Comments on: Obama: Gaza Siege ‘Forced on Israel’

By: Steven

Steven — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 17:38:15 +0000

everytime i notice the US elections .. i feel it as for israel.. both dems and republicans go to AIPAC to appease the zionists by rhetorics against supposed enemies.. in order to attract votes and money.. it’s shame in my opinion .. that instead of thecandidates to vow for peace.. they support a thug in ME which increase the hte agains US.. the american should wake up and take the lead instead of some zionists which harm the image of US among the world.!

By: Richard Silverstein

Richard Silverstein — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 05:49:00 +0000

Alas, Mary it IS authentic. Obama’s staff confirmed they sent it. They are getting flack for it and deserve getting more. The reason it doesn’t sound like Obama to you (& it certainly has none of the wonderful rhetoric he’s capable of) is that he didn’t write it. If we’re lucky it was written by a staffer for him. But it’s entirely possible it was written for him by AIPAC & that he merely affixed his signature to it.

While I don’t defend this awful letter, he IS in the fight of his political life for the nomination & feels he must innoculate himself with pro-Israel chicken soup to confirm his credentials. He’s worried that if he leaves a stone unturned that Hillary will go after him & take advantage of such a weakness. Remember that FL has become a crucial contest even though it is non-official & Super Tuesday has many states w. substantial Jewish populations.

By: Mary Baine Campbell

Mary Baine Campbell — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 04:51:20 +0000

I’m still not convinced about the authenticity of this troubling letter. It’s very strangely written, and the mysterious ellipses would surely have been edited out before being sent to Khalilzid by the office of a leading candidate for the presidency of the United States. That the UN received it is no guarantee that “Obama” wrote it. If some student intern wrote it for him, the fact that it wasn’t better written or edited–that indeed it doesn’t seem to have been vetted at all–is a bit alarming itself. No trouble believing that presidential candidates would stoop to anything, and contradict themselves with a hand on the Bible, but it doesn’t sound like Obama. And it got so invisibly little press in the US, where most of the voters live: what would have been the motive to sell his soul, apologizing thus inaudibly for a crime against humanity, an infraction of international law not too different from the kind he promises we’ll stop making ourselves?

By: Lewis

Lewis — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:11:02 +0000

What was the famous Daily Express headline? “Jews declare war on Germany”

By: MuzzleWatch » Obama fights nasty whisper campaign

MuzzleWatch » Obama fights nasty whisper campaign — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 21:52:03 +0000

[...] also released a seemingly gratuitous letter to the United Nations regarding their impending condemnation of the illegal and disastrous Siege of [...]

By: Richard Silverstein

Richard Silverstein — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 02:00:20 +0000

Steph: The NY Times yesterday wrote that despite the supposed non-primary in FL both Clinton & Obama’s are seeing FL as important as a precursor to Feb. 5th. So while what you say is correct, in light of Obama’s S.C. victory FL looms much larger than it previously did.

But you’re right in the sense that Obama’s interests may be larger than merely FL. On Feb. 5th, he’ll be trying to win Jewish votes in lots of states with substantial Jewish populations like NY, NJ & CA.

By: Steph

Steph — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 13:42:24 +0000

I have not doubt that Obama was pandering to right wing voters, but Florida!? The State Democratic Party violated the rules by scheduling their primary early and therefore no delegates from Florida will be recognized so there’s not much campaigning going on there. In any event, the letter is to be condemned!

By: mattes

mattes — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 17:13:36 +0000

May I cross post this excellent article to a couple liberal blogs??? I will link back to this site.

By: Violet

Violet — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 23:51:15 +0000

It’s a pity that Obama or whoever wrote that tripe didn’t engage their brain before typing. Saying Israel was forced to place an entire population under siege so that they can’t even get hold of day to day necessities is like an abusive spouse saying that the victim of their abuse forced them to abuse them. How can anyone have the gall to make that comment and then follow it up with ‘while seeking to minimize any impact on civilians’?

By: Leila

Leila — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 05:57:54 +0000

Rami Zurayk, an agricultural specialist and social justice blogger, reprints a long report from Gaza about the situation for farmers and food there. It’s heartbreaking:

http://landandpeople.blogspot.com/2008/01/long-update-from-gaza.html