Pandering to AIPAC shows Obama in a poor light

[Middle finga]

Imagine the shock-horror: Barack Obama attends the conference of an organisation whose former officials face trial for spying on the United States!

It would be all over the blogs, except that John McCain and Hillary Clinton were attending the AIPAC conference this week in Washington DC as well, pandering to the lobby that will get you accused of anti-Semitism if you quote its own website about its power.

This non-lobby has always harassed politicians into compliance – who now remembers the way they hounded Hillary Clinton for years as a crypto-Palestinian supporter? It works. Whatever the lobby asks for, she now gives them 50% cent more. And Obama gave them 100% extra.

So there we were, thinking that the country had come of age at last, finally putting truth in the rumours about liberty and equality first spread by a group of slave-owners some ten-score and thirty years ago. Obama's securing of the nomination alone underscores how much the country has changed in the 20 years I have been here.

However, I am glad that I kept some reservations about the idea of Obama taking us to the New Jerusalem. Not least since he was busy giving away the old one to those who stole it.

After viral emails and vicious attacks against him as an anti-Israeli or even Islamic sleeper, the worm turned – in the direction they pointed. Obama promised to support an "undivided Jerusalem," as Israel's capital in his speech to the lobby.

Not a single country recognises the Israeli annexation of East Jerusalem. Indeed, the last few banana-ish republics that maintained embassies in West Jerusalem have removed them, since no country, including the US, is prepared to over-ride the UN partition resolution which designated the city as international territory.

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[JuniperLea]

1. We can't afford to keep borrowing money to give to others...

I hope Obama realizes this. Israel is doing great financially... this needs a serious review once he's in office.

I hope Obama is just sucking up, playing the politician.

We have a lot at stake right now, so I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt.

[TomInTib]

2. Some friends of mine (staunch Obamists until last night).....

told me about that speech this morning.

Like my Mother says, no one gets that far, that fast, in Illinois politics without selling out completely.

But she is backing him, anyway.

[still_one]

4. Gee, since he always called for a two state solution on his web site

since he said Israel must remove the illegal settlements

since he said a dialog must be opened in the region with ALL parties


A Palestinian state and an Israelli one

since he always called for Israel to remove the illegal settlements

since he always called for a dialog for all parties in the region, along with getting us out of Iraq

I don't know why your friends are surprised, unless they had no idea what his positions are

[TomInTib]

6. What really pissed them off was when he spoke of Iran.

The part about doing anything in his power to halt whatever-in-the-hell programs he was going on about.

Of course, I got this second-hand since I don't watch any of that stuff any more.

[still_one]

7. I heard both him and Clinton, and the speeches were night and day

There was some pandering with Obama, but mostly it was very straight. He indicated that because WE invaded Iraq, everyone was less secure

I admit I have a bias for Israel, but I also believe in a two state solution, not one cut up all over the place, and I do not believe everything Israel does is right

The real tradgedy in my view was when Bill Clinton left office, the new administration could have continued with the peace talks. Instead the bush administration, along with the neocons, encouraged Israel to continue the illegal settlements, and stop all talks. That was the travesty

The killing has got to stop on ALL sides, and the best chance for that to happen would be with Obama

I also believe that Jerusulem should be an Open City, which is where Obama was pandering in my view, because he was saying it should be the captial of Israel

I also do not blame you for watching the MSM, I usually don't either

[still_one]

3. Did you even hear the speech? What do you mean sell out

unless of course you are not for a two state solution

Obama was very direct and straight in his speech

He stated, no more illegal settlements
Getting us out of Iraq
Openning up a dialog between ALL parties in the region

and working to create a two state solution

[Beregond2]

5. R U Joking?

He condemned illegal settlements, argued forcefully for a two-state solution, was adamant about getting out of Iraq. What in all that could you possibly interpret as pandering? He did just the opposite, in fact. He got in their faces!

[still_one]

8. Absolutely, and he was received well also. The one point where it might be pandering

is when he called for Jerusulum(sic) as the capital of Isreal

but on the whole it was direct, especially when compared to Hillary's speech

[Shaktimaan]

9. I like this line...

However, I am glad that I kept some reservations about the idea of Obama taking us to the New Jerusalem. Not least since he was busy giving away the old one to those who stole it.

The thought that any of the land that Israel governs MUST have been stolen is quite popular these days. Doesn't make much sense, but it is getting popular.

Not a single country recognises the Israeli annexation of East Jerusalem. Indeed, the last few banana-ish republics that maintained embassies in West Jerusalem have removed them, since no country, including the US, is prepared to over-ride the UN partition resolution which designated the city as international territory.

And that has something to do with east Jerusalem because of... ? Is he suggesting that no one recognizes Israeli sovereignty over west Jerusalem? And if EJ belongs to the international community then who was responsible for it when Jordan stole it? Because as I recall, Jerusalem was 80%+ Jewish in the 40's until the Arabs attacked Israel and ethnically cleansed all the areas they captured. So when Jordan attacked Israel again in 67 and subsequently lost control over this originally Jewish city to Israel who allowed all religions access to the holy sites there for the first time in decades, we should be criticizing Israel... who stole it. Now if only Israel would give back the areas they stole from Jordan and the Palestinians, places like the Jewish Quarter, then we would be well on our way.