Opinion
Weakness invites provocations
Manfred Gerstenfeld
Published: 02.11.12, 00:45
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29 Talkbacks for this article
1. Obama perceived as a weak President
nadya ,   California, USA   (11.02.12)
This article is absolutely biased. Obama did not betray Egyptian President Mubarak; the U.S. tried repeatedly to get him to change some of his policies and allow a more democratic governance, he was not interested. Mubarak was a terrible dictator who oppressed and terrorized his own people. Good for Israel, bad for the Egyptians.
2. Perceived international weakness
nadya ,   California, USA   (11.02.12)
You have a P.M. who exudes a war-mongering spirit who's absolutely out of control. Americans do not want war and our President reflects our wishes, If you perceive this as weakness so be it. If you want to go to war be our guest. Americans have had enough. This is what Israeli's will find when Obama is re-elected.
3. If He Wins......
Dan ,   USA   (11.02.12)
he will, no longer need American Jew's money nor votes and will quickly throw Israel under the bus, while Muslim leaders cheer.
4. Stop relying on the USA!
Mark ,   Cleveland USA   (11.02.12)
Most Americans don't really care anything about what goes on in the Middle East as long as oil prices remain low. The main point of contention between The West and Islamic nations is Israel, and the West's meddling in Arab/Muslim affairs. If the US government decided to play their cards more like China, and stopped getting involved in the drama, they could get cheap gasoline and terrorism against America would stop. When Americans finally reach that conclusions, only God will be able to save Israel from Bibi's stupidity and the Arabs.
5. Weakness invites provocations
JOGYMA ,   Nairobi, KENYA.   (11.02.12)
I the US President is not a genuine fred of Israel, having served the whole term with-out visiting Israel yet He has some of her Neighbours.
6. You forgot the granddaddy of all
Gee ,   Zikron Yaakov   (11.02.12)
The PLO which invented political hijackings and suicide bombers
7. These articles are like a broken record...
esse ,   --   (11.02.12)
...basically saying the same thing over and over again. Yes, we get it, you don't like Obama because he DARED to say that Israel is partly to blame for its current situation. How dare he agree with almost half of Israelis, all of Europe, and most of Canada, Australia, Africa, China, Russia and India? In other words, the only people Obama didn't agree with are those on the Israeli right and American conservative Christians. However please do keep these articles coming. There are many Americans on the fence on who they plan on voting for in the coming election and the one thing ALL Americans hate is foreigners telling them what to do. So when someone like the author tells them not to support Obama, they're likely to do just that.
8. Gerstenfeld, what bubble do you live in??
Shlomo ,   USA   (11.02.12)
I suppose giving the order to cap bin Laden was the act of a weak man.
9. No. 8 Shlomo
NYC Girl   (11.02.12)
Don't be so quick to buy Obama's version of the killing of bin Laden. First of all, he dickered around for 16 hours because Valerie Jarrett was against it in case Obama ended up with a situation like Jimmy Carter and the helicopters crashing in the desert. In fact, it was only because of the urging of Hillary Clinton and Leon Panetta, that Obama finally gave the order to go ahead...although to hear him tell it, you would have thought he pulled the goddamn trigger himself.
10. #4
Madeleine ,   Israel   (11.02.12)
"The main point of contention between The West and Islamic nations is Israel..." Are you really that naive? If israel were to be wiped out tomrrow, totally destroyed, do you think that all would be well between Islam and the West? Israel serves as an excuse, meanwhile, to try an push America to wring yet mre concessions out of Israel. However, Islam as a whole hates the west, by their own admission has embarked on global jihad with the aim of imposing Islamlic law on the West. When they've ciompleted their mission in Europe - and this is well underway in Western Europe and Britain - they will turn to America.
11. obama supports Israel? um, I think you mean the brotherhood!
jack bauer   (11.02.12)
mali, tunisia, libya, egypt, yemen, now syria and lebanon are being pulled in.... soon after will come jordan.... feeling surrounded yet? Our position has never been in a more grave position since 47' And it seems to me that we arent even seriously preparing for the next shoah. America wont support us in the hour of need so we better be able to defend ourselves.
12. After Obama has finished off the Big Satan, tiny Israel will
tom ,   tel aviv   (11.02.12)
be of no consequence to the Muslim tidal wave sweeping the globe. It will be up to the Chneese to do the Final Battle, somewhere/sometime in the furure. We are living in a relatively short period of "White mans Earth"....
13. You donĀ“t seem to realise the fact that
Anita ,   Finland   (11.02.12)
Roosewelt already sold america for muslims 1955. Oil maney talks and that is why america has to devide tha land of Israel. Americas time is gone. And you already have your own middle east among you.
14. What a Cocktail of Talkbacks
Norbus ,   Jerusalem   (11.02.12)
Nadia, forgets Mubarak offered a 6 months guaranteed transition to democracy and was best placed to deliver. I think Obama is a bit of an Anarchist hence declined offer Nadis also accuses BiBi for not ignoring threats to wipe out Israel from the Map, by crazed Islamists who think the Mahdi will creep out of the Well when they destroy the last Jew on earth, per Khaibar Mark of Ohio is in a bubble, thinking Islam's ambitions stop at destroying Israel. So long as he gets cheap oil prices , all will be fine, Chamberlain discovered appeasement sucks. Finally, the man who sees topping Bin Laden as bravery and not a ruse to declare the Al Quaida liquidated by a weak President who wins battles with his Oratory
15. #8
(11.02.12)
capping bin Laden was a war crime. It proved Islamic distrust of the US and led to a crisis with Pakistan (thanks to Obama, a former US ally), increasing the popularity of Jihad and Taliban, and filling a bags with the bodies of American servicemen. And apart from making Obama more popular, capping Obama gave the US no advantage.
16. A good Article and analysis !.
Arn. ,   Sweden.   (11.02.12)
I Quote - Even if part of America's weakness is due to perception only, that translates into reality. It invites provocation by the US' enemies Comment - That seem to be a principle with Democratic Presidents, their ideology is the cause. Arn.Sweden.
17. Gerstenfeld' s style
Michael ,   Haifa   (11.02.12)
Until now the style of a right wing fascist bully. When Obama is re-elected, my hunch is that we shall hear a different Gerstenfeld - a Gerstenfeld who whines and whimpers.
18. What Obama asked Medvedev to tell Putin
Nik ,   Moscaw   (11.02.12)
You all have seen small part of the video where Obama asks Medvedev to tell Putin that this is his "last elections and then Putin can lift oil prises to 150 but keep it before elections at 110". Why Romney does not play the video in total? Obama says several interesting things on video. BTW, most Russia is for ... because we hope ...
19. Think again.
mea   (11.02.12)
20. To: Madeleine at No. 10
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (11.02.12)
Oh, I assure you that Israel is in no danger of being wiped out any time soon. Should that day come, we will take much of the world with us, and we will render the balance uninhabitable for the next 100,000 years. The goyim deserve no less.
21. Norbus, you're a genius (nm)
Nissim ,   NYC   (11.02.12)
22. To nr 4 - Blatant distortion of facts, reality and history
Alexander ,   Tel Aviv, Israel   (11.02.12)
Fact 1) If all people, nations, races, ethnicites and cultures are equal before the law and equal before God, why should the existence of an Israeli/Jewish nation state in the ancient and historical Jewish homeland be a "provocative issue" while the existence of 200 other independent and sovereign states - some of them ancient, some of them are new, some of them are rich and developed and some aren't, some are nation states and others are multi-cultural states - are not "provocative"? It seems you have a problem with the existence of a Jewish people. These views are called racist genocidal ideology - i.e. believing that a certain nation, ethnic group or culture doesn't have the same human, civil and national rights as other nations due to its ethnicity and identity. For your information: Israel has existed for thousands of years before America, Europe, Russia, Turkey, the Arabs, the African states, Latin America and Asia were even conceived. Israel belongs at least to the 5 oldest LIVING civilizations on earth. Fact 2) Islam has engaged in a crusade of Islamic conquest for 1400 years from North Africa to the west, and Indonesia, India and South East Asia to the east. Islam has spread the toxic beliefs of Islam from the cold steppes of Central Asia to the scorching heat of the Sahara desert. Is that also due to Israel? Fact 3) The Arab caliphate started attacking Christian Europe centuries BEFORE Europeans colonized the Middle East. Was that also due to Israel? Fact 4) The Islamic political and military superpower of the Middle Ages and early 20th century - the Ottoman/Turkish empire, waged war on Christian Europe for centuries. Christians and Moslems have massacred and fought each other for 1400 years. Is that also due to Israel? Fact 5) The Arab-Israeli conflict is existential: 300 million Arabs want to kill and massacre 6 million Jews in Israel, Arabize Israel and claim Arab dominion of all of the Middle East. That is the simple truth.
23. esse
albert USA ,   USA   (11.03.12)
I am voting and find this article very helpful. Intelligent analysis doesn't know borders so you are wrong about who we listen to. Sorry to disappoint you but my vote goes to Romney.
24. The head-words = self-describing of Gerstenfall:
Aaron   (11.03.12)
The head-words = self-describing of that Gerstenfall: LOOK: . Double Standard... // . Weakness serches for provocation > The head-words are simply the self-describing of that Gerstenfall. best regards, Dr. Freud. (And a lof of Success and always Full Hand to Mr. President Obama )
25. Do not feed #20
Daniel ,   JM   (11.03.12)
Do not feed the troll
26. NYC Girl # 9
Eaglebeak ,   Left Coast, USA   (11.03.12)
Hillary Clinton and Leon Panetta did more than urge Obama. They went behind his back and did it on their own. That's why Obama had to be pulled out of a golf game when it happened. Clinton and Panetta got tired of Obama's stalling. Valerie Jarrett did have a huge influence on Obama and his not making a decision. Obama's only involvement in actually getting Bin Laden was taking the credit for it.
27. Obama throws both Israel & America under the bus.
Chaim ,   Israel   (11.03.12)
Obama is throwing both Israel and even America under the bus. The only question is: Is he doing it through stupidity or on purpose?
28. A real danger to Israel
(11.04.12)
29. Outstanding accurate article
Shalom Freedman ,   Jerusalem Israel   (11.05.12)
This article is outstanding. It is not a one- sided attack but rather a balanced consideration. I would also however add one additional factor in why Israeli Jews are suspicious of President Obama. He has shown a coldness to the Israeli Prime Minister and also by refusing to visit here a coldness to the Israeli people.
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