Comments on: U.S. Envoy Calls Bibi’s Speech ‘Inadequate’ Before He Delivers It

By: Richard Silverstein

Richard Silverstein — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:29:04 +0000

Cool, what a great site. Proud to be linked there.

By: Warren

Warren — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:50:52 +0000

Aah, this change in tone on the part of the U.S. is so pleasing to the ears. I just want to give George Mitchell a big hug and thank him for actually behaving like an official of a sovereign nation (and the supposed giant world superpower at that). I hope this signals a real shift in the longstanding habit of the American government of kowtowing and genuflecting to Israeli whims and delusions, rhetorically at least. The bigger issue I see down the road at the American end of the “special relationship” is dealing with our utterly useless ingrate U.S. Congress, surely one of the most pathetic collections of people ever to walk this beautiful, green Earth. I don’t believe that most of these men and women could think for themselves, or ethically evaluate, to save their Grand-nannas, so in thrall are our senators and representatives to big money and the marching orders of the powerful. The notion that Congress is actually there to represent, ya know, the American people, you’ve maybe heard of that little concept called “democracy”, seems to be lost on them—so vast is the gulf between the expressed wishes of most Americans (via polls, all sorts of indicators) and the actions of our government. Obama and Mitchell are going to have to whip out some serious knuckle-grease politicking, expend some of that substantial Obamian political capital, to get those bought-off patsies in line. Good luck. As much as I loathe Darth Cheney and all that he stands for, I painfully admit sharing some of his disdain for (most of) the denizens of the legislative branch. (The difference of course is that his hostility is structural, mine isn’t.)

By: ron

ron — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:47:27 +0000

got to your website from this piece:

http://www.3quarksdaily.com/3quarksdaily/2009/06/on-freeze-and-dismantling-or-between-cairo-and-bar-ilan-universities.html#more

By: Jeremiah Newman

Jeremiah Newman — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 09:11:23 +0000

[comment deleted for violating comment rules]

By: Richard Silverstein

Richard Silverstein — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 07:46:48 +0000

If Bibi were to fall and the electorate thought it was a result of excessive American pressure (electorates don’t like outside interference in their voting, even if they are concerned about maintaining the American alliance), I’d expect another turn to the right.

You’re being incredibly naive. Shamir was voted out when he bucked Bush Sr. Bibi himself was voted out of office last time because he bucked Clinton. Israelis don’t want a divide with the U.S. & they punish candidates who create schisms with Uncle Sam. Although you may be an Anglo-Israeli, you don’t understand the relationship with the U.S..

By: Richard Silverstein

Richard Silverstein — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 07:42:13 +0000

Israel interferes in “democratic processes” here in the U.S. virtually every day. Where do you think the Iran sanctions bills are strategized & devised? As much in the Israeli embassy, Mossad and Aipac offices as they are in Congress. Don’t talk to me about the U.S. not interfering in Israel’s democratic process.

It is in U.S. interest to see a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Nations pursue their interests. Israel does this too btw. It interferes in the affairs of virtually all of its neighbors to varying degrees in order to advance its own.

I have no problem with Barack Obama putting pressure on Israel’s government to sign a peace treaty with the Palestinians.

By: richard01

richard01 — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 04:03:55 +0000

@kylebisme

So what? Gore got 500,000 more votes in 2000 than Bush, and Hezbollah’s side got 100,000 votes more than the opposition just only last week.

Democracy is a game played by the rule makers.

Israel is a piddling little Levantine country that has had to set up an electoral system to accomodate its varying colonial settlers, and, in doing so, is no different than the US or Lebanon.

By: kylebisme

kylebisme — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 03:17:16 +0000

Perhaps you don’t realise that Kadima got more votes than Likud?