George Bush was in Jerusalem today doing what he and his fellow Republican operatives do best -- fear-mongering for crass political gain at a time when the Mid East fires are skipping their fire lines from all that hot air Bush is blowing across its parched landscape.
Instead of lofty rhetoric, imaginative new ideas, and presidential inspiration to salvage the wreckage of 8 years of Bush's Middle East follies, the president decided to jump into the political swamp and play off the worst fears of Israelis and Jews everywhere about Barack Obama
Did George Bush offer a constructive, regional approach to prevent Lebanon's fragile democracy from descending into further Hezbollah-inspired chaos? NO!
Did George Bush offer new ideas to break the logjam that has now irrevocably bottled up his vaunted Middle East road map legacy that is dying a slow death? NO!
Did George Bush offer new ideas to prevent a new nuclear arms race from engulfing the Middle East and to coax Iran away from its nuclear ambitions? NO!
Instead, Bush's not-too-veiled accusation against Barack Obama (leveled no less from the dais of Israel's Knesset (Parliament) during Israel's 60th independence anniversary celebrations) that Obama's willingness to meet with heads of state who are inimical to America, somehow meant that Obama is willing to naively appease terrorists and radicals and sell Israel down the river, represents crass GOP Willy Horton-style swift-boating at its most evil. I don't ever recall hearing Obama offering to sit down with Hamas, or Hezbollah or other terror or radical groups, just doing the very same that Bush is doing with Iran and North Korea, and through our embassy, with the leadership in Syria.
Oh how much Dubya wanted to sound Churchillian by accusing "some" of Lord Chamberlain-like appeasement. Mr. President, even if you sport a bowler and a cigar, and flash that "v" sign...that dog won't hunt.
The irony of it all is that this is the very same George Bush that has authorized his administration to negotiate with the charter member of his Axis of Evil -- Iran. What chutzpah!! Mr. President, did it ever occur to you that you are not only negotiating with Iran, but you are doing from a position of utter weakness. Any self-respecting Democrat knows that effective negotiating with Iran will require the U.S. to do so from a position of re-earned and re-gained strength.
In eight years of Bush/Cheney/Condi Mid East tumult, the United States has endured a massive deterioration of standing and support throughout the Middle East, as the radicals and terrorists have grown stronger and bolder. I submit that Israel, because of George Bush's policies, is weaker, not stronger. That Israel's enemies have become a graver threat to Israel than when Bush first assumed office. I know that many of my pro-Israel friends challenge my position, but they have not fully grasped how much more dangerous the Middle East has become since Bush took office. It will take a new president to undo that damage. At a time when Israel faces grave threats on its borders, and a government in Iran that has threatened its very existence, what Israelis wanted to hear was the confident, reassuring voice of support from a president who would offer tangible policies to alleviate those security threats -- not empty rhetoric stoking those fears.
To American supporters of Israel, I urge you not to fall victim to this White House-inspired swift-boating against Democrats and their leadership. Sen. Obama has engendered some concern among many Americans and Israelis that he does not grasp "from the gut" the magnitude of the threats facing Israel. Hopefully, he and his campaign will do more to address these concerns. And I am confident that in time, he will earn that trust should he become our nominee. But any such hesitation of support that Obama has engendered should pale when compared to the damage Bush's policies have done to Israel's long term security.
The United States is in desperate need of a new, comprehensive Middle East strategy that will undo that staggering damage that Bush has wrought on the region and oh, how wonderful it would have been if Bush and his foreign policy team would have bequeathed a new U.S. Middle East strategy to Israel and to the region that could have included many of the following elements:
1. Strategies to galvanize Islam's moderates to challenge terrorist ideology.
2. A policy to contain the regional fallout arising from America's withdrawal from Iraq.
3. A 24/7 effort to galvanize Israelis and Palestinians into supporting creation of a Palestinian state that is not a threat to Israel.
4. A new muscular diplomacy that includes the incentives and disincentives to reduce Iran's threat to regional stability.
5. A new approach to neutralize the threat that Hezbollah poses to Israel's security and Lebanon's democracy.
6. A massive Marshal Plan -- largely funded by Arab petro-dollars, to bring economic relief to the Palestinian people so as to coax them into a two-state solution.
7. Credible security arrangements that can leverage more effective U.S. diplomatic activities.
8. Last, but not least, an energy conservation strategy that weans America off of the region's oil barons.
Because George Bush has so little to offer in the way of a new American Middle East strategy, he preyed on Israelis worst fears and by doing so introduced that dreaded GOP swift boating to Jerusalem. That's quite the birthday present from the president of the United States to a nation that has endured more fears than most nations have endured in 200 years.
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
previous comment ^^ directed at Apollo
damn this huffpo thread style!
Very well said Amb. Ginsberg! This president has once again shown his inept , clueless, and obtuse perception of foreign policy and the middle east in particular. He's been a complete disaster. Hopefully, a majority of people will and should feel this way too.
Israel doesn't even care about its own security when they keep planting illegal settlements in a warzone. Chew on that.
American Jews might vehemently disagree on a wealth of issues, but when it comes to Israel, there is nary a dissenting voice. Bush is simply playing the "annihilation card" there, to garner unilateral Jewish support here.
Decrying that Obama is an appeaser, or worse, a potential collaborator, Bush hopes to galvanize another faith based voting bloc. Better yet, it enables his successor to plunder the treasure chests of its powerful donors. This, from a guy who has no reservations about bedding the Saudis..., who play him like a fiddle.
"It is the servant who takes money" - Peter O'Toole - Lawrence of Arabia
Did it ever cross this President's mind, even once, that he might be poisoning the Knesset against someone who might very well be the next President and have to deal with them? How does this strengthen America? Once again, our President puts party over country. I'd call that unpatriotic. He has insulted both Israel and America by using the birthday celebration for political pandering to neocons at home.
Do you think the Israelis know that Prescott Bush, grandfather of this most unpatriotic President, helped finance the Nazis?
Also, who was bush quoting? (He doesn't deserve a capital.) Could it have been a republican? (Ditto.)
Let there be no doubt come November the Jewish vote will be overwhelmingly Democratic. Jewish voters are no different than voters of any of the diverse backgrounds of Americans that make up this great country. This election will be decided on the myriad of issues facing this nation most of which the Bush administration failed to address. No one in the Jewish community ever need worry about any American President when it comes to supporting our number one ally in the mideast. Can we really depend on any arab country to support us. The only good thing about America to them is as a dumping place for $ 125 barrels of oil. When push comes to shove we are not their brothers but we certainly are useful when they need to have someone fight their wars for them.
The Israelis have been conceding again and again to the Palestinian Authority but live with rocket attacks and suiciede bombers daily. How much more can you ask of them? Gaza is a pile of rubble now that the Jewish settlers were forced to leave and the Palestinians moved in. What do you want Israel to do? Their adversary doesn't want to peacefully co-exist. They want to eradicate them.
This kind of force can only be dealt with by overwhelming force, the only "diplomacy" the Palestinian Authority understands.
Why is making sure Israel is secure sooooo important to our national Security? We have to stop writing our Middle East policies as if Isreal is a state in United States of America. What has Israel done for us. Tell me that congressman.
I completely agree that Bush has no credibility and all this was is fear mongoring. But what bugs me the most is Obama fell into the same trap Republicans have used for years. Bush makes a statement about negotiating with terrorists like Hezbollah, Hamas, ect and gives no names, although it seems that he is intending it for Obama. So what does Obama do? He takes the bait and repudiates it. Some people, actually, many people who only get their news from MSNBC or CNN will say "Why did he jump to defend something so quickly that wasn't directed at him if it isn't true?"
He should've said something like "While I disagree with the tactics Bush used in Israel, I do agree that nobody should be negotiating with terrorist organizations." Just more elequently, that way he distances himself, but doesn't seem defensive. When someone gets defensive they appear guilty even if it wasn't true.
What Obama did was perfection! he framed mccain as a hippocrite and appeaser himself.The problem with john kerry was he DIDNT smack them down as soon as they said anything.
Do you remember 2004 by chance and a guy named Kerry. He ignored attacks directed at him, and do you see him as President. By the way, anyone with half of Bush's IQ knew he was talking about Obama. Nah.. I think he's doing just fine without your advice. Thanks anyway.....
I would think the Israelis would be insulted for being used in this way.
The irony is that GWB did Barack a huge favor:
1. He diverted attention away from Hillary
2. He sucked McCain into being a willing partner on the losing side of this issue.
3. He's given Barack a golden opportunity to "look presidential" and demonstrate his foreign policy creds to the American people when he responds to Bush in a major televised addressed at noon (ET) today.
4. He's reminded disunified Democrats why cleaning out the White House rat's nest is far more important than settling old political scores build up during the primaries.
Way to go, Cowboy!
george bush was pandering, in the worse sense of the word.....to the jewish people of america..does he really think jews are that stupid?......to most people, jewish or not, talking to a supposed 'enemy' is the first step in resolving an issue.....if 'problems cannot be resolved by 'talking', there are always other alternatives.....'talking' from a position of strength works wonders.......once the bombing and killing starts , it is very difficult to bring people 'to the table'............as we see in iraq.
I wonder what the Knesset thought of these facts:
-Prescott Bush's business dealings with Nazi war industry, talk about appeasement!
-the quote about "talking with Hitler" was from a Republican
-Iran Contra sale of weapons to Iran for profit and/or release of hostages, again TALK ABOUT APPEASEMENT
Here's this Jewel from Ronald Reagon:
In his speech on November 13, Reagan confirmed the transactions and stated the reasons for them:
"My purpose was... to send a signal that the United States was prepared to replace the animosity between [the U.S. and Iran] with a new relationship... At the same time we undertook this initiative, we made clear that Iran must oppose all forms of international terrorism as a condition of progress in our relationship. The most significant step which Iran could take, we indicated, would be to use its influence in Lebanon to secure the release of all hostages held there."
link: http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1986/111386c.htm
Republicans: the Party of Appeasement
Bush has no cred whatsoever on foreign policy and never did. I think the Israelis know that. McLieberbush is doing Israel no favors with their bellicose 20th century rhetoric at a time when the unquestioned military superiority of Israel and the U.S. has been challenged in both Lebanon and Iraq and the big winner as a result is Iran.
again as the Swift Boat for Truth guys never had one iota repudiated by Kerry , Pres Bush was also accurate...Yes Swift boating is actually accurate as it points out the lefts ignorance
how can one dignify a completely false utterance? It's like arguing with a two year old about ethics.
It's very easy to call people names but please, can you elaborate?
if Obama say's he going to meet the leader of Iran, with out him changing his message on destorying Isreal and killing soldiers in Iraq. That appeasement like when Chamberlain meet hilter. And he promised in a note not to invade.
WOW it never fails to amaze me that the president assumes that his base is sooo stupid that they will repeat a talking point without really knowing what it means.Polly want a cracker??
Kevin James is that you? I guess you still haven't looked up what appeasement means.......
Reagan did it. Heck, he not only negotiated with Iran, he sold them weapons!
Just as with Chamberlain, the crime is not TALKING with the "enemy" but making unconditional concessions to them.
"A major impediment to those goals has been an absence of dialog, a cutoff in communication between us. It's because of Iran's strategic importance and its influence in the Islamic world that we chose to probe for a better relationship between our countries." - Ronald Reagan
Once again, you Bushbots get basic history wrong. Chamberlain did not appease Hitler by meeting with him; he appeased Hitler by giving him half of Czechoslovakia.
How do you expect to have any credibility if you can't get basic facts straight?
Again, Bush demonstrates an appalling inability to comprehend context and consequences. It's as if a mean spirit at his center expresses itself as a narrow beam of hatred, arising out of layers of stupidity and arrogance, The package comes complete with a nice suit and great title, but the sum total is poisonous and petty.
This is the man who says he'll bring peace. It's to laugh, and then to cry. This is the dim-witted child of Shiva, wrapped in aristocracy.
People who carry a big stick and don't talk are usually bigots or cowards, and usually both.
sooo let me get this straight.... the term so over-used 'swift-boating' means telling truths that make the meida and perhaps the left uncomfortable?
What exactly was said by Bush that Obama has his shorts pulled tight on?
"Some seem to believe we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along," Bush told the Israeli lawmakers. "We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: 'Lord, if only I could have talked to Hitler, all of this might have been avoided.' We have an obligation to call this what it is -- the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history."
Hmmmmmmmm, who would disagree with that statement?? Appeasers? Looks to me like a choreographed response from the Dems.
On Kerry - Kerry's fellow combatants are the ones who stepped forward to state what they saw and when they saw it - not disputed. Kerry has still not released in full his records or that supposed war-diary, his 'war-stories'. No witnesses for is Purple Heart, looks like he wrote his own report for the Bronze Star, his oft-celebrated Senate testimoney ..... what part of the story that his fellow soldiers came forward with were lies?
Every person who was on kerrys boat was on stage in support of him sorry but as usual you people dont know what your talking about.Did you believe saddam hussein was behind 9/11?Thought so.Case closed!
Hmmmmmmmm? When has Obama stated that he would negotiate with terrorists and radicals? Talking to our enemies like Iran or North Korea? Ironically something being done by the Bush administration now. The problem was he chose the 60th anniversary of Israeli independance to invoke classic Bush fear mongering, and play american politics on foreign soil. As if somehow speaking to our enemies from a position of strength, is equal to the gutless appeasment to Nazis 60 plus years ago. Bush has absolutely ZERO credibilty in that region, his foreign policy isn't worth the paper it was written on. To relate today's critical foreign policy issues facing the American administration, with that of the threat of Nazi Germany is low. But I don't expect anything different from that moron Bush.
OK, once again: Talking with the enemy is not appeasement. It is diplomacy. Giving away half of Czechoslovakia is appeasement.
You right-wingnuts can't even get basic history right.
Isn't there some rule about "if you mention Hitler, you lose"???
It's called Godwin's law. Every argument that ends on a defensive link to Hitler fails, with exception to discussions pertinent to the War and historical time period.
Good ideas Marc. What's even sadder than Bush's idiocy yesterday is today they release a tape supposedly from Bin LAden telling all Muslims to kill all Israelis. Gee, what a coincidence. Of course the voice hasn't been confirmed yet, but we all know this is the same trick the Republicans have been playing for years. Fortunately, thinking Americans won't buy it this time no matter how loud the Hannitys and Limbaughs bray. What really takes the cake is Republicans don't believe it either. They are so used to lying to each other they'll still stand around screaming about it.
Iran is Iraq's neighbor and the Iraqis are already speaking to them. The US comes from the other side of the world and has no business there in the first place. To suggest we don't start speaking to them is about as stupid as one could get. But then again, Bush and his evil little followers never seem to amaze me at just how low they can push the bar.
Unfortunately there are still quite a few dummies falling for their lies. They will be marching in "goosestep" to the beat of the Bush war drum.
Go to DemocraticUnderground.com and see the story about Bush's grandfather Prescott. Tells his involvement with the Nazi's. Good story about him.
Why isn't the MSM reporting this about Prescott Bush?
GINSBERG'S 8 POINT PLAN FOR A PEACEFUL AND STABLE MIDDLE EAST.
The only problem with this plan is that it is virtually impossible to implement until there is regime change in Iran. As long as Iran is in the hands of Khomeine jihadists Ginsberg's plan is in the same league as the Obama Doctrine of Appeasement, of retreat now and diplomacy later. A doctrine of such staggering naivety that it pales in comparison to Bush's erroneous surge and democratizing dreams.
Maybe we shouldnt have overthrown the democratically elected president in Iran before then?Except he wanted to nationalize the oil so we cant have that so out goes democracy in goes the shah.Iran is ready for change there are too many young people waiting for the old guard to die.Im afraid if we attack them now we will have lost an entire generation of young people who will switch from being more progressive to reverting back to the old guard.
Democratizing Dreams are you insane ? Killing people for profit and oil is the only thing Bush and his cronies are dreaming of. Obama does not have a doctrine of appeasement, but one of negotiation and diplomacy. Anyone that believes in this inhuman doctrine of war, bombs, and plunder rather than peace by co-existance is in for a rude awakening.
Posted May 15, 2008 | 06:05 PM (EST)