May 18, 2009
Juan casts Bibi as Khrushchev
The title of this Juan Cole opus is "Obama-Netanyahu must not be Kennedy-Khrushchev." This parallel has been devised before. If Netanyahu is a "bully," does that make Obama the sickly introverted kid of the schoolyard?
It is the most fateful encounter of two world leaders since Kennedy met Khrushchev. And Obama absolutely must not allow himself to be cowed or misunderstood as timid by Netanyahu, who is a notorious bully and warmonger. (Bill Clinton complained that Netanyahu when last prime minister thought that he was the superpower). If Obama can cow Netanyahu, his Middle East policy may have a chance. If Netanyahu comes away thinking he can thumb his nose at Washington, the whole Middle East could be in flames by the end of Obama's first term.Let's skip to the next bit:
Netanyahu's plan to attack Iran's nuclear facilities would fail, and would only cause Iran actually to seek nukes, which it is not presently doing according to US intelligence. I like Israelis, but they are understandably traumatized by all the things that have happened to them since the 1930s and have developed an unhealthy hysteria and tendency to shoot first and ask questions later. They were convinced that a US overthrow of Saddam Hussein would change the Middle East in their favor. It has not (Hizbullah in Lebanon has new friends in Baghdad, as does Tehran). Obama must impress on them that the answer to every problem is not a bombing raid. The good thing about having Rahm Emmanuel in the White House is that he will be able to phrase the instruction colorfully enough for it to be understood unambiguously.Hmm, Juan feels that colorful phrasing prevents ambiguity. That explains a lot.
Crossposted on Judeopundit
Posted by Judeopundit at May 18, 2009 1:55 PM
Hezbollah in passive voice
A cynical and mistrusted offer
Wapo: peace process succeeding because of the great work of the administration
Council speak 100610
Nyt: peace process failing despite the great work of the administration
Do we have enough regulations yet?
Iranian General: "US, Mossad played roles in 9/11 event"
Absolving arafat, ten years later
Rahm can't run? antisemites!
The politics of peace
To Juan, the uppity Jew must be kept in his place since well if he isn't he starts more wars and never ceases stirring up trouble in the world. Its the oldest anti-Semitic trope around. Its not like Benjamin Netanyahu can order the United States to do what he wants! The paradox is the same haters of Israel who see the US as too craven to stand up to the Jew, are the same people who think the US can push Israel into a two state solution. Then again, they are all over the place, aren't they?
Posted by: NormanF at May 18, 2009 3:15 PMHassan Nasrallah agrees with Juan Cole: IT'S ALL THE JOOS' FAULT!
Israel is the root of all problems in the Middle East, and the source of all the wars in the region, Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah said on Monday.
"The source of the conflict in the Middle East is the Palestinian issue," he said during a speech commemorating the "Nakba," an Arabic term meaning "catastrophe," and referring to plight of the Palestinians following the War of Independence in 1948.
"The Zionist entity is not legitimate, and will not be legitimate in any situation," Nasrallah said. "Its existence is the heart of the Middle East the central reason for the breaking out of every war and crisis in the region."
Now you know who is to blame for all the trouble in the Middle East. The Gospel According to Nasrallah.
Heh
Posted by: NormanF at May 18, 2009 6:38 PMIt's interesting the juan cole isn't concerned about Obama being cowed and bullied by Iran.
Posted by: Laura at May 18, 2009 7:06 PMIt's Iran that Obama needs to cow into submission. But this is not something that juan cole is urging Obama to do. Like I have said before, its risk free to push Israel around rather than those that really threaten regional and global peace and stability, so that's what liberals advise, being the cowards they are.
Posted by: Laura at May 18, 2009 7:11 PM