Obama vs. Netanyahu: The visionary and the survivor
Op-ed: Only leaders who make courageous decisions, which influence their nations' existence and nature, will be given an eternal life in textbooks.
"It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail towards freedom through the darkest of nights: Yes, we can. It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness: Yes, we can.
"It was the call of workers who organized, women who reached for the ballot, a president who chose the moon as our new frontier, and a king who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the promised land: Yes, we can, to justice and equality.
"Yes, we can, to opportunity and prosperity. Yes, we can heal this nation. Yes, we can repair this world. Yes, we can."
After his election as US president, Obama quickly turned from a prophet into a dreamer. His inexperience, which was initially perceived as an advantage, became a disadvantage. Obama delivered a naïve address in Cairo calling for comprehensive peace in the Middle East, nearly crashed in his struggle to advance the healthcare law and was showered with disdain over his weak handling of the war on global terror.
Barack the dreamer started being perceived as a printing error in American political history. Obama crashed in the poll while the public debate focused on one question: Who will be remembered as the worst American president in history – he or George W. Bush?
And now, ladies and gentlemen, an upheaval! The lame duck has turned into a tiger. The healthcare law, which democratic prince Bill Clinton failed to pass, was finally approved during Obama's term. The Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage, a view supported by Obama, is valid across the United States. He pulled out of Iraq, and the Iranian issue is also about to be solved. Is it possible that Obama will be remembered as one of the most important American presidents?
It's a little early to reach any conclusions, but we might be able to agree on one important political principle. History remembers politicians who foresee more than those who survive. Only those who make courageous decisions, which influence the existence and nature of nations, will be given an eternal life in the textbooks.
What prime ministers do schoolchildren in Israel know? David Ben-Gurion thanks to the decision to establish the state, Menachem Begin following the peace agreement with Egypt, and Yitzhak Rabin who signed the interim agreement with the Palestinians. All these decisions were controversial politically, but were made by visionary leaders who foresaw the future.
What will be remembered from Netanyahu's terms? He has been serving as prime minister for nine years, alternately, and only Ben-Gurion served longer than he has. Anyone asked to recall one important thing that Bibi did during this period on a television quiz show will fail.
Yet there is one thing Obama and Bibi have in common – their rhetoric ability. The speech delivered by the American president in New Hampshire can definitely be compared to the speech delivered by the Israeli prime minister at Bar-Ilan University. They both presented an important and inspirational vision to their nations. There is only one difference: Obama speaks in order to fulfill; Netanyahu speaks in order to survive.
