For Obama, the world doesn't revolve around Israel

He just( mistakenly) thinks it does.

There is no way on earth the US is going to invade Pakistan. We worked with them to arm the Mujaheddin and get stingers in to get out the Soviets. We turned a blind eye to their nuke development during the Reagan years. We kowtowed during the Bush/Cheney years to everything Musharrif wanted. We don't know where their nukes are and don't have the troops to try and invade there any more than we could Iran. There are no easy answers. Even the Pentagon is divided if the leaks can be believed. If we had a half million troops to spare, we might try and be successful in counterinsurgency. But counterinsurgency on the cheap likely won't work. But counter-terrorism has proved already ineffective in Afghanistan. We hit too many civilians and just strengthened the Taliban for too long.

I may disagree with a lot of McCrystal thinking. But he definitely has one thing right. The drone strikes kill off too many civilians and make enemies out of every survivor. We dare not increase them unless we are inviting future attacks on US soil and US interests. The strikes in Pakistan by the drones are directed now by the Pakistani generals. But are still identifiable as US. We should turn over the drones to the Pakistanis and let them kill their own civilians. We don't need the blame. The drones are not so high tech anyway. Less technology than a Stinger.

around him and nothing else. Pakistan is the big problem and the US gives them billions to backstab any and all efforts of NATO.

Israel/Palestanian issues a well behind those of Pakistan/Afghnstan, our own economic troubles at home, keeping Israel in line over a foolish attempt to strike Iran, Iranian pursuit of nuclear weapons, and now currently the Senate bill on insurance coverage. Israel has all the cards over the Palestanians. We have 3 billion worth of pressure a year, but I doubt Obama would or could muster any support to use that as a carrot on Israel. Palestanians need to drop the idea of their own country. Maybe it was still practical 10 years ago.Not anymore and not with the signals coming from Israel. They need to move on to equal rights as equal citizens of greater Israel. This two state solution is long dead. Bringing the obvious up to both sides would be the wisest move on the U.S. part. Sharing the responsibilities and the fruit together is the only solution left. No other Arab country would take the Palestanians off Israels shoulders and they cannot be forced too.

Must be a shock for some of you to hear that Israel isn't the first thing everyone thinks of when they wake up in the morning. In fact many of us really couldn't care less anymore about Israel's ultimate fate, so sick we are of the constant whining.

"[W]hy did jim jones, obama`s national security advisor claim that israel is the epicenter of islamic terror?" To be precise, Israel isn't regarded as the epicentre of world terror, but rather, as the epicentre of the cause. Everyone except the willfully blind, realises that the treatment of Palestinians fuels fury throughout the Moslem world, and lately, throughout much of the rest of the world, as well.

It is a positive that Obama is not obsessed with Israel-Palestine conflict. Good because this way leaders will either poop or get off the pot themselves. The US has led peace efforts for far too long with little to show for it. The US has a primary secruity need to finish Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afganistan and Pakistan while making sure the weak government in Pakistan stays in power. That, the healthcare bill, lousy economy and a host of US issues are indeed more important to the US. I am sure if Obama sees any openings for peace he will give it attention. If not, it is a waste of his time. Right now there is little to discuss since both sides are stuck in their tracks.

of relief. Therein lies your problem---thinking that Israel is only about it,s Jewish citizens.

The Americans and the world have a legitimate concern that nuclear weapons of Pakistan might fall into the hands of Jihadi terrorists. Should Pakistan become a Jihadi state the situation would even be worse. But this is no reason to ignore the Iranian nuclear program. The Iranians are the most aggressive terror state in the world. President Obama has committed himself to preventing them from attaining nuclear weapons. The United States is capable of paying attention to more than one problem and more than one area at the same time. It does this all the time. Should Obama simply comply with Iran going nuclear he will have failed in a major way.

It isn't often, but what she writes about Axelrod, Emmanuel and Jones is right. She should have added, Geithner, and Summers as well.

This is a tough task. The Taliban defeated the Russian Army, and will do all in its power to do the same to the USA. The threat of the Taliban taking control of Pakistan, or parts of it, is really frightening. I agree with the comments made in this article, appreciate that the USA have taken the responsibility of trying to stabilize Afganistan almost single-handedly, while most of stinking Europe just watches from the distance, and wish in the name of humanity (for the good of all good people, including moderate Muslims) that the USA succeeds in this most difficult task.

Of course it is... If pakistan collapse then its much worse for Israel than Iran having a nuke. You are very ignorent if you underestimate the evil that is called taliban. Iran is a Dove compared to the fanatical taliban!

fine, understood. thank you for the gallantry. shavua tov, cipora

"Obama has got his hands full with both the domestic agenda and serious foreign policy initiatives on Afpak, Russia, China, Iran and the Muslim world. Allies who help him now will be remembered and rewarded," My my, such a petty observation. Israel will be rewarded after it waits for another 3 or 7 years. Obama will no longer be in office.

I am sure theUS knows what's going on in Israel,they don' like beating around the bush ,a day will come and they will put there foot down,and Israel leaders will know there's no more appeazement,Obama has enough on his plate ,he is watching wisely and he will act accordingly/

The whole concept of an "ally" is a rather ridiculous fiction. Israel (as it should) will work with the US when its interests coincide with ours, and will oppose us when they don't. Under those circumstances worthy and reliable are ludicrous terms to use.

True Cipora... Pakistan is a nation in a quagmire in every aspect... and the Generals of the ISI are not trustworthy. I suspect there are US special-op teams taking care of things. But as you know, the population hates Americans and that makes the job grueling. In Afghanistan... US generals want more boots-on-the-ground and a nation building aspect to the fight. That's a mistake on both levels. Special forces... yes, more F-16's and drone strikes definitely. Intelligence and reconnaissance gathering ... absolutely. But let Afghans build their nation from within... the US shouldn't be in that business. Our goal is to eliminate al-Quida and the Taliban from having a safe haven in attacking American cities... that's all.

take on Afghanistan and Pakistan and get results than AIPAC.

Jonathan Pollard, the Lavon Affair, Lawrence Franklin, the USS Liberty...and the list goes on. Ally might be stretching the truth a bit.

......." al-Qaida is a syndicate along the lines of La Cosa Nostra"......... ....."the most important man today in al-Qaida is Taliban leader, Mullah Omar"..... Are you kidding me? The worlds most powerful and lethal army thinks the ONE-EYED Mullah is the most dangerous man on the planet? Desparation on the cusp of madness. Meaningless wars, millions of civilians dead for FUN and PROFIT. Lets give Mr. Reidel a rifle and send him to Kandahar. One last question. If Al-qaida is La Cosa Nostra, then who is the PURPLE GANG? Answer the same people.

time to write to the irish times about catholics !!

It depends on what a win in Afghanistan means... Gully Foyle. These days there are many interpretations to that... and I'm not sure anybody really can say what a win looks like there. I think Obama will come to the correct decision in Afghanistan. For a president, this is the most difficult part of the job... and it should be that way. If it appears that he's managing the problem of al-Queda and the Taliban... for me that would be enough.

Dear CJK, This lack of decision making has been created by "the right" as criticism, but as usual it's not reality. The decison to increase Afghanistan troops was/is going to take place in the new year. That was alwasy the time frame. It was to wait until after the winter season or there were not any troops available in the autumn time period. I would agree that Israel is the epic-center of islamic terror and has been since 1967. Obama's aides, Emmanuel and Axelrod, are both excellent and capable in their positions. Remember, it was Netanyahu who called these two aides, "self-hating jews", what ever that means--I'm a Christian and I don't get that label. From a non-jewish perspective it makes the pro-israel position silly. Also the name calling occurred the same week as Congress passed $2.7 bil in the military aid legislation, how ungrateful is the Israel's Prime Minister. Obama's only miscalucation with Israel is that he thought the country wanted to make peace.

so just who is obsessed with whom here? If the world stopped 'revolving around Israel' Jews and Israelis would be the first to breathe a sigh of relief..

why would anyone believe the GOI when they were elected on the following charter or when their FM the moldovian nighclub bouncer stated there would be no Palestinian state. Are you that naive--psm or just trying to push the Greater Israel project---that is what you want isn,t it psm???.It is what the framers of the Liikud Charter want---read it and tell me I am wrong. "Likud charter * The 1999 Likud charter emphasized the right of settlement in "Judea (and) Samaria" (more commonly known as the "West Bank" and Gaza),"[8] and as such, brings it into direct conflict with Palestinian claims on the same territory. Similarly, their claims of the Jordan river as the permanent eastern border to Israel and Jerusalem as "the eternal, united capital of the State of Israel and only of Israel," do the same. * The 'Peace & Security' chapter of the 1999 Likud Party platform ?flatly rejects the establishment of a Palestinian Arab state west of the Jordan river.? The chapter continued: ?The Palestinians can run their lives freely in the framework of self-rule, but not as an independent and sovereign state.?[8] Come on ---it is a one word answer---yes or no.

became President because the Republican did not go after him on his background and associations. Pastor James David Manning best sums it up in his sermon during his interview with Howard Stern on Youtube. The backlash on his stooping to Islam and bowing to the Saudi Chieftain whose thugs attacked America and murdered 3000 Americans in cold blood on 9/11, and whose country is the main sponsor of Islamist-Jihadist terrorism around the world, will come in 2010 and 2012 elections when the Democrats will lose and the Republican will once again retake the Congress and White House. With the worsening economic downturn and weak foreign policy in confronting Islamist terrorism around the world and Iran nuke threat, Obama is becoming irrelevant.

Obama has got his hands full with both the domestic agenda and serious foreign policy initiatives on Afpak, Russia, China, Iran and the Muslim world. Allies who help him now will be remembered and rewarded, those who create problems will get their private moment of grief soon enough. Afghanistan is a hard military issue and decision. Even with 40,000 more troops, space and numbers mean pulling back to defend the main population centres and surrendering the rural hinterland to the Talibs. There are ways and ways of playing it and O is absolutely right to grill the key players involved to get to a winning strategy, which there is not at present. It would be a big mistake to think that the US administration cannot walk and chew gum at the same time though. Obama showed that in China on the Gilo issue. Israel will not be on the back-burner for long I predict and will have a very displeased POTUS on its hands pretty shortly.

All those who have put their treasury by betting on one Horse, deserves what's coming to her/him. It is truly a seminal conclusion of the very strange relationship between Israel and USA. It has hypnotised more Jews than Americans. It's a marriage that is not made in Havens. You've got to get back to the Golden Age asking yourself why after the Reconquista the Christain Spain has not extended a warm arms to those peoples, Jews and Moors, who brought Spain so much of its historical achievements?! It is befetting Israel now to start being more realistic and change course, not because it is no longer a Prima Dona in the American Political Opera, but its a harsh world where the interests of a Nation rests on its supreme desire to advance and improve its place under the Sun.

Apparently Israeli critics of Obama forget that he came into office with the U.S. headed into an economic depression, in two wars, one of which, Iraq, we never ever should have become involved in that has cost more than 4,300 lives and 30,000 wounded, Pakistan imploding, and Iran rushing to build a nuclear weapon. Thru no fault of his own many countries blamed America for the economic sunami that engulfed their countries as well. Obama's world does not revolve around Israel and this would be the case no matter who was President. Because Obama wants a settlement freeze and realizes the demographics are not in Israels favor (as do Israeli generals and former heads of the Mossad and Shin Bet) he is branded an anti-Israel Moslem out to destroy Israel. Israel has become a country beholden to the extreme right wing and religious parties. Obama has one country he must worry about & that is America and our relations with China, India, Russia, the wars we are in, etc. should take precedent.

Thank G-d for that. And by the same logic: the world doesn't revolved around the Palestinians. "The most important subject on the foreign affairs agenda of President Barak Obama's administration is the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan" ... ... i.e because the Taliban (a radical Sunni Islamic movement) is after Pakistan's 'Islamic Bomb.

Pbama's administration needs to focus on the US itself. Jobs are still being lost (his administration lied about the number of jobs created by the stimulus program); the health care program means cutting help for seniors and increasing the tax burden on everyone; the deficit has skyrocketed, bringing the total debt to heights unimaginable. But Obama and his cohorts are obseessed with apartment building in southern Jerusalem.

Pbama's administration needs to focus on the US itself. Jobs are still being lost (his administration lied about the number of jobs created by the stimulus program); the health care program means cutting help for seniors and increasing the tax burden on everyone; the deficit has skyrocketed, bringing the total debt to heights unimaginable. But Obama and his cohorts are obseessed with apartment building in southern Jerusalem.

ally of the US in ME. Abbas games are just games.

For decades America has exploited the mideast, setting up vicious puppet regimes and asking no questions as to how they did business. For decades America supported without question all manner of Israeli misdeeds not even allowing discussion or criticism of how Israel exploited and oppressed the Palestinian people. It is certainly understandable how some of the local Arabs would take exception to this treatment. Calling them terrorists is simply a strategy to suppress questions concerning their motivations and their goals. In fact, their motivation and their goals are much the same as we would see in America or Israel if they were similarly invaded and oppressed. America and Israel never discuss the root causes of Islamic extremism.

Bearing in mind that already only in Pakistan there are over 153 millions people, so why about 7 millions (part of them not jewish)people's nation should have so much attention of Obama -and of course only as a favour to Israel?

You probably read "between the lines" instead of straight on. I wrote about antisemitism, and Mark (that I agreed with) wrote about America's problems. Read again his last para: the cost in American hospitals has anything to do with antisemitism?

It seems to me that out of 6.5 bl people in this world a VERY small minority is of such an opinion. Perhaps not even diaspora Jews, arrogant big mouthed as they are, go that far.

I agree. Obama desperately wanted the job and now has three unwinnable conflicts on his hands. If he can't deliver on his promises to get out of this mess, then he can kiss his chances of reelection goodbye.

That's right, Obama doesn't consider Israel the center of the universe. Neither does the rest of the world. Are they supposed to?

Please you mind your own business, you establishment of zionist is the threat of the whole world. you occupy and killing innocent civilian, stay away from pakistan businesss. you haven't clue about pakistani people or pakistan affair.

to the table unless their demands are met up front,thats not negotiations. Funny how you chose to be in denial about where most terror in the world is sourced. http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/ 2009.11.22 (Afmadow, Somalia) - At least two civilians are killed in the crossfire when rival Islamist groups clash. 2009.11.22 (Spin Boldak, Afghanistan) - All five passengers in a police vehicle are ripped to shreds by a Sunni bomb. 2009.11.21 (Jebel Rumayh, Saudi Arabia) - Shiite radicals infiltrate the border and kill three Saudi soldiers. 2009.11.21 (Mosul, Iraq) - A school teacher is assassinated by Muslim gunmen. 2009.11.21 (North Waziristan, Pakistan) - Four security officers are killed in a rocket attack by Taliban fundamentalists. 2009.11.20 (Karachi, Pakistan) - A Sunni is shot to death by sectarian rivals. Monthly Jihad Report October 2009 Jihad Attacks: 156 Countries: 15 Religions: 5 Dead Bodies: 909 Critically injured 2024

actually, what terrorists want is to depose governments in all islamic countries and impose a strict sharia law as interpreted by them. they even want to impose sharia in the uk, as well as eventually in the us. that is what they state on open television. the impasse between israel and the pa is definitely a result of the obama's administration's foolish insistence on a settlement freeze. this is just a fact. olmert and abbas had continued negotiations for years without interference from the u.s. and without a total freeze. afpak is not my business. it is, as is said, above my pay grade. all i can say is that he does not project power the way one would expect of a u.s. president. that is just a personal opinion. of course, i also understand the agonising over the possible loss of american and other nato allies' lives.

Indeed Obama is not responsible for the mess in Afhanistan, but he cannot afford a withdrawal. Witdrawal now, means that Pakistan is the next in line. Is it a problem? Didn't this happen in Vietnam and after all the Soviets and Communism fade away? Islam is very different. It wont work the same way. Sooner or later the Western world will have to decide either to fight or to surrender. There are no compromises with Islam. If fighting is the issue, Afghanistan Iran and Israel are the "Stalingrads", both for Islam and for the West. 1) It will take a a time, but the tendency is clear. American must defeat the Taliban and Israel must destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities. Confrontation is imminent and better sooner than later. Obama knows that and I imagine he can hardly sleep.

was created by America itself,when Reagan started arming the religious fanatics there against the soviets.That created and inflated Bin Laden.After 9/11,Afganistan was accused of harbouring terrorists that had connections with the attacks,without any proof,and ignoring what happened to the soviets and the british in the 19th century,Bush decided to bomb and invade Afganistan.Afganistan is a montainous country,they can hide anywhere they want,receive help from the locals,and american troops like the soviets and british before will never be able to defeat them.It is a war for decades,that will ruin the american economy.Bush knew that,I don"t believe that the CIA and Pentagon didn"t warn him,but he didn"t care.Bush is a religious christian fanatic who really believes that if he can hasten the Armagedon,Jesus second coming will arrive earlier.Now,who is more nutty,the islamist or christian fanatics?

The West does understand this fact, but it serves its hegomonistic schemes to confuse issues. In Islam, Jihad is not terrorism, it is an invitation to fight all sins, even one's own. The British imperialism practiced 'divide and conquer' to dominate and perpetute its privileges. Divide and conquer was practiced to stab the back of Othmans by Arab tribes in WW1. It is practiced in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is simple: poor and ignorant people can be bought for cheap to fight each others. But, that needs constant instigation and payment. Israel is doing this by controlling Abbas's PLO. The fear of the US is genuine, those collaborators fear for their life too, and can desert or worse stand against their corrupters.

i seriously doubt that obama will try to impose democracy in afpak. however, the solution is far from evident. the number of jihadists and taliban supporters in pakistan is very large per population. the neglect of public education in pakistan and the mindless saudi funding of madrassas have made the situation nearly intractable.

you make no sense whatever. you cannot say you agree with mark after your post #4 to me. it is contradictory to say the least. mark is obviously frustrated. however, he should not deny facts. i did not say that obama's sole focus was israel. obama does need better advisors than emmanuel and axelrod. what do they know of national security or foreign policy? jones is not impressive either. one gets the immpression of the blind leading the blind.

Jones was quoting what the people the US has been at war with and other terrorists who claim to be Muslims have been saying. There are people in Kansas who claim to be Christians who call themselves the Army of God who think it's just dandy to kill women's health care providers. They recently did just that. Sometimes, terrorists have to taken seriously. As for Gilo, the PLO won't come to the table because they don't believe Israel is serious about a deal. Apparently, neither Obama nor Mitchell can convince them. The Israeli preconditions are not making Netanyahu believable. As for Afghanistan, it is more important to get it right. Bush/Cheney went in with no intent of either victory or exit. Obama wants to know what is the Exit Strategy. He does not want the US to end up like the Brits or Soviets or Alexander's Greeks. Ending up that way may be fine for the neocons. But it is not worthy of our men and women in uniform.

Afghanistan and Pakistan is a no-man's land. It's a place where satanic madmen scurry around at night planting IED's. Trying to impose religious victory by murdering it's own population. The US needs to realize nation building in that God forsaken place... is a waste of time. No road building... no propping-up corrupt leadership. No need for Americans to play ghoulish war-games with those fanatics. Instead, decapitate al-Queda and the Taliban with the technological advantage we possess. Statecraft... imposing Democracy in the middle east is a failed exercise we learned from George W and the republicans. No need to repeat that in Pakistan or Afghanistan today.

...it's not her fault and you know that.

Obama "need the iranian to stabalize the situation in afganistan " but is an iranian nuclear bomb less dangerous than a pakistani one ?

obama and his inner circle have been obsessing about israel. they have thought that they could win an easy political point by bullying israel. jim jones did declare israel the epicenter of islamic terror, and obama did just the other day, make a mountain out of a few apartments being built in the southern jerusalem neighbourhood of gilo. as a result, the u.s. press, which i do read every day, was following in his steps, including the mistake that gilo is in east jerusalem, which it is not. you are also forgetting that obama's first phone call as president was to abbas which clearly indicated his priority. his insistence of a settlement freeze as has only made diplomacy more difficult between israel and the pa. all of this is just fact. as for afpak, where is the decision?

"israel was declared 'the epicenter of islamic terror' is of course because of standard anti-semitism...." the united states cannot allow its foreign policy and national security interests to be dictated by possible antisemitic sentiments among its leadership. the united states is still regarded, at least for the time being, as the leader of the free world. if the united states wants to maintain such leadership, its policies must be based on rational analysis, not on emotionality or prejudice.

It already has. Obama has rolled out the red carpet for Islam in his Cairo speech, which can now be seen as a prelude to America's new foreign policy strategy. In effect, the 'red carpet' has been rolled out for Islam, notwithstanding the fact that Jihadists are part of some aspects of Islam. America now sits back, ponders, and looks in wonder at what can happen in a foreign policy vacuum. Pakistan falls. Afganistan has no chance. It's easier to lean hard on friends, such as Israel. The oil flows and American money keeps going into the building of one Islamic tribal area, province, republic, kingdom, caliphate after another. Maybe Pakistan is not the problem. Maybe the problem is a leadership with a naive world view, and a leadership which fears confrontation.

Why Israel was declared "the epicenter of Islamic terror" is of course because of standard anti-semitism: Israel has caused THIS, which in turn has caused THAT, and then THOSE things happened...and the whole world suffers. Where? for instance in Norway, where the 1300 local Jews must avoid wearing a kippah or can be asaulted...and so many other "civilized" places like that worldwide! Never mind the uncivilized ones...all of them voting in the UN...guess how.

You may think Obama "focused its attention on israel since even before the election." But that is only because there has been incessant and obsessive coverage in the Israeli media about how evil Obama is. That is prompted by the PMO in Israel. Hardly a day goes by that nothing comes out of the White House or State about Israel without a reporter asking. Obama has been focusing on where American kids are dying and are likely to die and on the US economy and the attempt to reform our badly-broken health care financing system. Unlike you Europeans, 3 days in a hospital can and does bankrupt many Americans, routinely. And half our government thinks this is good.

there is no question but that afapak is the most dangerous place on earth, followed by iran. so why did jim jones, obama's national security advisor claim that israel is the epicenter of islamic terror? why has the obama administration focused its attention on israel since even before the election? ideological purity of any kind is a disaster when charged with formulating foreign and national security for a superpower.

Unlike the Brits or the Soviets or Bush or Cheney, Obama seems to want an exit plan worthy of the sacrifice of the US soldiers and Marines and sailors he's sent and will send. All the grand strategies he's seen have not included that one element. Even McCrystal's strategy had only a vague element of that at a greater cost than Iraq. No US deployments have yet been affected. It's better to get it right than quick and wrong.