President Obama’s opportunity to speak truth to power: Part 1
If I had to go down that road, I would hope to have the support of the vast majority of my Jewish fellow Americans. Your response to me here today will give me a first indication of whether or not that hope would be justified.
Because I came to this meeting determined to be completely honest about my own thoughts and feelings, there is more I must say.
In my view there is no bigger threat to the security of America and all Americans than continuing and unending conflict in the Middle East and the hatreds it fuels in the region and far beyond. And that’s why national security adviser James Jones told “J” Street’s first conference that advancing the Israel-Palestinian peace process is the “epicenter” of U.S. foreign policy. He put it this way: “If there was one problem I could recommend to the president if he could solve only one problem, this would be it. Bringing about an Israel-Palestinian peace agreement would create ripples around the world. The reverse is not true. This is the epicenter.”
When I spoke recently in Hackensack I called for the cynics and skeptics to be cast aside to prove that “leaders who do what’s right and what’s hard will be rewarded not rejected”. On that occasion I was appealing for understanding of Jon Corzine in his bid for re-election to the governorship of New Jersey, and for him to be rewarded not rejected. Today I can tell you that the time may be coming when I will have to make that same appeal on behalf of myself. And this is why.
If it became apparent that Israel is the obstacle to peace, and if then I was prevented from using the necessary leverage to bring an intransigent Israel to its senses, I would resign. As I said earlier, the first duty of any president is to protect America’s best interests. If I was not allowed to do that, I would see no point in being president.
I wish to add only this. It’s time to stop regarding politics as “the art of the possible”. That’s a cover for the politics of expediency which are taking us and the whole world to hell. It’s also time to recognise that “Yes, we can” is not an urgent enough call to action. With a number of problems threatening the wellbeing and perhaps even the survival of humankind, we need to regard politics as the art of doing what must be done if our children wherever they live are to have a future worth having. And our call to action should be “Yes, we must!“
If anybody who reads what I have written above has a way of drawing it to President Obama’s attention, please do so.
Part 2 after Obama has spoken.
Footnote: As I prepare to post this article, Secretary of State Clinton, is saying that peace talks (about talks) will go ahead “with or without a freeze on settlements”. I find myself wondering if that is a two-fingered gesture from her to Obama as well as to the Palestinians.
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President Obama’s opportunity to speak truth to power: Part 1. By Alan Hart « Kanan48:
November 1st, 2009 at 3:42 pm
[...] President Obama’s opportunity to speak truth to power: Part 1. By Alan Hart 2009 November 1 by kanan48 Via: Alan Hart. [...]
Mary S:
November 2nd, 2009 at 8:08 am
I have to admit that I am skeptical of Obama’s intentions. I suspect that, true to the pro-zionist leanings of the US government, he will only push for a peace that is favorable to the Israelis and detrimental to the Palestinians, which means there will be no peace at all – but it will not be his fault. In a nutshell, this has been the history of the whole conflict.
Hillary has moved the dialogue in precisely that direction. We’re all wondering what she’s been smoking (and she definitely inhaled!), but I think we will see the same old agenda emerging. On another blog post I saw a comment by an American who just returned from a visit to the West Bank, where he spent some time with his many Jewish settler relatives. They’re ebullient – they’ve vanquished Obama and settlement building is going on full tilt, without permits being issued (the government told the settlers, go ahead and build, you can apply for your permit later and it will be approved automatically). Netanyahu is a liar; he has no interest in peace, but is true to his right wing beliefs. Israel intends to gobble up the West Bank with Jewish settlements and thereby drive out the Palestinians to Jordan.
Greg Bacon:
November 5th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
I watched part of that shameless display of raw Zionist power over the US House, but I was surprised at the number of brave Congressmen and woman who got up to speak AGAINST the resolution.
That took balls, as they were probably overwhelmed with hateful emails, phone calls and maybe even some threats…. which aren’t hate crimes, just ask the ADL.
I imagine those brave 36 will see an enormous amount of money pouring into their opponent’s campaign chests for the 2010 election… coming from AIPAC and Israel.
Just think, some of our 401K money that MADOFF from Wall Street to Tel Aviv will be laundered back into the USA and used to defeat these true Americans.
What a great country we have… filled with liars, mass murderers and war criminals.
Mary:
November 6th, 2009 at 5:28 am
I don’t think any of the decent congresspersons who voted against the resolution were flooded with hate mail or phone calls. The problem here is that not enough people cared one way or another. The US public is not pro-Israel; they are pro-themselves, and the issue of the conflict is so poorly covered in the US that most people did not even know there was a resolution, or a vote. I noticed that after the resolution was carried, the news didn’t even show up in most major news outlets.
As for Madoff, bringing him up is irrelevant to the issue. I hope you are not implying that because he is Jewish he had something to do with the resolution being carried. Please clarify.
Mass murderers, etc.? I don’t think so, but I think there is greed and corruption, and if we don’t care about it, it will continue.
President Obama’s opportunity to speak truth to power, Part 2 – Rahm Emanuel does it for him - Alan Hart:
November 13th, 2009 at 11:31 am
[...] I wrote and posted Part 1 of this article, I was, of course, aware that there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of President [...]
President Obama’s opportunity to speak truth to power – Rahm Emanuel does it for him « INTIFADA:
November 14th, 2009 at 1:57 am
[...] I wrote and posted Part 1 of this article, I was, of course, aware that there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of President Obama [...]
Palestine Think Tank » Israel Middle East Issues Newswire Palestine Religion Zionism » Alan Hart – President Obama’s opportunity to speak truth to power, Part 2 – Rahm Emanuel does it for him:
November 14th, 2009 at 5:39 am
[...] I wrote and posted Part 1 of this article, I was, of course, aware that there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of President Obama [...]
Palestine » Blog Archive » Alan Hart – President Obama’s opportunity to speak truth to power, Part 2 – Rahm Emanuel does it for him:
November 14th, 2009 at 5:54 am
[...] I wrote and posted Part 1 of this article, I was, of course, aware that there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of President Obama [...]
The Progressive Mind » President Obama’s opportunity to speak truth to power : Information Clearing House - ICH:
November 15th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
[...] 15, 2009 “Information Clearing House” — – When I wrote and posted Part 1 of this article, I was, of course, aware that there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of President Obama [...]
President Obama’s opportunity to speak truth to power, Part 2 – Rahm Emanuel does it for him. By Alan Hart « Kanan48:
April 5th, 2010 at 6:16 pm
[...] I wrote and posted Part 1 of this article, I was, of course, aware that there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of President Obama [...]