I sent my post Israel is screwed, blued and tattooed to Clare Lopez under the title The US and the Islamists. Here is her reply. Ted Belman
By Clare Lopez
Not a trouble, Ted – as you and everyone on this list no doubt realize, Israel, the world, and much of America is just awakening to the truth about the ideological bent of the man we sent to the White House…twice.
He and those around him firmly believe that US power has been a force for ill in the world. Doesn’t matter where any of them were born: they don’t feel like Founding-Fathers-and-Constitutional-first things-principles Americans in their hearts. They feel like “citizens of the world” – whatever that means. And they identify reflexively with those who would diminish, even destroy, US pre-eminence in the world.
Of necessity, then, this means that U.S. relations with friends, allies, forces of liberty and democracy, especially the Judeo-Christian version, are being dramatically downgraded – while outreach and re-set for those who oppose all of that are now prioritized. Yes, this is nutso. Andy McCarthy might call it “Willful Blindness.”
But it means Islam and the forces of Islamic jihad above all are getting the nod.
Which brings us to Pres. Obama’s June 2009 Cairo “green light” speech to the Islamic al-Qa’eda and Muslim Brotherhood uprisings to come….the forces of jihad heard and understood that speech – and knew that the USG would not only not stand against them when they made their move, but would in fact, stand with them.
And so it has gone. Weapons to al-Qa’eda in Libya. Full force of USG backing for the MB in Egypt. More weapons, training, and backing for the jihadist MB in Syria (which remains messy and likely will wind up in civil war for years, eventually to be partitioned into spheres of influence).
The dilemma you mention, to support Shi’ite or Sunni, has been resolved rather neatly by ceding North Africa to AQ and the MB and Mark Langfan’s Black Triangle to the Persian Shi’ites. For the blueprint on USG policy that consciously, deliberately is empowering Iranian hegemony in this region (plus out to Afghanistan), see Robert Baer’s 2009 book, “The Devil We Know.”
Nor should we underestimate the sophistication of the “Iran Lobby” among US national policy circles in WDC – they’re good, very good, way better than anything the U.S. Intelligence Community could ever accomplish (mostly because our side doesn’t even know what influence operations are anymore). And that Iran Lobby just bested the Saudi Oil Lobby. Amazing to watch.
There is antipathy, perfidy, and venality in all of this, to be sure. For some, it’s the lure of money. For others, an anti-American antipathy, inculcated in Saudi-bought-and-paid-for institutions of higher learning. And for others, it’s just a chance to put a bunch of titles in front of their names.
Bottom line, we’re all in a tough spot right now. Toast maybe.
@ Mickey Oberman:
blockquote>Your very sad Canadian neighbour.
I concur. I found it alarming when U.S. evangelical pastors would preach here the fate of the U.S. The alarming part is that they actually want it to happen! They are probably misinterupting Scripture and putting the cart before the horse? I still think that we will all get one last kick at the can. There is so much eroneous doctrine being taught and false things said in the name of G-d. I still think that G-d will be revealed so that people will know the difference before the axe falls.
@ Bear Klein:
“Hope and Change”.
Let’s all hope this changes and soon!
John Bolton former US Ambassador wrote the following:
Is there no way that American citizens and Military and government as well as other institutions can protect themselves and their democracy and their country against a corrupt president who is opposed to all they stand for?
Or must they blindly follow and obey his orders even though they know it leads to their destruction?
It is as if the entire United States of America is bent on committing suicide because they have let this hateful, destructive man go so far for so long.
My condolences.
Your very sad Canadian neighbour.
A real down to Earth review.
And we in Eretz Israel, allowed a most incompetent, self serving, treasonous, (if not by design by default),ill fit, people user aggregate to lead. A gang of renegade unJews bought or blackmailed to bow and cow to that foreign disgrace up to and including on the Iranian nuclear program subject.
Yes, the US is near toast and so are we here as well.
And the routine question I expect….
“What is your ha’alternaivehhh”?
Absolutely not the present corrupt system, aka combina and most of its members.
A New Jewish National Assembly to start with and a full replacement of military, police and judicial staff components. None of the present garbage may remain in place.
Details in a long available Platform.
Totally void all agreements with Islamicss in Y & S and Negev.
Disband and jail as needed all shock troopers formed to attack Jews.