Gaza Crisis First Test For Obama

As the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza worsens, numerous news organizations have looked at how the crisis will challenge President-elect Barack Obama's plans for Middle East peace.

Bloomberg writes that recent events have spoiled Obama's plans for a quiet renewal of the peace process. But it also gives Obama a chance to move things in a new direction.

"The president-elect's foreign-policy brain trust very much hoped for a quiet backdrop against which to re-inaugurate the Middle East peace process," said Rogan Kersh, associate dean of New York University's Wagner School of Public Service. "That backdrop instead now looks jagged, chaotic and loud."

...

If Obama responds to the situation by taking an active role, it would contrast with the hands-off policy of Bush. The president disengaged from Middle East peacemaking until the last year of his administration, then failed to hammer out an accord as Israel dealt with political upheaval and the Palestinians remained divided.

"The problem is for eight years, there's been no adult supervision, which is what the United States can do," said James Zogby, president of the Washington-based Arab American Institute.

According to Time, Israeli leaders had hoped to put the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on "the backburner" of the new Administration, with Iran as their main focus. That no longer seems likely.

So, when he sits down at his desk in the Oval Office in January, President Barack Obama will be confronted with compelling evidence of the failure of the Bush Administration's and Israel's policy on Hamas rule in Gaza -- and with the urgency of bringing some fresh ideas to the table.

Diplomats tell the Wall Street Journal, however, that Obama will be in a very difficult situation. One former State Department adviser says the violence will only "reduce already slim odds for peace."

And the New York Times points out that for now, Obama is deferring to the current president.

Since his election, Mr. Obama has said little specific about his foreign policy -- in contrast to more expansive remarks about the economy. He and his advisers have deferred questions -- critics could say, ducked them -- by saying that until Jan. 20, only President Bush would speak for the nation as president and commander in chief. "The fact is that there is only one president at a time," David Axelrod, Mr. Obama's senior adviser, told CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday, reiterating a phrase that has become a mantra of the transition. "And that president now is George Bush."

Comments

[BuzzingAlong]

To those who want PE Obama to say or do something about Gaza, why don't you call your local and national news stations and talking-head shows to insist that instead of talking about the PE eating ice cream on the beach, that they call the, PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH, to task for hiding out in TX?

OBAMA IS NOT THE PRESIDENT. GEORGE W. BUSH IS THE PRESIDENT.

Since many of you have no idea about the obligations of the president vs. the president-elect, PLEASE, learn to use the google or better yet go down to your li-berry to check-out a few books on the U.S. Constitution and U. S. Government, bring them home, turn off the tee-vee and try reading with the intent of comprehending. Make notes if you have to.

Those who want the man who is not the president to do something are the very same people who will be BELLY-ACHING about how Obama is usurping the man who president.

THE U.S. HAS A SITTING PRESIDENT. His name is George W. Bush and the fact that he is hidding out in Texas is obviously not the concern of too many of these posters.

The best thing to do when you are clueless is to S.T.O.P. commenting. It is so boring.

THE U.S. HAS A SITTING PRESIDENT. His name is G.E.O.R.G.E. W. B.U.S.H.

[patriotactreverse]

Ok friends, here's a tasty nugget for the world to savor. Peace in the middle east is not Obama's first "test." There is no test, just real world. In fact, when he takes office, he will be neck deep in economic problems. Let the middle east take care of itself, get your focus on America. That's where it needs to be. Leave the other nations alone and let's fix our problems here. Period! Don't spend any more of my tax dollars chasing after someone else's problem. What was it? Remove the plank from your own eye before removing the speck of dust from your neighbor's eye? That Jesus guy really had some good points!

[tester]

Where is Obama?

He is sitting this on the sidelines.

[mummbleswers]

Where's the real president?

[BUTCHER111]

He"s in Crawford and his name is Bush.

[Right-turn]

He just wants to vote "Present" on this issue also. That is his history.

[BUTCHER111]

He"s in Crawford and his name is Bush. Obama isn"t President yet and has no authority to do anything. Bush has the authority.

[wardropper]

"Gaza first crisis for Obama"

Or not.

I mean, Israel and Palestine ARE foreign countries, aren't they?
Leaving the Welsh Nationalists, the various Tibetan factions and the Australian Nazis alone to sort out their own problems seems to be working OK for us, doesn't it?
And who wants the U.S. in the Middle East anyway?
Only Bush and a bunch of partisan journalists, comprising a mutual support group with an oil and power agenda.
And who cares what America thinks?
Only America.
If I were Obama, I'd say to Israelis AND to Palestinians:
"America is the land of the free. You are all heartily welcome to come and live here according to the U.S. Constitution. It's entirely your choice. Where you are now, for a variety of understandable reasons, there is bombing, war, appalling injustice and great suffering. Stay if you want, or come and live here in peace.
The MIddle East is a mess. Leave it.
Come and live here (or in Canada, if you prefer). There's plenty of space.
Give it a thousand years, and I'm almost certain things will have calmed down, and you can return to the land of your forefathers then, if you REALLY want to."

(For the record, my own grown-up children don't live in the land of their birth, and it doesn't bother them at all.)

[patriotactreverse]

I agree!

[nomobull]

CORRECT TITLE BUSH FAILS ANOTHER TEST

[bluemike]

Eisenhower halted an Isr-aeli, French and British invasion of Egypt and seizure of the Suez Canal in 1956 simply by telling these nations to stop their aggression. Guess America had some moral authority back then. Can't imagine that ever happening again.

[Syymone]

The media need to be more responsible in your reporting because Bush is still president. Mr. Obama is President Elect and will be until 20 Jan 2009.

[gregjones]

NEWSFLASH...George W. is still the President until Jan. 20th, 2009. Spread the word.

[Right-turn]

NEWSFLASH.........When Obama went to Europe and gave his big speech, he had no problem acting as if he were already the President, and had lots of insight on foreign affairs.

Well now he is elected President, so start getting down to business!

[BUTCHER111]

What about Bush? Why are you on Obama"s Case and not on Bush"s case? After all, Bush is "The Decider!"

[weatherwaxx]

The problem with the United States is that for the past 8 years there has been no adult supervision. Never mind the Middle East -- that's a reflection of the issue, not the heart of it.

Obama will not be President for another three weeks. And before he can fix anything, they have to shovel out 8 years' worth of ... you know.

[Carol06095]

Why should we do anything in the Israel - Palestine conflict? Everyone has critized Bush for going to Iraqi - - so why should we do anything now in the middle Ease. Sure,we sold Israel weapons but Iran sold/gave Palestine weapons. Other than that - - it's not our business. Isn't that what you liberals have been preaching since the Iraqi war started. Quit being hyprocrites.

[Right-turn]

Exactly.........

[peacegurl48]

Can you imagine what the Right Wing would have said had Obama attempted to take an active role in foreign policy when we have a President (regardless of how lame a duck he is)? I have never heard it suggested that the PE take action before he takes office. Unreal.

[Rightone11]

This will be Obama's problem come jan. 20, 2009. And I hope he has some better answers than "no comment"....he will have to take a stand, something he is not used to doing~

[PKape]

It looks like he'll walk the same path as his predecessors when dealing with the Palestinian crisis. He'll say something like this: Both parties should act with constrain. The US calls for immediate return to the negotiation table...etc. (standard stuff). He'll then keep a low profile.

Nothing will change.

[mummbleswers]

You want to get involved in that mess? As far as I'm concerned that's a holy war, and I do not subscribe to any organized religion. So I would appreciate my tax dollars going to something a little more productive - for us.

[nomobull]

AND WHERE IS BUSH

[Strobe74]

There are clearly people on both sides of the problems between Israel and Palestine that want to stoke the fighting, just for the sake of fighting. Both sides need to have a true desire for peace if they're going to find peace.

I think the responsibility of the US needs to be to remove ourselves from the situation by not blindly supporting Israel every time this starts. The international community needs to be the intermediary not the US. Then everyone will see that there's no real desire on either side to stop the fighting. They're both sick and twisted and the fighting is all they have left, and all they want.

Until they both have a sincere desire for peace, the US being involved will only be fuel to be used by terrorist groups regardless of our policy. If they have such an enduring need to kill each other let them.

We have our own serious problems here to deal with, and shouldn't waste our time trying to make two enemies be friends when they don't want to be.

[primitivedreamer]

Israel, with it's massively un-proportional response to Hamas, continues to undermine US interests in the Middle East by radicalizing Muslim citizens all across the region and destroying the peace process. How many more US soldiers will be in harm's way from the radicals created and justified by Israel's actions?

We do have one president at a time and it would set a dangerous precedent if Obama were to say anything that conflicted with the current administration. I hope that come inauguration day the US government will take a new course.

[Culturemaven]

So, Obama is not yet president and President Bush is on vacation, riding his bike, "clearing brush", remaining silent... and this is Obama's crisis?

[weatherwaxx]

He's the only President we've got, for any practical purposes.

[dessertsfirst]

Par for the course of the past 8 years....Our current President refuses to interrupt his last vacation to speak to the American people and indeed, the world, let alone Israel, about the mid-East crises. And legally our Pres-elect cannot do anything about the crises. If Bush is incapacitated, or unable, then the chain of command is Cheney, then Rice and then Pelosi....