His visit bodes
ill, not good. He left late Tuesday night. On March 20, he arrived around
noon Israeli time.
Secretary of State John Kerry came earlier. Scores of officials,
aides and security personnel accompanied him and Obama.
Around 15,000 Israeli police provide security. So do US secret service
and its Israeli counterpart.
Trips like this reflect more show than substance. They cost of
millions of dollars. Taxpayers cover the expense. They gain nothing from
doing so.
Obama's entire visit is scripted. His entourage is extensive. His
motorcade includes 60 vehicles. Ambulances, fire-fighting trucks and various
security vehicles are involved. Contingency plans are readied just in
case.
When Obama travels by car, all streets along his route are closed
and sealed. Normal life is disrupted.
During his brief Ramallah visit, PA security will protect him. Ahead
of his arrival, Palestinians rallied against him. He's no friend of Palestine.
He's persona non grata. Signs said so. Others called him an "AIPAC
Poodle." One in Arabic and English said "Obama: Return your Nobel Peace
Prize."
His first address began saying "it's good to be in Israel again.
We stand together because we share a common story, patriots determined
to be free people in our lives."
"We stand together because peace must come to the Holy Land. Even
as we are clear eyed about the difficulties, we will never lose sight
of the vision of an Israel at peace with its neighbors."
No two nations spurn peace more than America and Israel. They prioritize
war. They're partners in crime. They menace humanity. Obama's words ring
hollow.
They entirely ignored Palestine. He said nothing about land for
peace, Palestinian self-determination, East Jerusalem as their legitimate
capital, the right of return, militarized occupation, stolen land, dispossessions,
bulldozed homes, illegal settlements, or thousands of Palestinian political
prisoners unjustly in gulag hell.
Netanyahu thanked him for coming and "for standing by Israel at
this time of historic change." What exactly, he didn't explain.
Shimon Peres greeted Obama. We "welcome you with open arms," he
said.
"Thank you Mr. Mr. President. Thank you America. Thank you for what
you are. Thank you for what you do."
"Israeli spirit is inspired by American exceptionalism. A world
without America would be a darker world. Obama is a historic friend of
Israel."
"The greatest danger is a nuclear Iran. We trust your policy. You
have made it clear that your intention is not to contain but to prevent."
A previous article said Obama and Netanyahu will discuss three issues:
Iran, Syria and Palestine. Expectations are low. Expect more show than
substance. Most trips turn out that way.
Expect no breakthroughs this time. Israel's Reut Institute president
Gidi Grinstein called Obama's visit "ill-scheduled and ill-conceived."
An Israeli Channel 10 commentator said "they can't stand one another."
PLO official Wasel Abu Yousef called Obama's arrival "not a positive
visit." He's dismissive about Palestinian concerns.
Hundreds of Palestinians erected a Bab al Shams tent village. They
did so to protest Israel's settlement policy. They oppose Washington's
tacit support.
One Palestinian spoke for others, saying:
From 1979 - 2011, US administrations used their veto 43 times. They
did so "in support of Israel and against Palestinian rights."
"They grant military aid to Israel of over $3 billion annually."
Doing so subverts "any positive contribution to achieve justice and rights
for the Palestinian people."
Other protests took place across the West Bank and Gaza. They told
Obama he's not wanted.
Mustafa Barghouti is a prominent Palestinian activist. "We are here
to send a message to President Obama," he said. "Our struggle, our nonviolent
peaceful resistance will continue until we are free."
A banner read "Palestinian blood is on your hands, Obama." Another
said "Obama, the Hitler of the 21st century."
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) leader, Kayed
Al-Ghoul, said all Palestinian factions believe Obama's arrival only serves
Israel.
"At this time, the visit aims to support the newly formed Israeli
government and put pressure on the Palestinian leadership to return to
bilateral talks that have proven to be a failure."
Obama's visit is business as usual. He's a warrior president. He
brings no peace to Palestine. He failed to do so in four years.
His second term will replicate the first. It's likely to be worse.
He spurns Palestinian rights.
On March 17, a critical London Guardian editorial surprised. It
headlined "Obama in Israel: waiting for Godot," saying:
"Rarely (have) such low expectations" accompanied a US presidential
visit. Israel's new coalition government "is uniquely unsuited to unravelling
the occupation in the West Bank."
America's "well-established formula" prioritizes "keeping in lockstep
with Israel on anything" security related.
It's unlikely Palestinians "will ever inhabit anything more substantial
than a bantustan, an imposed solution…"
"(W)hat has waiting for Godot achieved?"
"The international community is complicit through inaction. The
message (Obama) should give (Netanyahu) is that (the status quo) is both
dangerous and unpredictable."
Washington and Israeli officials call Obama's visit a "charm offensive."
It affirms a mutual "unbreakable alliance."
At the same time, differences remain to be resolved. A Washington
Post editorial headlined a "to-do list," saying:
"Israel and (America made) different judgments about how soon and
under what circumstances military action should be taken against Iran's
nuclear program."
Unmentioned is its compliance with NPT provisions. It's peaceful
and legal. Israel's a nuclear outlaw. America asserts a unilateral preemptive
right to use nuclear weapons against targets able to withstand non-nuclear
attacks.
Bush and Obama violated NPT provisions. Obama still does. The ABM
and Comprehensive Test Ban Treaties are ignored. So are the Biological
and Toxic Weapons Convention and Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty. It prohibits
additions to current stockpiles.
In 2010, Obama's Nuclear Posture Review "reserve(d) the right" to
use nuclear weapons "that may be warranted by the evolution and proliferation
of the biological weapons threat and US capacities to counter that threat."
Bush's 2005 Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations remained unchanged.
It removed the distinction between defensive and offensive deterrents.
Washington and Israel threaten humanity. Iran threatens no one.
Not according to Post editors.
Obama's "interest lies in persuading Israel not to launch unilateral
operations but rather to trust that the United States will intervene when
and if that is needed."
He vowed to prevent Tehran from building a bomb. So did Netanyahu.
They say so knowing no plans exist. What most needs explaining goes unmentioned.
Mossad-connected DEBKAfile (DF) claims Iran's able to develop "two
types of nuclear bombs, one fueled by enrichment and the other by plutonium."
Israel and Washington differ on how and when to react.
"The infamous Iranian-Syrian-Hizballah alliance has not suffered
the slightest crack despite Obama’s promise to work it loose. Many Middle
Easterners find it is stronger than ever."
Obama "no longer" believes Assad's fall is imminent. DF lied saying
Syria's air force "bombed targets inside Lebanon and fired a Scud missile
armed with a chemical warhead in Aleppo…."
Lebanese media reported rockets struck Syrian territory near Lebanon's
border. Terrorists targeted Syrian civilians and soldiers southwest of
Aleppo.
"Israeli officials made a point of confirming the onset of chemical
warfare in Syria. Obama" pledged US intervention if confirmed.
Plans are prepared to do so. NATO commander, Admiral James Stavridis,
told Senate Armed Service Committee members that Washington's considering
"a variety of options." It's "prepared if called upon to be engaged."
Saying so suggests possible NATO intervention. Libya 2.0 may follow.
Arming US-sponsored death squads hasn't worked. They're no match for Syria's
superior military. They're proficient only in terror attacks. Air support
could tip the balance.
Whether Obama has that in mind remains to be seen. It's unclear
if he'll risk war with Iran. He's waging multiple direct and proxy ones
already. The fullness of time will reveal what else he has in mind.
A Final Comment
On March 20, Haaretz headlined "US has pinpoint attack ready on
Iran, says Israeli official."
An unnamed one said "The Americans are planning for this scenario
very seriously."
They're "able to mount a focused operation on the Iranian nukes
without necessarily sparking a comprehensive regional war."
How he didn't explain. If Iran's attacked, a robust response will
follow. Israel's strategic targets are vulnerable. So are America's. Greater
regional conflict would follow.
Potentially it could go global. Claiming otherwise ignores enormous
risks. Attacking Iran is madness.
Cooler heads in both countries understand. It remains to be seen
if they're able to stop what no leader should dare.
Perhaps more than ever in history, a global peace offensive warrants
top priority.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War
on Humanity."
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on
the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.
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