I might add that Obama’s policy is to reduce conflict even if that means he gives into the bad guys. But one more thing is at play here. By allowing Hezbollah to rule Lebanon, Iran to get the bomb and Hamas to rule Gaza, ( you know, end the blockade) he is building pressure on Israel to capitulate. Ultimately he hopes it will lead to Israel’s destruction and ultimately, to the end of the conflict. T. Belman
Obama’s Statement of Support for Lebanon Shows His Lack of Support for Lebanon
By Barry Rubin, GLORIA
Even when you say the right thing it can only highlight the fact that you haven’t been doing it. Take President Barack Obama’s statement on Lebanon. The wording is all correct, yet it only makes the fact that this has nothing to do with actual U.S. policy stand out even more vividly.
Thus, when Obama said that he is committed to keeping Lebanon free of “terrorism,” the fact is that—in part due to weak U.S. policy—the country is largely under the control of Hizballah, a terrorist group. Right now, Hizballah doesn’t have to make many terrorist attacks since it has already used terrorism successfully to gain veto power over state policy.
Obama’s statement was timed for Lebanon’s Independence Day, but that is only all the more ironic because Lebanon has once again lost its independence to Iranian and Syrian control. The message was also prompted by growing tension over the special tribunal investigation into the assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri in February 2005.
Pretty much everyone in Lebanon knows the Syrians killed Hariri and it seems increasingly demonstrated by the tribunal investigation that Hizballah was involved. But what a hollow joke it is to speak of this when the Syrians and Hizballah hold such overwhelming power as to intimidate anyone else in Lebanon from doing anything about it.
Probably, even if the tribunal issued a report saying that Syria and Hizballah were guilty, Hariri’s own son—Said, leader of the Sunni Muslims and the Sunni-Christian moderate alliance—would denounce it as false. That’s tragic and one major reason why he would have to defend his own father’s murderers is that he knows he cannot rely on the United States.
“I am committed to doing everything I can,” said Obama, “to support Lebanon and ensure it remains free from foreign interference, terrorism, and war.”
–Why, then, has not the U.S. government broken off its engagement with Syria—which has been leading nowhere—to protest Syria’s growing interference in Lebanon (not to mention involvement in killing American soldiers in Iraq and other misdeeds)?
–Why doesn’t he mention the U.S. pledges in 2006 to support a strong UN force capable of keeping Hizballah out of the south, stopping arms smuggling, and even helping the Lebanese government disarm that militia? Obama has not lifted a finger to get tough on these issues. He has stood by and watched while the UN force has been intimidated into passivity by Hizballah. In a real sense, Hizballah took on the entire world, supposedly under U.S. leadership, and won total victory.
— Syria and Iran have given their side lavish financial and military support. They have helped commit acts of violence to intimidate those favoring a sovereign and independent Lebanon. Where is the U.S. counter-effort, including covert operations and behind-the-scenes funding? The Saudis—not Obama–tried their best to fight the radical Islamist axis without help from Obama.
And so, Obama has not done “everything I can,” he has done almost nothing at all. The moderates tremble and the radicals rejoice at this fact. Is there anyone in Lebanon, or even the Middle East, who doesn’t know this?
And then there’s this statement which in theory sounds good but is actually a disaster:
“The only way ahead is for all Lebanese to work together, not against each other, for a sovereign and independent Lebanon that enjoys both justice and stability.”
To preach everyone working together, while it may enhance stability, also reinforces the status quo which is what’s making a sovereign and independent Lebanon impossible. Only if the United States had given the Sunni-Christian-Druze alliance had stood up to Hizballah and not worked together in a national unity government would there have been hope.
The Druze saw the writing on the wall and dropped out. Their leader went from praising America and damning Syria, to praising Syria and damning America because he had no faith in Obama backing his people and keeping him alive in the face of the other side’s terrorism. His allies caved in also. Can you blame them?
You can practically hear the dictators sneer in Damascus, Tehran, and the terrorists chime in at Hizballah headquarters:
Ha! You are isolated. No one cares. No one will help you. Do you think America and Obama are going to come to your rescue? We will kill you and your families without the United States doing anything. Surrender or else!
And so they did.
Thus, it sounds a bit disgusting to hear Obama opine: “Lebanon and its children need a future where they can fulfill their dreams free of fear and intimidation.”
Sad to say, they aren’t going to get it with your policy.
Barry Rubin is director of the Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center and editor of the Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) Journal. His latest books are The Israel-Arab Reader (seventh edition), The Long War for Freedom: The Arab Struggle for Democracy in the Middle East (Wiley), and The Truth About Syria (Palgrave-Macmillan). The website of the GLORIA Center is at http://www.gloria-center.org and of his blog, Rubin Reports, http://www.rubinreports.blogspot.com
Vinnie
You seemed to have forgotten those times. The west was engaged in a life and death struggle with the Soviets, and Israel was the vanguard in that struggle. But then is then and now is now. The Soviets do not exist and the cold war is now over and very much in the past. Israel is no longer that useful to the west-now oil is king and the Saudis are now ubber alles. My, how quickly we forget.
phat fur:
I someohow don’t think a “Saudi stooge” would have organized an emergency airlift for Israel over and above the objections of the entire Arab world, especially the Saudis, who embargoed oil in response. In this case, I’m referring to Nixon, of course, who, last time I checked, came after Roosevelt.
The truth is more complex than having to choose between a simple dichotomy of either a) America is Israel’s best buddy, or b) America is no better than France or even Russia.
American support for Israel is a ball in play. There has not been a president since Nixon who has treated Israel as anything close to a genuine ally – such as, for example, South Korea – but there has, until now, been a certain baseline of support that could usually be counted upon. The most important of these was the general willingness of U.S. presidents to run interference for Israel at the UN.
Now, we have a president who, for the first time, has explicitly used U.S. political support for Israel on the international stage as a bargaining chip, with this latest offer to veto UN resolutions “for a year” in exchange for the freeze extension. So, I guess now, America’s friendship with Israel, as represented by Obama, now has an expiration date, and that is only if Israel submits to America’s (read: the Palestinian’s) terms.
I could go on, but I don’t think there can be any question now that Obama is a very different animal than any previous president. Yes, others have certainly been chummy with the Saudis, and have not been the “friends” of Israel that they may have proclaimed. But this Obama is openly aligning himself with the Saudi agenda, hook, line and sinker, and that is a new low.
Vinnie:
Obama is a Saudi stooge, but so has every other American president since Roosevelt. Vinnie you are another white bread Jew who thinks that American administrations in the past were more concerned with Israel than purely domestic interests. For christ sake, open up your eyes. America did not become America by being soft and fuzzy. America is concerned with America first and always.
If Israel allows itself to be led into the slaughterhouse without resistance, as is hapenning at the present time,Israel will deserve its fate.
IT IS AS SIMPLE AS THAT.
Ted,
I agree with your comment above, and have said for quite some time now that at least in terms of foreign policy, Obama is nothing but an out-and-out Saudi stooge, installed by them in order to either a) shove the so-called “Saudi peace plan” down their throats in order to facilitate their slow political/economic strangulation, or failing that, b), accelerate this process by wrecking the U.S.-Israeli relationship, and doing everything else besides (e.g., not supporting pro-Israel Canada’s bid for a temporary seat on the UNSC – an historically unprecedented move by the U.S. – betraying one of our absolutely closest allies just to ensure Israel’s isolation in the UN).
This is a foreign policy that is utterly warped by an obsession with Israel that can only be explained by collusion with or otherwise manipulation by the Saudis & Friends. Every other element of U.S. foreign policy under Obama is mere detail, nearly every move is calculated to pressure Israel in one way or another.
As to some of the other posts above, I have no illusions that things are going to be much better for the average person here under Republicans vs. Democrats. Of course there is an “upper upper class” that protects their own interests no matter who is president, no matter what party has “control”. But I don’t think this class is monolithic; even among them there are disagreements in the way their interests may best be protected, if nothing else.
I don’t think they all see the Islamic world as a “market”. I’m sure there are some who can see that there is no way a bunch of Osama Bin Laden types are going to be “bought off” by anyone. If there is no choice but to defeat them militarily – and there is no choice in this – then in order to put a stop to the destabilizing nature of their war against us – Who, even in this class, wants to see another 9-11 or worse? – then this “market-based” approach is not going to work. Others believe “appeasement” will work – that is the segment of the “upper upper class” perhaps represented by Obama & Co. (though on foreign policy, never mind this “superclass”, I maintain that they are Saudi puppets first last and always, and the “superclass” issue s only relevant insofar as the rich Arab sheiks are a part of this class). But this is clearly not working.
So, at least with respect to the war on Islamist terror, I’d say that it does make a difference which party we back, at least as things are playing out right now. Bush wasn’t that much better than Obama, but I think we are going to see Republicans emerge who are far more willing to directly confront the Islamic world than has been the case in the past. The Saudis and other rich Gulf Arabs will certainly do their best to prevent this.
For now, I only hope there is more exposure of the “Arab lobby” so that more Americans can see how we are being manipulated on that front. Mitchell Bard’s recent book was a good effort in that direction, but we need to see more. It is amazing how little attention this gets, and that is no coincidence.
Thanks Andy.
Nobody likes where it leads nor what it is – many are so in horror of it they reach for their pitchforks and torches hoping to burn the messenger.
Intelligence is not a prime factor in understanding the realities of social architecture. A grounding in the social sciences and training to learn abstraction from ethnocentrism helps but it is mostly a matter of luck of personal circumstance if an individual can remain free of the indoctrinated disease of manipulated social identity.
Once the social identity has become manipulated by outside forces , the cork is in the bottle and the individual can never escape to see the world as it is.
—
It is one thing to understand the reality of social architecture , it is another thing to decide what to use it for. Noam Chomsky understood what I understand – but he used his knowledge in his self-hating pursuit of destroying America.
I already know that each of the names you mentioned understand the architecture but each uses the core knowledge for a different purpose for each individual.
So it does not mean a common agreement about what to do. Understanding the architecture is a separate module.
The core knowledge is a source, a fountainhead, it is nothing in books, it is understanding from experience and critical investigation and critical confrontation without identity distraction.
Once a person has “got it” then they know where to look , where to research for any given political-economic topic.
A group working with these ideas can break apart , restructure and reform society – create new parties never before seen or used, and create a new social order never before tested or used.
A new paradigm awaits the brave and the inquisitive: Confront, Challenge, Change.
If no one or no significant group understands me , it is safe to speak – if groups start to understand , it is not safe to speak. As some groups are now catching up to the core knowledge it is no longer safe to speak – it is now “challenging” to speak as there are now more and more groups of people understanding and challenging the system. (The policing actions are severe). As this is happening, the system is seeing these groups and individuals as “enemies” and waging war on them.
This new type of awareness “denormalizes” the existing system of corruption and fascism and that is a thought crime and social crime to the established order.
One has to decide if one wants to be a martyr if one wants to speak up.
I do not, it is of little use. If too many people start to like the way I think, I will have to shut up.
I like the way you think, Max (although I don’t like where it leads). Not too many web commentators have this understanding or anything like it: Felix Quigley, Jim Stephens. Francisco Gil-White, and Jared Israel are the only ones that come to mind.
Obama’s first masters are the American Superclass – the power elite that owns all the banks,all the major corporations and the MSM.
The Superclass does not wish to defeat Islam militarily – they hope to rule them through fascist economics – the same as they rule the American people.
They don’t see Islam as an enemy , they see Islam as a market – they will use puppet Islamic dictatorships and rump states like Israel – they only use military force when they cannot conquer through economics.
The superclass is not on the side of or with the American masses against fascists. The Superclass are the fascists working to enslave all the masses both Islamic and non-Islamic.
Don’t look to Republicans to save you, both the Democrats and the Republicans will institute the same polices as they are both the Mandarins of the same Superclass. They may look different but they will act the same.
The state of Lebanon:
The West lies about everything and spins it their way. They lie when they say that Iraq and Afghanistan are “real countries”. They lie when they say that Jewish Israel is “not a real country”.
Lebanon has never been a real country, but the West always says it is. It is a conglomeration of tribes which hate each other, and which form temporary alliances based on their current strengths (and which the West calls a “legitimate government”).
The Lebanese christians were the most numerous and powerful group for a while, and Lebanon was the only other non-muslim country in the middle east aside from Jewish Israel. The muslims couldn’t stand that.
When France, under DeGaulle, decided to oppose America, and make alliance with the muslims, France abandoned the Lebanese christians (most of whom had converted from orthodox to catholic during the crusades).
The christians grew weaker; the muslims grew stronger, civil war broke out. The more numerous muslims eventually won.
The majority muslim group was the shiites (40% of the population; they outnumber the sunnis two to one). They went from powerless before the civil war to controlling the south and east of Lebanon after the war, and have become stronger ever since with the help of shiite Iran.
Since Lebanon is now strictly divided up into ethnic areas, and the shiites have been given veto power over the government, it is not clear that the shiites would stage a coup to formally take over all of Lebanon. But either way, from both a Western viewpoint, and from an Israeli viewpoint, the Lebanese christians have been neutralized, and Lebanon is lost to the West.
Keep in mind that Obama first masters are Indonesian Islamic teachers
Obama is not in White House for defending Free World values and security but for dismantling Free World from inside and from outside and for advancing enemies of freedom abject antiamerican agenda
Obama is a hypocrit Islamic creation and plant and is Islamism Trojan Horse