Who cares about Thomas Friedman's prognoses, when the underlining problem, in his world view is the uncooperative Israeli (read Jew). In sum, Friedman is a tiresome aging hipster who writes for a dying newspaper. A column about real thinkers not left wing hack's peddling the same old slop. Benjamin

Obama looking like shoe in for reelection, with no Republican looking like a winner. With elections coming in Egypt and W. Bank, the Status Quo maybe history but then what? Will settlers push Palestinians into fighting, if they see no other option to keep settlements building, since its unlikely they will back down.

Also most of talkbacks here are "out-of-touch, in-bred, unimaginative and cliché-driven". Instead of hiding in a fading past: Face reality and leave your bunker of mind!

Most American Jews would probably agree with most fo what Friedman has had to say. Just because you don't support everything Israel says and does doesn't mean that you don't love Israel. It takes a good friend to pint out what you're doing wrong. That's what Obama -- and Friedman -- are doing.

... years of right-wing govts have painted Israel into the untenable corner that Friedman is now describing... We are widely seen as being on the wrong side of history. This began with the assassination of Rabin and has not stopped since. You could have had peace - but you chose settlements. You've bought into the right-wing scare propaganda to justify isolation & self-rightousness. You have even alienated most of the Diaspora. You can blame Friedman all you want but he is only describing today's reality. We are a long way from the 1950's & 60's when Israel had the support of the public in most of the Free World. Better think about why this has changed. We are no longer viewed as David - but the "oppressors". Why? Can't blame it all on "anti-semitism"... There may still be a chance to engage into the positive themes coming out of Egypt - but it has to start with the Palestinians. Begin by voting out the corrupt rlght-wing, religious oligarchy currently choking Israel - and leading it to inevitable war.

But out of his leftist Dem /Liberal upper west side and Washington Circles. The majority of people outside this circle have nothing but scorn for Friedman he'll fly into a small state take a helicopter to small towns stay there for 3 or 4 days and expect the people of these what they really think. The same with his visits to Iraq and Afghanistan[i don't know if he was in Afghanistan] After a week of Interviewing Military people he expects the military to confide in him.About Obama being fed up with Israel.About the Hussein Obama W.H. being not Israel friendly,big news!! Obama visits to Turkey,Indonesia,Pakistan,Egypt ,Saudi Arabia and who knows how many other Muslim countries and yet no visit to Israel during his time in office.Just look at some of his anti Israel appointees take Samantha Powers for example.Just look back at all his Arab friends in Chicago.So we don't need Tom Friedman to tell us the Obama W.H. is anti Israel.

Still a leftist who has nothing to say! He was paid to write this? His sponsor is emirates aiways?!

If we would have only people as Friedmann there would be no ISRAEL. One has the right of having his own opinion, just if one is showing that this opinion is constantly very onesided, it might be problematic.

Hopefully egyptians will do the same now

israelis support democracy in egypt and any arab countries because true democracy in these countries will bring peace. however, i would suggest that the chain of events to follow after the army rule is - 1) an election brings a coalition government made of a majority secular party and a large minority islamist party -- 2) that government collapses after economic conditions worsen and people are more unhappy -- 3) like lebanon, the islamists take control after the islamists topple the government. -- 4) end of democracy. i give it a 3 year period.

In the REAL world governments want to do everything to keep stability especially in such an unpredictable region not to act as champions of revolutionaries looking for democracy. Its the idealists who champion revolutions not the governments. The pharaoh did his best o create stability & he kept the peace for 30 years. When the global economy and avoidance of war is dependent on having stability then as far as Israel is concerned democracy in countries it has peace treaties with is not something we want to encourage. The only thing thats true about this article is its title and thats the White House is disgusted with Israel. Obama has always hated Israel and sided with its enemies from the day he became president. This idiot has been listening to many of Glen Beck's speeches about how wonderful democracy is. He just missed the part about how democracy is unpredictable and you never know who is going to be the next government ot what their policy will be which is why the US spent the past 30 years propping up the stable pro US dictator.

what a pathetic mouthpiece of classic blood libels

eygpt was part of the briish empire , and they gave up , because they were ungovernable , it seems they have to be ruled with a firm hand

Most Americans support Israel 100%. You are so out of touch with reality, however friends have to agree to disagree sometimes and we totally disagree with Israel this time. If Obama would of publicly supported Mubarak you would of had Anti Mubarak-Anti American demonstrations with the same outcome except with no chance of having an influence when a new government is in place. Obama strategy of distancing itself from Mubarak was the right decision at the right time. There was nothing the US could of done to support Mubarak or keep him in power and even if he did stay in power it would of been a few weeks more at the most .

Friedman always blames Israel for every problem in the ME, even if Israel has nothing to do with them. Was Egypt in love with Israel before?No! And isn't it rather simplistic to call military rule democratic? And where is the money going to come from to solve Egypt's problems...Oh well, just blame Israel for everything...Friedman should be Erdogan's speechwriter...

There's a word for a story without sources: fiction.

You seem convinced that the only route Egypt can take is Islamist (which is very ignorant because Egypt demographics nothings like Lebanon) but if you believe in such circles ... how long is it before Lieberman will take over Israel and end democracy or Maybe it will be Shas.... ? you have many parties in your Parliament in Israel that don't support democracy and many others that are plain racist. Look in the mirror first.

Does ANYBODY with a shred of a brain still read that rag. Who cares what he said. I can't wait for them to go bankrupt and close FOREVER.

Aww, please don't hate us just because we kicked your sorry asses to the curb so many times. We can do it again, at a moment's notice; you would do well to keep that in mind.

Growing list, isn't it? Whatever you do don't listen to those who have for years supported Israel and, to this day, still do. Attack them with all your might because that's what normal people do when confronted with the criticism of friends.

When it came to doing deals with the palestinians Rabin did nothing other than allow Arafat to return and create zones of responsibility for governing. Rabin didn't even envisage a proper palestinian state as we know it. His vision was for some kind of self governing colony of Israel along the lines of the US under the British. When it came to all important matters Israel would still be in charge. Before Rabin was killed the majority of the Israeli public were skeptical and not to willing to make to many concessions. The peace process was born with Rabins death not killed. Rabin never had to make tough choices so we can look back have nostalgic feelings about the good old days when peace was so full of hope but then it was all talk & action. The first PM to make a tough decision and then follow through was Sharon when he gave up Gaza making himself very unpopular in the process. Israel has never had much support in the diaspora. In liberal left Europe Israel has never had much political support so the fact they don't like us now is nothing new. With the palestinians everybody loves a lost cause in the west. Israel's biggest problem is its never been any good at promoting itself abroad and it has lousy negotiators who start by talking tough but allow themselves to be worn down If we had decent negotiators who were willing to stand firm the arabs would have understood they can't have it all their own way and would have had to compromise. All they do now is sit it out and wait for the next weak government to take over then they start pushing for a deal on their uncompromising terms. Nobody knows whats going to happen in Egypt until after elections. Right now we not only the Muslim Brotherhood but also secular presidential candidates are saying the treaty should be canceled because or at the very least renegotiated. Mubarak was good for Israel and the US which is why he was propped up with American money for 30 years. The religious right have so much influence in Israeli politics because we had an election rather than a revolution. A fifth of all Knesset seats are occupied by religious parties so I reckon that gives them a pretty loud voice if we are going to do things the democratic way. Israel doesn't do things the way threy are done in the US and the Middle East is not like stable & peaceful North America.

Afew corrections on your article. There is a peace agreement with Israel and Egypt - We are still waiting to see if the new Goverment will honour it. To creat a democratic country in Egypt orany Arab country will take years and not overnight and has to be introduced slowly. The US could of put pressure on the Mubarac gov. " You want more aid then be more democratic. This to be done in the same way you put pressure on Israel to give indepence to the Palistinians (the people who every day fire rockets into our country. You over liberal US citizen Mr. Friedman you have only had two tastes of their nationals 9-11 and your Army officer who went bezerk killing a few people. You have the cheak to belittle our small country calling us inbred, unimmaginative and out of touch. what changes Mr. Friedman -- Please say the same thing in a few months or years from now. I'm digusted in your attitude and your ignorace Mr. Friedman

It is too bad that people's comments about Tom are so nasty and full of hate. I for one think he makes a valid point and believe he is a true friend of Israel. Shouldn't a democratic country support a movement that appears to be genuine?

Hardly anyone bothers to read the NY Times anymore, it's a mere shadow of it's former self, it's been a readership & money loser for years Friedman is just trying to attract attention to a dinosaur

There's a long road to Democracy. Right now all anyone has is a hope and a lot of instability which will continue for a long time. Already opposition politican Nour says Camp David accord should be thrown out - so Israel was correct in preferring Mubarak or Sulieman or anyone that guaranteed the peace. Even Friedman can't seriously blame Israel for preferring status quo to some leaderless street revolution that may very well end badly for the world and even worse for Egypt's neighbor Israel. Those claiming there's some sort fo Democracy in Egypt now are delusional.

Most talkbacks here prove that neither you nor Friedman gets it. This is 1979 all over again, from the pseudo-intellectuals at the NYT fawning over a "popular" uprising to the sheer folly of an American President actively working to oust a staunch ally of the United States and facilitate the revolution. In 1979 they also prattled on about bringing "democracy" and "freedom" to Iran. They were all so proud of themselves. You could hear the back-slapping in Washington and all the capitals in Europe. So, how is that democracy and freedom in Iran thing working out for us, now? Leftists never let reality stand in the way of a good ideology. The NYT was wrong then and it is wrong now. Only the insane keep repeating the same experiment and expecting different results each time.

Well the NYT and Friedman are disgusting let me get this straight that Obama is blaming Israel for the people in Egypt revolting? The people of Egypt are the most Anti Semitic people in the Arab world besides Saudi Arabia. Even Iran there are at least some people who accept Israel as a Jewish state.

"Out-of-touch, unimaginative and cliché-driven". It sounds like Tom Friedman is describing himself! He mentions discussions that apparently have never taken place. Friedman provides no references, not even "un-named sources". Israeli PM Netanyahu quite pointedly ordered his ministers to keep out of this affair because it was an internal domestic matter for Egypt to deal with on its own. Now that one side seems to be winning, Friedman is trying to provoke enmity from that side against Israel by claiming that Israel sided with the loser. Fact: Israel didn't side with anyone. If Tom Friedman has some evidence to the contrary, he can present it. Otherwise, he is simply an anti-Israel propagandist posing as a columnist. I have know this unpleasant truth about prize-winning Friedman for 20 years. Now everyone else can see it, too.