in US elections.
Furthermore, what does it say about Obama that he works to support the efforts of foreign groups that work against US interests (a la Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Iranian jihadocracy), but works against groups that are more in sync with US interests (Iranian opposition to the jihadocracy, the current Egyption president, and Israel)?
@Pete: #1
Yes, yes, but Pete, he can publish an NCAA bracket easily, given his intimate knowledge of all things basketball from so much time watching games on the W.H. TV screens.
Even a part-timer flipping burghers in a fast food joint wouldn’t have time for that, never mind the CEO of a company. While Jarrett runs the show, the U.S.’s CEO stays tuned-in.
This is a sad state of affairs, but a critical one to be aware of as 2016 approaches and a new leader is sought.
Why would Obama be upset with him? Well…
March 16, 2015 – “Netanyahu shoots down two-state solution ahead of vote.”
What the hell. It was a close election, and he figured he needed the votes, what with all those droves of Arab Israeli citizens being bused to the poles.
And then there’s the small matter of Netanyahu’s speech before Congress, calculated to monkeywrench the Obama administration’s negotiations with Iran.
You don’t THANK your enemy when THEY win.
@Greg:
As if some negotiation with Iran is in America’s best interest….
Iran is a hostile regime whose intent it is to destroy Western civilization and obamao is BFF with them….
Tells me everything I need to know about your pos president….
@Greg: If you like your two state solution, keep your two state solution. His conditions re much different than Obama’s. Bibi’s conditions can never be met by the terrorists.
@Greg:
Let’s see- who called who a “chickensh*t”? Someone remind me.
The real reason there can be no ”Two State Solution,” is that the Muslim side has NO official leader who can control his own side.
So what if a leader-on-paper can come to a table somewhere and sign some deal?
If his ”people” refuse to abide by it, it isn’t worth the paper it is written on.
Abbas has called himself head of the Palestinians for HOW MANY YEARS PAST his legal term of office?
Both Abbas’ Fatah as well as Gaza’s Hamas have terrorist wings to their organizations.
Those terrorist wings cannot be controlled by their own organization’s leaders.
Add to that the official charter of Hamas includes an oath that Israel be done away with.
How can you make a deal with people like that?
Fatah and Hamas officially don’t even like to admit Israel has a right to exist!
Again, how can you make a deal with people like that?
Lastly, ISIS is getting a foothold in Gaza, in Lebanon, in the Sinai Peninsula.
All of those places surround Israel.
Obama having a temper tantrum is no surprise. His reaction is like a spoiled brat not getting his way. He’ll show them (Israel) not to mess with him. He doesn’t care if Israel is smoked by Iran. That’s what they deserve by going against his wishes. So, he’ll go to the useless UN to get his way.
He should go back to his NCAA brackets. That’s where his real attention will be for the next three weeks.
@Nanny G: #8
Plus, what our media seems to be missing is that each and every Arab state in the region, including the regionally influential Saudi Arabia, wants the turmoil to continue. It provides umbrage and relative safety to the their positions and dictatorial abuse of power.
When we read articles in the NYT insulting Netanyahu and lying about the situation, lying about the Obama involvement in the elections, it’s hardly surprising the rest of the imbeciles in the media follow their leader. They dare not do otherwise.
What Obama no doubt sees is a leader who has totally reversed his stated position days before an election as a matter of political expediency, and who is suddenly doing his damnedest to sabotage his ally’s negotiations with a third party when failure could move his ally one step closer to a potentially disastrous war.
It’s also a Middle East PR disaster. Netanyahu has greatly reinforced a problematic suspicion that Muslim states have had all along: that any words from Israel suggesting the possibility of amicable solutions to the Palestinian problem can’t be trusted. Extremists will certainly make fullest use of this to recruit and to sway public opinion. Violence between the Palestinians and Israel will no doubt escalate as a result. Regional tensions will rise just as we’re trying to talk Iran back from nuclear weapons.
It was all stupid and unnecessary. It sure as hell hasn’t made Israel any safer, and it ups the risk of war for the United States.
Is Obama supposed to smile about any of this?
While Obama is alienating all Arab states that want to fight ISIS such as Egypt and Jordan, the Saudis and UAE, Israel is becoming their ally.
All Bibi N. said was it is untenable that a two-state solution could happen during his next term because Abbas is in his office illegally and Hamas is in charge of Gaza.
Neither leadership can speak for their own populace.
Neither leadership can even control their own populace.
Hamas’ charter still calls for Israel’s destruction.
Who would Obama/Kerry have Bibi make a deal with?
There is no one.
In my opinion, Mr. Netanyahu would have done better for all concerned by stating his conditions for a two-state solution.
@Greg:
Why should Netanyahu concede to any radical region that wants to destroy Israel? I have told you before to research the history of the region now known as Palestine, but I guess you want to remain an uninformed dupe of the left that shows its anti-Jewish bent, day after day.
There never has been a nation state known as Palestine. Never. But it was part of the Land of Israel, and this arbitrary return to borders is just a date picked by those who hate Israel.
Why you choose to remain such an idiot is beyond my comprehension.
@Greg:
AH, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA….>GASP< HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA. Ha.
How about "you can keep your insurance"? How about "marriage is between a man and a woman"? Sheesh, Greg, are you lampooning yourself?
Israel has ceded territory in the interests of peace and you know what happened? They get rockets dropped on their neighborhoods, soldiers kidnapped and killed and terrorized. There is NO incentive for Israel to negotiate with Palestinians and the Palestinians are in no way motivated to negotiate in good faith because Israel-haters in the UN and the White House will not support peace.
How would anyone expect a loser like Obama to be able to negotiate with the likes of Iran or Putin when he cannot even negotiate with an ALLY?
@retire05, #14:
Thank you for the history lesson. No one pretends that the two-state solution would represent the restoration some past Palestinian state, however. It represents one proposed means of attaining greater stability in the Middle East by creating such a state for an ethnic group that was displaced by the creation of the state of Israel.
Palestine was a region. Palestinians lived there. They are now longer welcomed in the places where they formerly resided. Refugee camps do not count as a homeland. I would think the Jewish people might empathize with this situation to some degree.
There are two sides to the story. Israel has, in fact, expanded to encompass more than its original borders included.
@Bill, #15:
I think that might be what you just did to yourself.
@Greg:
There never was a past Palestinian state. EVER.
How many Jews have been kicked out of the region now known as Palestine? Palestine was their ancestral home land, yet the Palestinians kicked them out. And why are Arab Muslims allowed to live in Israel, yet Jews are not allowed to live in Palestine?
And Jews lived there. Yet the ones who rule Palestine will not let Jews live there now.
No, there is just one story; the historical story.
Well, so much for Gullible Greggie researching actual history. Israel is small in modern day compared to what it was when it encompassed the region known today as Palestine.
Once again, you show what an idiot you are. Add lazy to your resume.
@Greg: Oooo… “I know you are, but what am I?” No explanation as to why you might think the serial campaign liar Obama would have a problem if a politician made (in your opinion) untrue statements? No, I guess not; that would require an honest self-evaluation of a belief in a failed regime and that just ain’t in the cards, is it Greg?
@retire05, #18:
Can you not read simple English sentences? No one said that there was. Keep reading that until it sinks in. There was a Palestinian region, where Palestinians lived.
If you search “Palestine map” on Google images, you will see many examples going back many years. Here’s a more recent one. It dates from 1924.
If you want to argue with the voices in your head, please stop addressing your comments to me.
@Greg:
1924? You mean the area known as Palestine after Europe got done chopping up the Middle East at League of Nations after the Treaty of Versailles? Gee, who knew the region didn’t have a history, or a name, until then?
Yep, you’re an idiot.
@retire05, #21:
I’m afraid you’re going to have to focus your insults on someone else if you’re hoping to get any further responses.
@Greg:
You mean you’re going to quit responding to me, Gullible Greggie?
YEAH, FINALLY ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Arab Israelis voted for Bibi N. in rather large numbers.
That’s because ARAB Israelis have the right to vote in israel.
They are NOT ”refugees.”
It is fellow Muslim countries that keep their fellow Muslims as stateless, non-voting, non-educated, non-employable, non-opportunity refugees inside their borders for upwards of 70 years.
People who were the original refugees are almost all dead.
But their children BORN in these Muslim countries, and even those children’s children are also prevented from citizenship rights in the lands of their births.
That is NOT Israel’s fault!
In point of fact, most Muslim refugees were from other Muslim lands, not from Israel at all.
Still they are treated like dirt in the countries where their parents and grandparents fled for refuge.
If you want to be mad at countries for mistreating Muslim refugees, be mad at Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, etc.
Edited to add:
?w=641&h=496&h=496
Dome of the Rock 1875.
Where are all the “Palestinians” in their supposedly holiest site?
According to Mohammad he flew on his flying horse to this mosque one evening.
It truly is interesting to see the Rights reaction to Netanyahu’s reprehensible racist demagoguery and his cynical reversal of the key principle that the United States has, to great pains, wielded in Israel’s defense for multiple administrations, including this one. Well he sure made us look like gullible idiots. Yay!
Who exactly in the Republican Party keyed Bibi in on the Southern Strategy? Didn’t they tell him you’re supposed to do it with a wink, not yell “The Arabs are coming! The Arabs are coming!”. As we’ve seen on Flopping Aces, the smooth American operator floats it so much more artfully: ‘That lazy Obama, watching all that blacksketball on the giant flat screen in the White house!” Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.
What a sad day for liberal Israel, to witness its top political leader playing the race card and demonizing minority voters. I guess there are some people in American who might find that disturbing (you know, for historical reasons), rather than cause for celebration. Oh, well. You can’t unsound the bell. I’m sure some Republicans in Texas can fly over and fill in him in on the latest in voter suppression. Maybe he can create the racist upopia they pine for.
Another liberal idiot whose I.Q. equals his shoe size.
@retire05:
You don’t know my shoe size.
You might want to put your Bibi pom poms over your eyes
Let me save you all the trouble: Stupid Obama loving liberal top Israeli Conservative rabbis! Bibi=right.
@Tom:
But Obama’s fear mongering about Republicans getting out to vote en masse and that is why all the Democrats needed to get to the polls post haste was fine by you, I’m sure.
And I don’t think you wear a shoe size over a 13 so that would put your I.Q. just barely over a single digit.
@Greg:
There can be no “two” state solution, do you understand the “right of return” as emphasized by the so called Palestinians? There is no two state solution on the part of the arabs, just a “final” solution….
Good point.
Another point is that Abbas is in the 11th year of his 4 year term.
Why?
Because he refuses to hold elections.
Why?
Because he knows he would lose to Hamas.
So, who does he ”lead?”
No one.
Is there any ”Palestinian” would-be leader who would bind all of Gaza and West Bank’s populace to acceptance of a Jewish state?
No, and that’s an unlikely scenario ever.
What MAY come is Hamas ruling not only Gaza, but also the West Bank soon.
And, when they do, Israel will be attacked by Kassam rockets (unguided) from West Bank locations.
What about the idea that the USA or the UN might ”guarantee” Israel’s territorial integrity?
Well, we all saw how Obama tore up that guarantee with regards Ukraine when Putin wanted it.
We all saw what Obama’s ”Red Line” in Syria stood for, too.
So, no.
Edited to add one more thing:
It is very much Zionist Camp leader Isaac Herzog’s fault he lost the Israeli election.
Why?
Because Israeli voters have no reason to trust Iran but Herzog said, ”I trust President Obama to make a good deal with the Iranians.”
How many of his tepid supporters threw their votes in other directions because of his (and Obama’s) lack of remembering history?
@July 4th American, #29:
Perhaps, then, Netanyahu shouldn’t have led President Obama to believe that he supported a two-state solution by publicly stating that he did. U.S. Middle Eastern policy planning has been based on an assumption that Netanyahu was an ally who could be taken at his word.
@Greg:
Netanyahu would support a real two-state solution with a region that stopped lobbing rockets into Israel and had real leadership. (see Nan’s excellent explanation on the state of Palestine’s leadership)
Oh, that’s rich, especially since the entire world understands that Israel doesn’t have an ally in Obama.
You’re an idiot.
Of course Netanyahu is already backing away from his disavowal of support for a two-state solution, now that he’s got the election in the bag.
Conclusion? He can’t be trusted.
@Greg:
Compared to Obama who we all know can be trusted because if you like your health insurance, you can keep your health insurance, period?
Greg: The topic was the President and his lack of alacrity to congratulate a head of state in an election contest. Even given great political differences between the two men it is a customary norm for the President to say congratulations.
Do you agree or disagree that this is a norm that should be adhered to by this President, and/ or any President?
@mike191, #35:
Obama did in fact call Netanyahu to congratulate him on his victory. Two days later. The delay was intended to convey a message. Most likely the message was understood.
@Greg:
If the message is that Obama is an immature pecker-head that is willing to sacrifice a valuable ally if his valuable ego gets bruised, I’ll bet he got the message. Many other perceptive people certainly have.
I wonder if you and the rest of the liberals that Israel has TRIED ceding territory for peace and what they got in return was terrorism and rockets. So, why should Netanyahu pursue that negative avenue? Because Obama would want him to so that he can say “HE” accomplished something? Obama seems to think the power of his personality is all that is needed to get Iran to abide by an agreement and that if Israel and Netanyahu will not believe in that, they are blasphemous. You, Obama and the entire liberal establishment seem to have no idea how the world works.
@Bill, #37:
No, it was more like You just publicly double crossed the current leader of the nation that’s always been your own nation’s best ally to pick up a few cheap political points, when he’s the guy you’ve got to depend on in a military emergency for the next two years.
Perhaps minority Democrats should send Mr. Netanyahu an open letter explaining who it is in our government that has command over our military forces. It isn’t Congress. Or maybe Tom Cotton could drop him a line, since he’s so good at explanations.
@Greg:
Oooo…. I guess no one told Netanyahu that he served at the pleasure of Obama and he should sacrifice the safety of his people in order to make Obama happy and look good. Why is it Obama doesn’t exert pressure and his formidable personality on the Iranians, Hamas and the Palestinians to get them to stop terrorizing and supporting terror in Israel? As I said, Obama is such a foreign policy failure, he cannot even get allies to cooperate; how could he possibly be expected to get foes to come to terms?
Obama has publicly insulted Netanyahu and also when he thought he was in private (as in behind Netanyahu’s back) when he was too stupid to realize his mic was hot. He has disrespected Netanyahu when he has invited him to the White House. His staff has insulted Netanyahu in the most immature and stupid ways. Obama is a serial idiot and Netanyahu is under NO obligation to show respect to the person of Obama. Obama deserves no respect.
Obama is a threat to world peace and we will feel the effect of his failures for decades. Netanyahu is the kind of leader Obama fears; one with principle and determination. Obama would not dare fail to support the Israeli people in an emergency; political embarrassment is what Obama fears most. He knows he cannot afford ANOTHER monumental failure like what he engineered in Iraq.
Anger obviously doesn’t contribute to clarity of thought.
@Greg:
To claim that Obama (leader of the nation that’s always been your own nation’s best ally) has always acted as Israel’s best ally is simply bullshit. Obama, from the first jump out of the gate, has been at odds with Israel.
And I wouldn’t be accusing Netanyahu of trying to garner a few cheap political points considering that it is Obama we are talking about here. No one, and I do mean NO ONE, has tried to gain more cheap political points than Obama. Remember, this is the same pathetic, inept Obama that when all his brilliant ideas fail, he falls back on the “blame Bush” mantra, just as he has recently claiming ISIS grew out of our invasion of Iraq (blaming Bush).
You’re an idiot.
@July 4th American, #29:
Perhaps, then, Netanyahu shouldn’t have led President Obama to believe that he supported a two-state solution by publicly stating that he did. U.S. Middle Eastern policy planning has been based on an assumption that Netanyahu was an ally who could be taken at his word.
Netanyahu has never abandoned his support for what the left would call a “two state” solution.
Netanyahu is a realist who see the turmoil of the Middle East that has been supported by your president in the time he has been an occupant of the office.
Netanyahu sees annihilation of Israel and its people were he to capitulate to the arabs and Obama.
Obama is the most anti-Semite president in American History.
Israel is the Eastern border of Western civilization, noodle that…..
Obama is not a promoter of western civilization, if anything he promotes the destruction of the West. Only a lunatic would consider the Iranian Regime worthy of negotiation.
The impediment to any peaceful resolution and/or a two-state solution is threats of violence and violence by Palestinians against Israel. For there to be an agreement reached, the violence has to stop and guarantees of security for Israel need to be reached.
In the past, the United States held a firm position, along with Israel, on this issue. The first step in any discussion was the cessation of attacks against Israel, but this administration has changed all that. Now, when Hamas attacks Israel, it is Israel’s fault. When Israel retaliates in order to wipe out the attacking cells, Israel is being aggressive and “genocidal”. Now, when Israel acts proactively to secure its future in the face of Iran, that has pledged to “wipe Israel off the map”, developing and building a nuclear weapon, they are being disrespectful.
All this openly anti-Israeli posturing by Obama and his administration gives aid and comfort to the Palestinians, Hamas and their benefactor, Iran. They are no longer under any pressure to make concessions (such as to stop killing women and children in Israel) because Obama is not on Israel’s side; they are on the “git er done” side in regards to closing deals and going golfing.
Or, it could be that Obama is anti-Semitic. Hard to tell.
But the bottom line is, in the Obama world, the Palestinians are under no obligation to stop attacking Israel and whatever Israel does to stop those attacks is wrong and aggressive. This will lead to major conflict.
Greg: Thank you for your response. I used the word alacrity for congratulations. The question remains: Is the proper norm for any President to say congratulations in a timely matter?
The world is standing up to President Obama against his negotiations with Iran.
It’s so bad that we have to root for France, who is taking a harder line against Islamo-nazi negotiations than America. They are calling out Iran for building nuclear weapons and ICBMs while Obama wants to gloss over it.
Obama doesn’t care about the disasters he creates through his actions and inactions; he only cares about his legacy, which will be nuclearizing the Middle East despite putting the entire world at risk. Not a single country in the Middle East near this growing Islamo-nazi regime is part of this negotiation to arm Iran.
France Takes Toughest Line at Iran Nuclear Talks
Negotiations move closer to March 31 cutoff without a breakthrough
http://www.wsj.com/articles/european-leaders-discuss-iran-nuclear-talks-1426845251
Then there is this from of all people……
Charlie Sheen
Blasts Obama for Final Four Picks
‘He’s Wasting Valuable Time!’
Charlie Sheen just UNLOADED on President Obama — tearing POTUS apart because he filled out an NCAA Final Four bracket … and telling TMZ Sports, “We deserve better from our President.”
Earlier in the day, Sheen had posted a tweet — in which he rips Obama for making college basketball picks instead of attending funerals for soldiers.
“It’s not cool,” Sheen said … “I don’t care about the picks. I care about wasting that kind of time when the world is in the state it’s in right now.”
“We deserve better from our president … and I demand it!”
Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2015/03/20/charlie-sheen-blasts-obama-for-final-4-pics-hes-wasting-valuable-time/#ixzz3V1tXgJGo
@July 4th American, #45:
Uh, no. That would be and example of France standing up against Iran. And No thank you, I have no desire to subscribe to the Wall Street Journal so that I can read more than the first sentence of the linked article.
More than France oppose a suicide agreement with Iran….
It is irionic that France, the ultimate passivist nation has more cohonjes than your failed president…
Your president is not only an anti-semite he is anti American….
He’s your president, too. Perhaps you should consider trying to be an American on more days than just the 4th of July.
Greg: You have not answered my question. Also, I asked you in earlier article about the process of a Tribal member of Africa who is converted to Islam- does his original ethnic group get displaced by Islam and becomes a Moslem visitor to the New World?
Yes, I believe it is. Consequently any deliberate deviation from that norm can convey a message. Such norms and deviations are part of the language of diplomacy.
I don’t follow the logic and I’m not sure I get the question. We’re all tribal people. My own ancestors were Anglo Saxons and Celts. We have no special ethnic or racial claim on American Identity. We’re part of a complex national history and a tribal history that goes back much farther. The American Identity has not become fixed. It continues to evolve with the passage of time.