Why Mr. Obama?
One would be forgiven for thinking that President Obama was actually the president of Israel and not the United States. Listening to him go on and on about the importance of “having your back” in reference to the Israelis and the importance of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons to protect the Israelis. The maintenance of the sovereignty of Israel. This is the same banter that is spoken by many American presidents prior to an election, although I don’t remember a president doing it with such enthusiasm before. We understand that would-be American presidents must pay homage to Jewish lobbies, however the sudden change of tone that Obama has displayed was nothing short of breathtaking.
The only time I can remember such a sudden 180-degree change in direction is when I was watching a demonstration of the new Ferrari Italia. What happened to the Obama who was pressuring the Israelis to accept a Palestinian state not that long ago! I recall the excitement amongst many Arabs when he spoke in Egypt. We all rejoiced in thinking that here was an American president who is fair and just or at least on the fence when it came to the Palestinian issue. How naive were we!
Obama spent a good time in his recent speech talking about Iran and terrorism in the region. The president also made references to Syria on a few occasions. Let me be clear, I have no love lost for either of these regimes. However, it’s the lack of mention of the Israeli regime that was exasperating. Why was there no mention of the atrocities the Israeli army is involved in and has been involved in against the Palestinian children since the 1950s? Terrorism and acts of inhumanity should be highlighted and stopped by the international community. However let’s not broadcast homemade videos of acts of violence from Syria and completely ignore the ones happening a few kilometers away on Palestinian soil.
President Obama highlighted the fact that Israel and the United States shared many interests including economic ones. Actually, Mr President, the economic interests that the United States share with all the Muslim countries in the Middle East are much more substantial. The economic interests shared by us in the Middle East and Europe are also far more valuable for the Europeans than their relationship with the Israelis.
Times are changing Mr President. The economic situation worldwide has left many countries and families struggling to make ends meet. The Arabs and the Europeans are more interested in trying to move forward politically, socially and more importantly economically. We don’t want to be dragged into a war that is in no one’s interest except Israel’s. The Arabs, the Europeans and most of all the American people do not want to be forced into a military conflict for the sake of Israeli peace of mind. If President Obama pulls his nose away from Israel’s backside long enough to see the rest of the world, he will realize that too.
Let me set the record straight. I absolutely resent dictators. I believe the death penalty is too soft a punishment on those that commit acts of terror. I believe the international community should not hesitate to bring terrorists to justice and those that support them. I believe that the majority of Americans are good hardworking citizens that do not share the president’s love for Israel and its international interests. I also strongly believe that Iran is not stupid enough to support acts of terrorism on American soil. Those who benefit from making us believe that are those who want an excuse for a preemptive strike on Iran. At the end of the day, this is just a small article written by someone who enjoys a good conspiracy theory…!
By Zakaria K local@kuwaittimes.net
