Opinion
Weak and unreliable ally
Shoula Romano Horing
Published: 07.09.13, 14:05
Comment Comment
Print comment Print comment
Back to article
76 Talkbacks for this article
1. No POTUS is a king
spyguy ,   seattle   (09.07.13)
You can beat up on Obama all you want, but the REALITY is no POTUS can ignore the will of the American people for very long. You may not like it, but Obama can not act without American OK and a huge majority of Americans just do NOT care what happens in the Middle East. You are also ignoring the 200+ year history of the US that has shown that the US does not have "friends" but temporary agreements that it will walk away form whenever it wants. As for "deterrence" there is no such thing and Israel needs to learn that real quick. Every army that has ever existed has eventually been humiliated and defeated and Israel will NOT be the exception. There is ALWAYS another group with a bigger club. Relying on brute force to protect yourself will ALWAYS FAIL. So get over the US backing away from a bad fight and learn from it.
2. A minor headache has become a brain tumor
Beauchard   (09.07.13)
He had the authority to authorize a strike. He held the upper hand. Assad could not retaliate because if Obama did decide to up the ante and degrade his military capacity, Assad would lose the civil war. However, against all advice Obama just had to go to Congress. What a mess. The article misses one major negative consequence of Obama's inept policy. He has given the bad guys an incentive to react to the strike. They know that it will weaken America's credibility, weaken Obama's position, further divide Americans and make sure that the US will never attack Iran.
3. #2 - Obama had no choice
spyguy ,   seattle   (09.07.13)
If Obama had just gone ahead without congressional authorization, he would have been removed form office by the end of 2013. Apparently people have a hard time understanding that POTUS is NOT king and that the American people are absolutely against any involvement in Syria. While POTUS can get away with making the American people a little angry, making the American people a lot angry gets the POTUS thrown out on his ear. Why is it so hard for Israeli to understand the US public does NOT want to help?
4. Is Obama an ally of Radical Islam?
Chaim ,   Israel   (09.07.13)
The most plausible explanation of Obama's bizarre foreign policy is that he is a secret ally of Iran and Radical Islam. This explanation is also consistent with Obama's close friendships with Reverend Wright and many Anti-American radicals.
5. Israel is Expendable
Free Jerusalem R181 ,   US   (09.07.13)
Yes, I guess you are right, the US is a wimp and views Israel as expandable ... willing to write off its destruction as mere collateral damage in its quest for oil in the Mid-East. Or perhaps, Israel is simply another Third-World welfare state, full of greedy, spoiled, ungrateful savages, that forget how many times we in the US have saved your bacon or been the only nation to veto UN sanctions against your continuous stupidity and violations of International Law.
6. one's own man and courage
alexi   (09.07.13)
olmert was his own man but had no courage, one of the biggest coward's to ever hit the scene-who else would offer an israel stabbing concession to the plo-it woiuld have killed israel. bibi is not his own man, doesn't know who he is, uncertain, can't take pressure and folds like a cheap suit to any hint of pressure. He has more courage than olmert but he wavers and is insecure. He is unable to look kerrry and obama in the eyes and say NO, no to these concessions and israel will claim sovereign over jordan valley and keep 40% of west bank. Golan will never always be israeli. Bibi is unable to hold his ground. Sharon had plenty of courage, but was going to be indicted so offered unilateral concessions to bail him out of legal trouble but was bad for israel which received 10,000 rockets for its trouble. Bibi must be replaced and soon.
7. Israel is Expendable
Free Jerusalem R181 ,   US   (09.07.13)
Yes, I guess you are right, the US is a wimp and views Israel as expandable ... willing to write off its destruction as mere collateral damage opinion its quest for oil in the Mid-East. Or perhaps, Israel is simply another Third-World welfare state, full of greedy, spoiled, ungrateful savages, that forget how many times we in the US have saved your bacon or been the only nation to veto UN sanctions against your continuous stupidity and violations of International Law.
8. Time and Place
Zechariah   (09.07.13)
9. Unreliable country
Jorge ,   NITEROI   (09.07.13)
Who will judge the crimes committed by Israel against palestinians and to incite wars and possess nuclear weapons?
10. Israel-Sunni "divide and rule" recipe for World War Three
Steve Benassi ,   Silver Bay, MN USA   (09.07.13)
11. Why don't Israel strike Syria ???
BH Moon ,   San Diego   (09.07.13)
What is stopping you guys? Go for it and show us how it is done and how much you care about those Syrian kids..... or are you only trying to get Americans to spend their money and sacrifice their lives for Israel?
12. #3. Bombing Syria is no help to Israel.
Chaim ,   Israel   (09.07.13)
Most Israelis have no trouble understanding that Americans don't want war with Syria. Nor would bombing Syria help Israel. Whether or not Americans choose to bomb Syria has no impact on Israel.
13. #4
Harold ,   USA   (09.07.13)
You have a peanut size brain. America connot do what you and your followers ask to do. Just stay away from the United Stated and do your job alone.
14. Chaim #4: Obama is furthering the most extreme Islam.
Steve   (09.07.13)
Obama has consistently sided with the most extreme jihadist groups, in Libya, Egypt and now in Syria. Were Obama interested in destroying Iran's nascent nuclear capability (the head of the snake), he would likely have the support of Congress and the American people. Syria is a side issue in lieu of the Iranian threat. Notice Obama sends envoy after envoy to pressure Israel not to take any military action against Iran's nuclear sites - he is protecting the Mullahs - but he wants to lob a few cruise missiles into Syria in order to help al-Qaeda affiliated rebels topple Assad. Even conservatives and hawks see through Obama's duplicity.
15. You're blind
Jacob ,   USA   (09.07.13)
When will hamas be trialed for their war crimes ? In the operation pillar of DEFENSE (Israel launched because of rockets being shot into Israel from Gaza, which is violation of international law) Israel fought terrorists who's charter says "kills jews wherever they are" . Israel hasn't confirmed having nuclear weapons, while India and Pakistan have confirmed they have, but Israel is constantly under scrutiny for having something we don't know they have. These 3 countries, along with South Sudan, haven't signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty or NPT, which is a UN created treaty that only allows 5 countries to have nuclear weapons. The treaty was signed in 1968 and put in effect in 1970, although Israel is thought to have nuclear weapons before 1967. If Israel has possessed nuclear weapons before the world decided to make illegal for all this time, does it matter if they still have them because they haven't used them in any of the wars they've fought, ie 6 day war, Yom Kippur war etc.. Your claims are useless.
16. Don't Understand
Christy ,   Boston, US   (09.07.13)
I don't understand articles like this that seems to urge the US to take action on something that's not in the US' best interest -nor- in Israel's best interest. Why the rush? Horrible things are taking place in Syria - but right now it's a civil war that involves no other countries. A military strike won't stop the civil war. A military strike by the US could cause Syria to strike Israel and escalate things in that region.
17. #1: Hussein.Obama acted without congressional consent on...
jack ,   San Diego, USA   (09.07.13)
Legalizing 4 million illegals, legalizing gay marriage in the military, implementing Fast and Furious, and a host of other dictatorial decrees he decreed under the cover of darkness. Now all of a sudden this tyrant goes to congress for approval to attack Syria?
18. #11: because Israel did not set a "red line" for Syria...
Jack ,   San Diego. USA   (09.07.13)
...Hussein Obama did. So let him put his money where his mouth is!
19. I must disagree with ...
JGalt ,   Hidden Valley USA   (09.07.13)
my fellow Americans. Unfortunately America wanted a king in 2008 and we elected and then reelected one. Now we and the world are reaping the fruits of our choice. Our king promised the USA and the world he would fundamentally change the USA and its position in the world. He has accomplished that task quite well. We have gone from THE WORLD POWER to the world paper tiger in record time. I believe it is time for Israel and the Jewish people to put their faith and trust in Elohim (which is where it should have always been anyways) because the USA is no longer an ally to be trusted by Israel or the world. May El Shaddai have mercy on this once great nation.
20. credibility of article
mario ,   costa rica   (09.07.13)
The fact that Obama blinked first while staring eye to eye with the axis of evil, should be a wake-up call to US allies such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States and Egypt... When you start an article using already seen propagandist labels such as axis of evil, your article is doom because you already define your opinion as absolute. Who is really an axis of evil? When people die, it is real people and mostly innocent ones who are in the crossfire. Who brings more death in destruction, intimidation and injustice? That is really the axis of evil. Wake up!
21. Israel just has so many allies to choose from...
Kim ,   UK   (09.07.13)
...by all means turn your backs on the US. I'd be hard pressed to think what the US could do to improve its relations with the rest of the world than dump Israel as an ally. I really have to wonder when Israelis write articles like this and Israeli publications publish them: exactly how stupid are you? Or is it just that you're massively ungrateful? I realise you're an immature nation, but really: how stupid are you? Yes, I already asked that, but it's seems to be the question of the day given how inane articles like this are.
22. #5, #7; Israel defends itself
Zipi ,   Tel Aviv, Israel   (09.07.13)
US never saved Israel bacon; Every penny US gives to Israel, Israel needs to spend it on American products and military. US aid to Israel is an indirect way to support American military industry. Americans soldiers never died for Israel unlike Americans die for Arabs and Muslims like Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Somalia and Kosovo
23. Weakest President Ever.
Reuven Brauner ,   Raanana, Israel   (09.07.13)
Israel must take note that the current administration has shirked its moral responsibility as a world leader and can no longer be considered a reliable ally. That being the case, no US pledge can be relied upon and negotiations with the local Arabs must come to an immediate conclusion.
24. Weak and unreliable ally
ronald ,   binyamina israel   (09.07.13)
what a total weak and unreliable article...it shows totally no understanding of international politics.....lucky some people have no more power then writing on the side-line.
25. #9 Only Arabs kill Palestinians always
Ari ,   New Orleans, LA   (09.07.13)
The only people who have killed Palestinians in the West bank, Gaza and Syria , Jordan and Lebanon are other Palestinians and other Arabs. I guess you forgot that King Hussein of Jordan slaughtered the PLO in 1970, and Hamas killed their fellow Palestinians when overthrew PLO in 2007 in Gaza. Now Assad is killing the Palestinians in Syria, the Hezbollah and Christians killed them in Lebanon. Now the Egyptians kill them in Sinai. The Jews only gave them water, electricity, schools, universities and jobs.
26. #13. Harold. Did you ever learn to read?
Chaim ,   Israel   (09.07.13)
If you did, you would know that I never wanted America to get involved in a war with Syria.
27. #25. Showering genocidal
Chaim ,   Israel   (09.07.13)
#25 Ari. You note that Israel gives "Palestinians" water, electricity, schools, universities and jobs. Actually much more than that. It would take an army of skilled psychiatrists a lifetime to understand what about the psyche of many Israelis motivates them to shower our would be mass murderers with gifts of every kind.
28. #21 Kim. Israelis are anything but stupid..
Chaim ,   Israel   (09.07.13)
#21 Kim. This article tells truths about Obama's America. Truths which are well known to most Americans. Telling the truth is not a sign of stupidity. Nor are Israel's miraculous achievements in the business, high tech, medical, military and many other fields.
29. JOKE
Sam ,   BROCKPORT,NY   (09.07.13)
Obama's flip flopping and general incomptence in this international crisis is exactly as was predicted by his detractors. This is what you get when you put a college professor into the presidency. Our enemies are carefully watching his buffoonish behavior and we are entering a dangerous time
30. Too Bad; So Sad
Mark of Lewiston ,   USA   (09.08.13)
The US has a President willing to follow the Constitution. Shocking. King John is dead and the post Magna Carta rules of governing prevail when the country was not attacked. The Nixon-Reagan theory of the Unitary Executive (if the President does is it cannot be illegal) is toast. Rule of Law again is reappearing in the USA. Those who want a war between the US and Syria are best advised to get Congress to declare it. Then tell how you want Congress to pay for it since the credit card is tapped out.
Next talkbacks
Back to article