Why Israel’s Security Experts Support The Iran Deal — And Why Iran’s Hardliners Don’t (Joe Conason) from the National Memo
"As congressional Republicans seek to undermine the nuclear agreement between Iran and the international powers, they assert that hardline Islamists in the Islamic Republic are delighted with the deal, while Israelis concerned over their country’s security are appalled. The same theme is now repeated constantly on Fox News Channel and throughout right-wing media. But that message is largely false – and in very important respects, the opposite is true."
http://www.nationalmemo.com/why-israels-security-experts-support-the-iran-deal-and-why-iranian-hardliners-dont/
Showing posts with label Israel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Israel. Show all posts
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Bibi's Bubble -- The Same One Most of the GOP Live In
Bibi's Bad Mistake (Thomas Friedman) from the New York Times
"You know how this happened: Netanyahu; his ambassador; the pro-Israel lobby Aipac; Sheldon Adelson, the huge donor to Bibi and the G.O.P.; and Boehner all live in their own self-contained bubble."
"You know how this happened: Netanyahu; his ambassador; the pro-Israel lobby Aipac; Sheldon Adelson, the huge donor to Bibi and the G.O.P.; and Boehner all live in their own self-contained bubble."
Bibi's Playing in the Wrong Sandbox!
Bibi Netanyahu -- aka 'The Republican Senator From Israel' -- May Have Made A Fatal Political Mistake from Bloomberg
"It turns out, the plan to have the Israeli Prime Minister speak to Congress, without first discussing with the White House, was the brainchild of Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer who has, for weeks now, been endorsing the re-election of Bibi Netanyahu on American television programs despite explicit Israeli Civil Service regulations prohibiting him from doing so."
"It turns out, the plan to have the Israeli Prime Minister speak to Congress, without first discussing with the White House, was the brainchild of Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer who has, for weeks now, been endorsing the re-election of Bibi Netanyahu on American television programs despite explicit Israeli Civil Service regulations prohibiting him from doing so."
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
TODAY'S BIG NUGGET: The Crumbling Relationship between Israel ... and Reality
Even Israel's Best Friends Understand That It Is Disconnecting From Reality from the Atlantic
"An editorial in the leading American Jewish newspaper should be read by Prime Minister Netanyahu as a serious warning."
"An editorial in the leading American Jewish newspaper should be read by Prime Minister Netanyahu as a serious warning."
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
President Rivlin: “I’m not asking if they’ve forgotten how to be Jews, but if they’ve forgotten how to be decent human beings."
President Rivlin: Time to Admit that Israel is a Sick Society that Needs Treatment from the Jerusalem Post
"Rivlin wondered aloud whether Jews and Arabs had abandoned the secret of dialogue. With regard to Jews he said: “I’m not asking if they’ve forgotten how to be Jews, but if they’ve forgotten how to be decent human beings."
"Rivlin wondered aloud whether Jews and Arabs had abandoned the secret of dialogue. With regard to Jews he said: “I’m not asking if they’ve forgotten how to be Jews, but if they’ve forgotten how to be decent human beings."
Monday, September 8, 2014
Disturbing Upsurge in Anti-Semitism Around the World
Anti-Semitism spiking around world, State Department special envoy says from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
"A senior State Department official said rising hostility and prejudice against Jews is reaching levels not seen in decades, particularly in Europe. “We're going to combat anti-Semitism, but we're not going to solve the problem. We can't turn the faucet off. It's been running for 2,300 years. But maybe we can turn it down,” said Ira N. Forman, the State Department's special envoy to monitor and combat anti-Semitism."
Along with the ongoing financial crisis in Europe, one of the key explanations for this (I believe) is how Israel has presented itself to the world over the last 10-20 years. Through much of Israel's modern history, they have been VERY effective at selling their message and their image around the world -- while the Arabs and the Palestinians particularly were very bad at the global PR game. In recent decades and especially under Bibi's leadership, Israel has been TERRIBLE at this, even as the Palestinians have very much raised their game. Indeed, in his second stint in office, it has seemed like Netenyahu's message to the world seems to have ""F--- you!" and "Because we're good buds with America, who cares what the rest of the world thinks!?" I suspect this has been a dangerous miscalculation on his part as even in the US, support for Israel (especially in the middle and on the left side of the political spectrum) has eroded quite a bit -- and most of the rest of the world has become very sick of the Israeli gov't's antics! -- Nuggetsman.
"A senior State Department official said rising hostility and prejudice against Jews is reaching levels not seen in decades, particularly in Europe. “We're going to combat anti-Semitism, but we're not going to solve the problem. We can't turn the faucet off. It's been running for 2,300 years. But maybe we can turn it down,” said Ira N. Forman, the State Department's special envoy to monitor and combat anti-Semitism."
Along with the ongoing financial crisis in Europe, one of the key explanations for this (I believe) is how Israel has presented itself to the world over the last 10-20 years. Through much of Israel's modern history, they have been VERY effective at selling their message and their image around the world -- while the Arabs and the Palestinians particularly were very bad at the global PR game. In recent decades and especially under Bibi's leadership, Israel has been TERRIBLE at this, even as the Palestinians have very much raised their game. Indeed, in his second stint in office, it has seemed like Netenyahu's message to the world seems to have ""F--- you!" and "Because we're good buds with America, who cares what the rest of the world thinks!?" I suspect this has been a dangerous miscalculation on his part as even in the US, support for Israel (especially in the middle and on the left side of the political spectrum) has eroded quite a bit -- and most of the rest of the world has become very sick of the Israeli gov't's antics! -- Nuggetsman.
Monday, August 18, 2014
The Palestinians' "Nonviolent" Solution
Searching for a Palestinian Dr. King (Dean Obidiah) from the Daily Beast
"There are some nonviolent Palestinians, but they get crowded out by Hamas—and the Israelis, who aren’t exactly nonviolent either."
"There are some nonviolent Palestinians, but they get crowded out by Hamas—and the Israelis, who aren’t exactly nonviolent either."
Monday, August 4, 2014
Millennials are Over Israel
A new generation, outraged over Gaza, rejects Washington’s reflexive support from Salon
"Angered by the immoral and inhumane assault on Gaza, Gen Y is shaking up the conventional view of Mideast politics."
"Angered by the immoral and inhumane assault on Gaza, Gen Y is shaking up the conventional view of Mideast politics."
Monday, July 7, 2014
The Next Act of the Neocons
Are Neocons Getting Ready to Ally With Hillary Clinton? from the New York Times
"Even as they castigate Mr. Obama, the neocons may be preparing a more brazen feat: aligning themselves with Hillary Rodham Clinton and her nascent presidential campaign, in a bid to return to the driver’s seat of American foreign policy."
This is precisely the kind of big league mistake the Clintons (Bill especially) would have made back in the 1990s -- and it remains to be seen if Hillary can adjust her thinking and be a leader for 2016 ... and not 1996. The neocons are stoking new fires to warm the remote reaches of the wilderness they are (and belong) in right now. What Americans need to begin dealing with in the area of defense policy is the reality that doing nothing (as in Syria) or doing something (as in Libya) each have real in-the-world consequences. It is no longer as simple as having either a winning or losing strategy -- or doing nothing and thus absolving yourself of any blame. In the Middle East right now, the US and its allies are facing (as they have been facing for some decades now) a series of lose-lose options. I do not see any scenario of a "winning" hand coming from the cards where, given the forces in play, the best you have is the equivalent of a pair of deuces. -- Nuggetsman
"Even as they castigate Mr. Obama, the neocons may be preparing a more brazen feat: aligning themselves with Hillary Rodham Clinton and her nascent presidential campaign, in a bid to return to the driver’s seat of American foreign policy."
This is precisely the kind of big league mistake the Clintons (Bill especially) would have made back in the 1990s -- and it remains to be seen if Hillary can adjust her thinking and be a leader for 2016 ... and not 1996. The neocons are stoking new fires to warm the remote reaches of the wilderness they are (and belong) in right now. What Americans need to begin dealing with in the area of defense policy is the reality that doing nothing (as in Syria) or doing something (as in Libya) each have real in-the-world consequences. It is no longer as simple as having either a winning or losing strategy -- or doing nothing and thus absolving yourself of any blame. In the Middle East right now, the US and its allies are facing (as they have been facing for some decades now) a series of lose-lose options. I do not see any scenario of a "winning" hand coming from the cards where, given the forces in play, the best you have is the equivalent of a pair of deuces. -- Nuggetsman
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Changing Political Landscapes in Israel ... and the US
Not the Same Old, Same Old (Thomas L. Friedman) from the New York Times
"We’re not dealing anymore with your grandfather’s Israel, and they’re not dealing anymore with your grandmother’s America either. ... Kerry, in my view, is doing the Lord’s work. But the weight of time and all the changes it has wrought on the ground may just be too heavy for such an act of friendship. If he folds his tent, though, Israelis and Palestinians will deeply regret it, and soon.""
"We’re not dealing anymore with your grandfather’s Israel, and they’re not dealing anymore with your grandmother’s America either. ... Kerry, in my view, is doing the Lord’s work. But the weight of time and all the changes it has wrought on the ground may just be too heavy for such an act of friendship. If he folds his tent, though, Israelis and Palestinians will deeply regret it, and soon.""
Monday, April 7, 2014
Republican Views on Israel
The GOP and Israel (Daniel Larison) from the American Conservative
"It has gone from being almost completely uncritical in its support for hard-line Israeli policies to becoming a party dominated by mindless yes-men on anything related to the country."
"It has gone from being almost completely uncritical in its support for hard-line Israeli policies to becoming a party dominated by mindless yes-men on anything related to the country."
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