09/30/13

Troubling, Unsettling

Arlene from Israel

But of course! How could the situation be anything but?

This morning’s lead story in the JPost included this (emphasis added):

“Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will go into his meeting with US President Barack Obama on Monday aiming not only to reveal the ‘true face’ of the Iranian regime, but also wanting to hear a reaffirmation from Obama of Israel’s right to defend itself.

“One of Israel’s main concerns presently is that Iranian President Hasan Rouhani’s ‘charm offensive’ has chipped away at Israel’s legitimacy for military action if Tehran crosses the red line Netanyahu established at the General Assembly last year.”

http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/At-meeting-with-Obama-Netanyahu-seeking-reaffirmation-of-Israels-right-to-defend-itself-327425

Reaffirmation?

My immediate response to this was enormous indignation. Of course we have the right to defend ourselves. We need no one’s permission to do so. Every sovereign state has the right of self-defense.

This article reflects a very different tone from what I reported yesterday: “Netanyahu will tell US President Barack Obama that Israel will abandon the diplomatic path on Iran’s nuclear program [i.e., take unilateral military action] if it is not completely dismantled.”

Was it Netanyahu’s intention to tell Obama what we might need to do? Or to ask permission?

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This circles back on the discussion I had in my last post about how there are times that Netanyahu has difficulty in bucking what Obama demands. In this case he might demand that there be no military action because this would interfere with his “diplomatic” outreach to Iran. Hey! He and Rouhani are practically best friends already.

If Obama were to make this demand, does this mean Netanyahu would have to listen? On the contrary, this is one of those occasions on which he MUST do what is right for Israel. But it is also one of those occasions that might require enormous strength and fortitude from him. And I can see the possibility of his stalling – whatever the bravery of his words – when it is past time for stalling.

Far better to clear matters away first, if it is possible. Otherwise there might be not only penalties of various sorts, but interference with our attempts to defend ourselves.

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The on-going theme being put out by Kerry remains unsettling, as well. He is going to make demands – real demands – of Iran, he keeps telling us. But then he provides examples of some of the things he’d like to see now for Iran to show its seriousness, and they fall short of what is truly needed:

“They could immediately open for inspection the Fordo facility, they could immediately sign the protocol of the international community regarding inspections, they could offer to cease voluntarily to take enrichment above a certain level.”

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4434654,00.html

Once again: they need to close Fordo, and stop enriching all together. Will the US accept half-way measures and call it victory? This is precisely what I fear, and this would be a situation that makes it doubly difficult for Netanyahu.

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Netanyahu, we’ve been told, brought with him into his meeting with Obama information on an Iranian agent who was captured here in Israel. A Belgian citizen of Iranian origins, Ali Mansouri is suspected by the Shin Bet of having been recruited by the Quds Force of Iran, which is a unit of the Revolutionary Guards that oversees “special operations, terrorism and subversion” outside of Iran. A businessman, he was in Israel to attempt to set up a business network that would provide “a covert base of operations for the Iranian regime to act against Israel and Western interests.”

Mansouri, who was reportedly paid $1 million for his activities, answered to the Quds Force, which in turn answers to the notorious Qassem Suleimani.

http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Shin-Bet-arrests-Iranian-spy-sent-to-Israel-by-Revolutionary-Guard-327362

Netanyahu was eager to provide information to the president on precisely how Iran is operating even as its leaders profess eagerness for warm relations. Mansouri, when arrested, was carrying photographs of Ben Gurion Airport and the US Embassy. The latter should make Obama sit upright: the US is not exempt from Iranian machinations and it’s imperative for him to realize it.

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The scuttlebutt, across the board, has been that this is going to be a time of greatly heightened tensions between Netanyahu and Obama – with a reappearance of the personal animosities we had seen earlier, and which had been, at least superficially, smoothed over. The goals of the two leaders were seen to be simply at odds, with frictions in the personalities as well.

But none of this was apparent on the surface today, with regard to the meeting between Netanyahu and Obama. The prime minister was well prepared going in, as he was prepped by a team that included some very good people, e.g., Ya’akov Amidror, outgoing head of the National Security Council and Ron Dermer, new incoming Israeli Ambassador to Israel.

Credit: Majalla

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A close look at their words would certainly reveal gaps between the two. And we must remember that what was of import – especially with regard to differences – was said behind closed doors. But public words were all cordial and I do not believe the atmosphere was negatively charged. Matters seemed smoother than might have been expected.

Obama said that he would not be taking Iranian leaders at their words and would demand action: “specifically a reduction in the level of uranium enrichment as demanded by the international community, and that can be verified.” (Yup, that again, still.)

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/172360

Netanyahu said, after the meeting, that he appreciated Obama’s position on Iran. He does? Well, Obama did say he wasn’t ruling out the military option. Anyone believe that? Netanyahu is no one’s fool.

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Perhaps, however, what is serious is that Obama did concur that Israel needed to keep that military option on the table.

This is the conclusion that we must draw from the fact that, while still sitting next to Obama, Netanyahu declared for the press that if serious action isn’t forthcoming from Iran, Israel reserves the right to wage a unilateral military campaign against Iran’s nuclear facilities. I am not hearing that Obama offered a recognition of Israel’s right of self-defense, but that does not matter. What matters is that our own prime minister made that right clear.

http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Netanyahu-urges-Obama-to-keep-up-sanctions-on-Iran-in-light-of-new-detente-327496

Netanyahu’s position remains that Iran must fully dismantle its nuclear program. Half-way measures will not cut it for him.

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We do not know exactly how much Netanyahu impressed Obama with his evidence of Iranian intransigence. But we can speculate.

According to Israel National News (above), “Netanyahu also presented Obama with the key points he intends to make in his speech to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. Among other things, Netanyahu is expected to say that he does not rule out diplomatic dialogue with the new Iranian President, provided that the talks will establish real results.”

This is a concession to Obama. Netanyahu knows full well that diplomatic dialogue with Iran will never establish real results.

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There is one other significant point in the follow-up to the leaders’ meeting: Obama praised Netanyahu’s willingness to engage in the negotiations with the PA.

Uh oh.

Here’s more scuttlebutt: In reality, there is no connection between the threat of a nuclear Iran and our negotiations with the PA. But Obama keeps finding ways to draw connections. There is fear in some quarters that Netanyahu may give on what he is willing to concede to the PA, in return for Obama taking a stronger stance on Iran.

I keep picking up rumors about something coming down the road – some proposal from the prime minister regarding an interim state. There is an enormous amount of action going on, under the surface, in government and Knesset circles, in order to prevent this from happening.

Yesterday, Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon convened a meeting with heads of nationalist groups inside the Likud Central Committee to strategize on this issue. Danon made the point that this was not “anti-Netanyahu,” but rather was intended to apply counter-pressure to the great pressure Netanyahu was undoubtedly encountering in the US. The group focused on a critique of Tzipi Livni, head of the negotiating team, who just spoke at a J-Street conference. Deplorable.

http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Right-leaning-Likud-members-aim-to-block-any-agreement-Netanyahu-makes-with-PA-327446

Credit: JPost

09/30/13

Cokie’s Racism Charge: Black Tea Leader Retorts

By: Lloyd Marcus

Cokie Roberts recently calling the Tea Party racist is tired and unfounded. http://bit.ly/1biuENn As a black man who has been actively involved since its inception, I have been refuting this evil liberal/Democrat lie for 5 years.

I have over 400 tea party rallies under my belt after several national bus tours on Tea Party Express, Our Country Deserves Better and Conservative Campaign Committee. Thus, I am extremely qualified to testify to the tone and personality of Tea Party rallies. Cokie Roberts and others who brand the movement with a hot iron “R” for racist are either clueless or have a vested interest in promoting their divisive false narrative.

Allow me to tell you about a few of the folks; true freedom-fighter patriots I have met at rallies across America.

My first rally was in Orlando, attended by 6,000 mostly middle-aged whites. Upon coming out on stage to perform my original “Tea Party Anthem” song, without forethought I proclaimed, “Hello my fellow Americans. I am NOT an African-American. I am Lloyd Marcus…AMERICAN!” The audience erupted with cheers and applause. http://bit.ly/EAjbd

After the rally, I was approached by several attendees, some with tears rolling down their cheeks, who thanked me. They felt that hyphenating divides us. Would racists desire all races to be unified as Americans?

A dirty little secret which the Democrats do not want exposed is that a large percentage of the Tea Party proudly cast their vote for the first black president. Obama’s liberal socialist/progressive vow to “fundamentally transform America” birthed the Tea Party.

An encounter at a rally in Traverse City Michigan humbled me. A wheelchair bound white woman yelled, “Oh my gosh, there is Lloyd Marcus! I read your columns and play your music. May I have a picture and autograph?” Of course, I complied. The woman’s daughter confided in a staffer, “My mom is dying. She said all she wanted to do was to meet Lloyd Marcus.” Does this terminally ill tea party attendee sound like a redneck racist repulsed by a black man occupying the Oval Office?

At a rally in Texas I was approached by a white tall thin central-casting looking cowboy pushing a double stroller with two black babies. The proud new papa and his wife who was also white had recently adopted the babies from Africa. “We asked God to give us children who need our love.” Do you think this cowboy wants to see “blacks hanging on a tree” which a Congressional Black Caucus member has charged is the desire of Tea Party attendees? http://bit.ly/rhHkER

I could go on and on recounting experiences which denounce the Democrats’ and mainstream media’s slanderous lie about the Tea Party.

Over the years, I have come to the realization that the facts/truth are irrelevant to liberals and racists. Calling it racist to oppose Obama implementing his European style socialist/progressive agenda is liberal’s/Democrat’s ultimate trump card which they are not about to give up.

Nothing silences and sends white conservatives/Republicans running to the tall grass for cover like trumped-up charges of racism.

This is why liberals/Democrats so frequently lie, playing their race card.

I lost respect for a black Christian minister, friend and mentor of 30 years. Placing his idolatry of Obama and socialism above all else, he lied. He swore to me that he heard a sound bite on CNN in which Sarah Palin and others were yelling at a tea party rally, “Kill him!” referring to Obama. Folks, I assure you this is a lie from the pits of hell. Not only is it uncharacteristic, neither violent nor racist speech would be tolerated.

Sarah Palin is number one on the liberal mainstream media’s excrement list. If footage existed of her encouraging the assassination of the president existed, it would have been broadcast 24/7; gone viral.

And yet, this is the kind of unchallenged vile hate-filled trash being fed to the black community about patriotic, decent and good white Americans who are merely fighting to save their country; restoring it to the vision of our founding Fathers.

A while ago on CNN, I called out NAACP president Ben Jealous for his easily confirmed to be a lie accusation about the Tea Party. Jealous claimed to have seen tea party rally signs that read, “Lynch Barack Hussein Obama” and “Lynch Eric Holder”. OK, Ben, show us the signs. Again, such signs, if they existed, would have surely gone viral; widely circulated by the media. To date, no one has seen the signs other than Ben Jealous. This man is a despicable liar shamefully and purposely ginning up hate. http://bit.ly/1bivI3O

Black civil rights leader, Julian Bond said the Tea Party is “admittedly racist”. Unlike the complicit liberal media, I would ask Mr Bond to substantiate his claim. Show us the article, video, tweet or whatever. Bond can not produce evidence because Bond lied! http://bit.ly/13ZkF8I

Attempting to convince, compromise or find common ground with racist hate-filled socialist/progressive zealots is absurd. This evil simply must be defeated.

Lloyd Marcus, Proud Unhyphenated American
Chairman: http://www.conservativecampaign.org/
LloydMarcus.com