The Audacity of Questioning

[Abital]

The Audacity of Questioning Obama's Commitment to Israel



Senator Obama's appointment of Zbigniew Brzezinski as a foreign policy adviser "worries Israel supporters" . His deep bond with Pastor Jeremiah Wright, Jr. (who has close ties with Louis Farrakhan -- a notorious anti-Semite) elicited a critical column by Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen -- a column which seemed to open a window for others to come forward.

Cohen is a liberal Democrat, and calling him a part of the vast right wing smear machine, as National Democratic Jewish Council Executive Director Ira Forman called Lasky in an ad hominum attack column released Monday won't work any better than labeling Alan Dershowitz and Martin Peretz as right wing smear artists for the deep concerns they have expressed about Obama's foreign policy team. Forman makes no attempt to offer any defense of that foreign policy team in his article. Nor has any other Obama defender who supports Israel made such a defense to this point.

Those concerned about Obama and Israel include:

Former Israel Ambassador to America Daniel Ayalon (Who Are You Barack Obama?) wherein the Ambassador expressed concern regarding Obama's approach toward Iran and also, based on his own personal experience with Obama dealing on issues concerning the American-Israel relationship, stating that he was left with an "impression that he was not entirely forthright with his thinking";

Jerusalem Post columnist Caroline Glick, who also took on Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul in this column;

Jerusalem Post Editorial Page editor Saul Singer (Obama's Mixed Record on Iran );

The New York Post;

Writer Hillel Halkin (Obama Gets Israel Wrong);

An American Jewish Committee internal memo questioned Obama's potential approach to Middle East policy;

Commentary Magazine writer Noah Pollak criticized Obama's appointment of Robert Malley and Samantha Power as foreign policy advisers. Pollak notes in a recent post that Power (a key and very public foreign adviser to Senator Obama) echoes the views of Zbigniew Brezenski in calling for "special interest groups" influence over foreign policy to be abolished. Power has also called for the elimination of foreign aid to Israel and its redirection to "Palestine", as well as the massive imposition of US military forces in the area to bring about and enforce a settlement (where, of course, they could find themselves easy targets and be subject to propaganda attacks as another imperial foray into the Middle East).

The blog Powerline has also raised questions regarding Obama;

Slate magazine writer Mickey Kaus has long wondered why Obama and his close relationship with Pastor Wright has all but escaped any media scrutiny and has pointed out that Wright's racial divisiveness is in sharp contrast to Obama's campaign mantra of unity. Many other very credible commentators have raised these issues and others. Yet critics of Lasky's articles have all but ignored the criticism arising from these quarters.


Now why do we bring these people into the discussion? To show that there are serious questions that a wide variety of commentators, including a former Ambassador, have regarding Barack Obama and Israel.

complete article -
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/01/the_audacity_of_questioning_ob.html

[Abital]

CHICAGO - In his first major public address since a cancer crisis, Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan said Sunday that presidential candidate Barack Obama is the "hope of the entire world" that the U.S. will change for the better.

The 74-year-old Farrakhan, addressing an estimated crowd of 20,000 people at the annual Saviours' Day celebration, never outrightly endorsed Obama but spent most of the nearly two-hour speech praising the Illinois senator.

"This young man is the hope of the entire world that America will change and be made better," he said. "This young man is capturing audiences of black and brown and red and yellow. If you look at Barack Obama's audiences and look at the effect of his words, those people are being transformed."

Farrakhan compared Obama to the religion's founder, Fard Muhammad, who also had a white mother and black father.

"A black man with a white mother became a savior to us," he told the crowd of mostly followers. "A black man with a white mother could turn out to be one who can lift America from her fall."

Farrakhan also leveled small jabs at Hillary Rodham Clinton, Obama's rival for the Democratic nomination, suggesting that she represents the politics of the past and has been engaging in dirty politics.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080225/ap_on_re_us/farrakhan_saviours__day;_ylt=As3TLU1_GQDj_5amixhBV QKs0NUE

Yes, I left out the obligatory statements from the Obama camp that he hasn't solicited Farrakhan's support, but for some reason I find them disengenuous.

Could it be Obama's anti-Israel advisors?

Could it be his dressing in full Islamic garb? http://sweetness-light.com/archive/obama-wore-muslim-gear-during-kenya-trip

Could it be Obama's statement that ""Nobody's suffering more than the Palestinian people" (as reported by The Des Moines Register and other news outlets)?

I love both the USA and Israel and am seriously concerned that Obama may actually become the next President, G-d help us.

Please also check this (http://sweetness-light.com/archive/barack-obamas-church-ultra-left-and-afrocentric) out, article entitled Obama’s Afrocentric, America-Hating Church.

[varian]

Question everything as long as a real answer is sought by the question. There are some real questions about "O" and what his presidency would mean for the Jewish people of the US, and by extension, the nation of Israel. This is the first time that I have heard of Farrakhan mentioning 'white' in a positive manner. In the past everything about 'whites' had to do with them being the children of Satan. This represents a shift in that old paradigm. Perhaps most American Jews were too 'light' for him in the past.

[Abital]

Question everything as long as a real answer is sought by the question. There are some real questions about "O" and what his presidency would mean for the Jewish people of the US, and by extension, the nation of Israel.

As far as what a President Obama would mean for Jews and Israel, I have to look at his advisors (Robert Malley [A little family history may be in order to understand the genesis of Robert Malley's views. Normally, one should be reluctant in exploring a person's family background -- after all, who would want to be held responsible for the sins of one's father? However, when close relatives share a strong current of ideological affinity, and when a father has a commanding persona, it behooves a researcher to inquire a bit into the role of family in forming views. That said, Robert Malley has a very interesting father. His father Simon Malley was born to a Syrian family in Cairo and at an early age found his métier in political journalism. He participated in the wave of anti-imperialist and nationalist ideology that was sweeping the Third World. He wrote thousands of words in support of struggle against Western nations. In Paris, he founded the journal Afrique Asie; he and his magazine became advocates for "liberation" struggles throughout the world, particularly for the Palestinians. Simon Malley loathed Israel and anti-Israel activism became a crusade for him-as an internet search would easily show. He spent countless hours with Yasser Arafat and became a close friend of Arafat. He was, according to Daniel Pipes, a sympathizer of the Palestinian Liberation Organization --- and this was when it was at the height of its terrorism wave against the West . His efforts were so damaging to France that President Valerie d'Estaing expelled him from the country. Malley has seemingly followed in his father's footsteps: he represents the next generation of anti-Israel activism. Through his writings he has served as a willing propagandist, bending the truth (and more) to serve an agenda that is marked by anti-Israel bias; he heads a group of Middle East policy advisers for a think-tank funded (in part) by anti-Israel billionaire activist George Soros; and now is on the foreign policy staff of a leading Presidential contender. Each step up the ladder seems to be a step closer towards his goal of empowering radicals and weakening the ties between American and our ally Israel. Robert Malley's writings strike me as being akin to propaganda. One notable example is an op-ed that was published in the New York Times (Fictions About the Failure at Camp David). The column indicted Israel for not being generous enough at Camp David and blamed the failure of the talks on the Israelis. Malley has repeated this line of attack in numerous op-eds over the years, often co-writing with Hussein Agha, a former adviser to Yasser Arafat (see, for example, Camp David: The Tragedy of Errors ). He was also believed to be the chief source for an article by Deborah Sontag that whitewashed Arafat's role in the collapse of the peace process, an article that has been widely criticized as riddled with errors and bias. Malley is a revisionist and his views are sharply at odds with the views of others who participated at Camp David, including Ambassador Dennis Ross and President Bill Clinton. Malley's myth-making has been peddled in the notably anti-Israel magazine, Counterpunch and by Norman Finkelstein, the failed academic recently denied tenure at DePaul University . Malley's Camp David propaganda has also become fodder for Palestinians, Arab rejectionists, and anti-Israel activists across the worldand. ( http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/01/barack_obamas_middle_east_expe.html ) and, of course, Zbigniew Brzezinski. That is quite worrisome to me.



This is the first time that I have heard of Farrakhan mentioning 'white' in a positive manner. In the past everything about 'whites' had to do with them being the children of Satan. This represents a shift in that old paradigm. Perhaps most American Jews were too 'light' for him in the past.

Yes, this is the first time I have heard of Farrakhan referring to anyone who is 'white' in a positive manner, however, this is from the above link as well:


Farrakhan compared Obama to the religion's (meaning the NOI) founder, Fard Muhammad, who also had a white mother and black father.

Looking at that quote, I'm thinking that Farrakhan had to have been using the 'one drop of blood' theory because he obviously has long known about Fard Muhammad's parentage.

[andak01]

As far as what a President McCain would mean for Jews and Israel, I have to look at his backer Bush Sr. and his family background.

George Bush's grandfather, the late US senator Prescott Bush, was a director and shareholder of companies that profited from their involvement with the financial backers of Nazi Germany.

His business dealings, which continued until his company's assets were seized in 1942 under the Trading with the Enemy Act, has led more than 60 years later to a civil action for damages being brought in Germany against the Bush family by two former slave labourers at Auschwitz and to a hum of pre-election controversy.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/sep/25/usa.secondworldwar

Now I'm not, nudge, nudge, wink, wink, saying that McCain actually IS a NAZI. Noooooooooooooooooo. I didn't say that at all.

Sheeesh! Can you find anything more tenuous than the father of a supposed advisor. What's even more hilarious. The way people talk about Souros sounds just like the Rothchild conspiracy theorists! He runs the world.

BTW, McCain spent 5 years of his life having daily meetings with communists! Suspicious? You betcha!

[Mediocrates]

Everyone pays lip service in the quest for votes and false piety. Take Pelosi for example with her spur of the moment Hijab

http://www.littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/pictures/20070403PelosiSyria01.jpg

The scarf is an Isaac Mizrahi. :eek::eek::eek:

[varian]

A couple of anecdote about Johnny Mc.

Before 911 some Republicans in the state of Arizona had started a recall petition to have Johnny recalled. His temper and general antagonism had been a thorn in the side of state politicians for years. The petition was on a slow roll, but gaining gentle momentum, enough to get noticed and rebuked by some McCain loyalists. After 911, the petition drive was halted for the cause of national unity in a time of crisis.

A second incident came to light during the McCain-Feingold uproar. McCain was featured on a Phoenix radio program where he was defending the bill. During the discussion, McCain made a statement about how a political opponent had received $300,000+ dollars in support from a certain corporation and that gifts of this magnitude were corrupting the system. An astute caller called in to remind Johnny that he had receive a donation of $100,000+ dollars from the same corporation. McCain sat in stunned silence for a moment (silence is not good on the radio), and then replied to the effect that - see, the present system was corrupting everyone. My thought was simply; if Johnny realized that he was also corrupt, then the honorable thing would have been to resign. The Hanoi Hilton John would have done the right thing and resigned. Time, power and money can even change "heroes." How sad.

[andak01]

For those who forgot, he was rebuked by the senate for his involvement in the Keating 5 scandal.

[Abital]

As far as what a President McCain would mean for Jews and Israel, I have to look at his backer Bush Sr. and his family background.

George Bush's grandfather, the late US senator Prescott Bush, was a director and shareholder of companies that profited from their involvement with the financial backers of Nazi Germany.

His business dealings, which continued until his company's assets were seized in 1942 under the Trading with the Enemy Act, has led more than 60 years later to a civil action for damages being brought in Germany against the Bush family by two former slave labourers at Auschwitz and to a hum of pre-election controversy.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/sep/25/usa.secondworldwar

Now I'm not, nudge, nudge, wink, wink, saying that McCain actually IS a NAZI. Noooooooooooooooooo. I didn't say that at all.

Please tell me what Bushco has to do with McCain other than their obligatory endorsement when their preferred candidate, Romney, 'suspended' his compaign. We all know about Prescott Bush and the Nazis. Please tell me when McCain or his family did anything so heinous.


Sheeesh! Can you find anything more tenuous than the father of a supposed advisor. What's even more hilarious. The way people talk about Souros sounds just like the Rothchild conspiracy theorists! He runs the world.

BTW, McCain spent 5 years of his life having daily meetings with communists! Suspicious? You betcha!

About George Soros (not Souros): He is indeed incredibly wealthy, however, he gives almost nothing to Jewish causes, is pro-Palestinian and does express same with donations + he blames Jews for anti-Semitism. Do you even know who Souros (sic) is? Do you know who the Rothschild (not Rothchild) family is? It appears that your sarcasm is exceeded by your ignorance. You betcha!

[andak01]

Please tell me what Bushco has to do with McCain other than their obligatory endorsement when their preferred candidate, Romney, 'suspended' his compaign. We all know about Prescott Bush and the Nazis. Please tell me when McCain or his family did anything so heinous.

We all know about Obama's past and his connections. He wrote about it in his book. He is not responsible for the actions of everyone he comes in contact with or the family of everyone he comes in contact with, or even his own extended family.

To be fair to McCain, probably the only reason Obama hasn't been involved in a Keating like scandal is his youth. But the fact remains, when McCain talks about senate ethics, it should be taken with a grain of salt.


About George Soros (not Souros): He is indeed incredibly wealthy, however, he gives almost nothing to Jewish causes, is pro-Palestinian and does express same with donations + he blames Jews for anti-Semitism. Do you even know who Souros (sic) is? Do you know who the Rothschild (not Rothchild) family is? It appears that your sarcasm is exceeded by your ignorance. You betcha!

Apologies for my spppellling. I frenchified Soros and deutschified Rothchild. I do know who they are. I am not aware that Soros blames Jews for anti-semitism. Perhaps you can enlighten me with a link.

[varian]

... when McCain talks about senate ethics, it should be taken with a grain of salt. ...


...or less!!!

[Abital]

We all know about Obama's past and his connections. He wrote about it in his book. He is not responsible for the actions of everyone he comes in contact with or the family of everyone he comes in contact with, or even his own extended family.

Yes, but he is indeed responsible for the people he has chosen to advise him, (from my earlier post: did you read it?) Robert Malley, Samantha Power and Zbigniew Brzezinski, as well as choosing a church with such close ties to the Jew-hating, Israel-hating Farrakhan. That is not the only church in the world or haven't you noticed?



To be fair to McCain, probably the only reason Obama hasn't been involved in a Keating like scandal is his youth. But the fact remains, when McCain talks about senate ethics, it should be taken with a grain of salt.

This thread isn't about McCain, (I wonder why you hijacked it) however, we all know the Keating 5 is the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to ethics problems for him. He has been reported to be over-involved with lobbyists for years. Oh wait, I forgot: OBAMA CO-CHAIR A STATE LOBBYIST (http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/01/02/544600.aspx). :rolleyes:




Apologies for my spppellling. I frenchified Soros and deutschified Rothchild. I do know who they are. I am not aware that Soros blames Jews for anti-semitism. Perhaps you can enlighten me with a link.

http://www.fpp.co.uk/online/03/11/JTA071103.html

http://judaism.about.com/b/2003/11/10/george-soros-blames-jews-for-anti-semitism.htm

http://www.adl.org/ADL_Opinions/Israel/blame_op_12052003.htm

There's 3 just because you were so nice. :D

[Mediocrates]

Big picture, there's not an awful lot any US President can or will do. US policy vis a vis Israel tends to be an on-off switch.

[andak01]

Yes, but he is indeed responsible for the people he has chosen to advise him, (from my earlier post: did you read it?) Robert Malley, Samantha Power and Zbigniew Brzezinski,

Wow! People with tremendous credentials and experience. He should have chosen people without the taint of the Democratic party on them!


as well as choosing a church with such close ties to the Jew-hating, Israel-hating Farrakhan. That is not the only church in the world or haven't you noticed?

How close of a tie could a Christian church have to the Nation of Islam? Do they take Elijah Muhammad as a Prophet? Do they believe that the Judgement day happens in America with Blacks being judged before Whites?


This thread isn't about McCain, (I wonder why you hijacked it)

Pardon me. I did notice this is the smear Obama thread. Perhaps I need to start the smear McCain thread.

[Abital]

Wow! People with tremendous credentials and experience. He should have chosen people without the taint of the Democratic party on them!

No, it's because of their anti-Israel views, but you knew that already, didn't you? :rolleyes:




How close of a tie could a Christian church have to the Nation of Islam? Do they take Elijah Muhammad as a Prophet? Do they believe that the Judgement day happens in America with Blacks being judged before Whites?

Barack Obama is a member of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ. Its minister, and Obama's spiritual adviser, is the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. In 1982, the church launched Trumpet Newsmagazine; Wright's daughters serve as publisher and executive editor. Every year, the magazine makes awards in various categories. Last year, it gave the Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Trumpeter Award to a man it said "truly epitomized greatness." That man is Louis Farrakhan. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/14/AR2008011402083.html)

Andak, this has been all over the news for months and months. Are you simply trying to be sarcastic for some reason?



Pardon me. I did notice this is the smear Obama thread. Perhaps I need to start the smear McCain thread.

Good idea: I'll join right in. :D

Seriously, I am very concerned about what Bushco has done to this country and I find ALL the presidential candidates to be sorely lacking. I don't consider this "the smear Obama thread" - I consider it to be informational about someone who just might be our next president. I am not happy about any of the candidates, believe me.

[Abital]

Big picture, there's not an awful lot any US President can or will do. US policy vis a vis Israel tends to be an on-off switch.

Is that because of our anti-Israel State Department? I apologize but I don't understand why our policy concerning Israel "tends to be an on-off switch." Could you please elaborate?

It seemed to me that when the US population was excited about the modern State of Israel, the US was pro-Israel; when Entebbe happened, the US was pro-Israel; otherwise, it seems as though Israel is always getting the shaft both in the US and the UN.

Please tell me why our policy vis-a-vis Israel is so unstable (i.e. "on-off switch"). Thank you.

[wellofvow]

How close of a tie could a Christian church have to the Nation of Islam? Do they take Elijah Muhammad as a Prophet? Do they believe that the Judgement day happens in America with Blacks being judged before Whites?

Pardon me. I did notice this is the smear Obama thread.

Although it is true that I am an Israeli, and yes, primarily concerned about the US elections peering through an Israeli lens, and yes, I hear the name Farrakhan and head for cover, STILL, let's for a moment simply go to the website of the Trinity United Church of Christ "About Us" and just think a moment about the "10-point vision" - AND ASK OURSELVES HOW COMMITTED IS OBAMA TO AMERICA?

http://www.tucc.org/about.htm

"The Pastor as well as the membership of Trinity United Church of Christ is committed to a 10-point Vision:

A congregation committed to ADORATION.
A congregation preaching SALVATION.
A congregation actively seeking RECONCILIATION.
A congregation with a non-negotiable COMMITMENT TO AFRICA.
A congregation committed to BIBLICAL EDUCATION.
A congregation committed to CULTURAL EDUCATION.
A congregation committed to the HISTORICAL EDUCATION OF AFRICAN PEOPLE IN DIASPORA.
A congregation committed to LIBERATION.
A congregation committed to RESTORATION.
A congregation working towards ECONOMIC PARITY."

This was simply copy-paste from the church's own website....

This congregation, of which Obama has been and still is a part, has a "non-negotiable commitment to Africa".

OK, this alone puts them on exactly the same crack as American Jews are accused of straddling, only this is in writing as an unabashing manifesto, while it is a joke to think that any American Jewish congregation would sit still for even in a single sermon a "non-negotiable commitment to" Israel.

HOWEVER

It really goes over the top when combined with being "A congregation committed to the HISTORICAL EDUCATION OF AFRICAN PEOPLE IN DIASPORA."

How many American Jews are "committed to" really thinking of themselves as being "in diaspora"?

And WHAT are they thinking of "liberating" in "A congregation committed to LIBERATION"??

So, as an American citizen and not an Israeli citizen, ever since looking at this manifesto, I am wondering NOT about how committed Obama is to Israel. Forget Israel!

How AMERICAN is this guy????