Lesson of American weakness
Lesson of American weakness – Opinion – Israel News | Haaretz.
If the U.S. is panicking over Al-Qaida, how can Israel trust it would stop Iran from achieving its nuclear goals?
This sowed panic and inflated the reputation – and, even more, the motivation – of the scattered cells known as Al-Qaida. And on top of the strategic fiasco, back home in America it not only wounded national pride (in naïve, idealistic America, many people still draw strength from this archaic sentiment), but also raised weighty questions, even in liberal circles, about the administration’s judgment.
At almost the same time as it closed 22 embassies and consulates, the administration extended a hand to Iranian President-elect Hassan Rohani, saying his inauguration “presents an opportunity for Iran to act quickly to resolve the international community’s deep concerns over Iran’s nuclear program,” in the words of the official statement. There was no demand that Iran stop enriching uranium, nor was there any warning against continued work on its plutonium-producing heavy water plant.
Expressions of weakness, it seems, have become the norm. Thus Israel’s working assumption must be that the United States will also demonstrate weakness against Iran, and won’t keep its public presidential promise not to allow Iran to produce nuclear weapons.
Experts have found strategic, political and economic reasons for America’s decision to cut contact with hotbeds of war and terror in Asia and the Middle East. But they never mention another, deeper reason: the changes occurring in the American ethos. Understanding these changes might provide the solution to the riddle many have tried so hard to solve: What happened to the spirit of America, which made it into what it was but, apparently, will be no longer? And what real threat do scattered terrorist groups, however brutal and determined, pose to the superpower’s national security?
In the past – for instance, during the Cuban missile crisis – the United States responded resolutely and forcefully, even going to the brink of nuclear war, against its rival superpower, the Soviet Union. These two qualities, resolution and forcefulness, are what earned it the status of defender of the free world’s democratic values – against Communism in the not-so-distant past, and against Islamic terror in recent decades.
Israel has many experts, perhaps too many, on American affairs. But in contrast to what was being said even in liberal circles in America and Europe, the initial public comments of the most prominent Israeli experts sought to defend Washington’s embarrassing behavior in hastily closing its diplomatic offices abroad. This shows, among other things, that they are ideologically falling into line with the signs of American weakness: If that’s how the mighty United States is acting, how can Israel do otherwise – for instance, with regard to Iran?
But there are also opinion leaders who understand very well what kind of price Israel, too, will pay for this American weakness, yet nevertheless publicly justified America’s panicked response. They were thereby repaying their “debt” to their American benefactors. After all, the Americans are very good at offering largesse, in numerous lucrative ways, both beforehand and after the fact, to those who stand at their side when they suffer embarrassment.
It must be hoped that at least Israel’s official analysts and decision makers will conduct a sober, unbiased situation assessment. Senior ministers have claimed that in exchange for direct talks with the Palestinians, America will attack Iran, but this is a delusion. They must therefore adopt a realistic attitude, and not only because of the lessons of America’s weakness in the face of Al-Qaida. In the words of Isaiah, they should say, “And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold; therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.”
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WarSclerotic 
August 8, 2013 at 1:35 PM
Believe me. When obavez has finished his term Jimmy Carter will look like Winston Churchill compared to him.
August 8, 2013 at 4:03 PM
My thoughts exactly AR. But I still have the feeling the perceived ‘weakness’ of the USA is purely political and under the right conditions we can be up and running better than ever quicker than most think. In other words, a retreating army does not, by any means, indicate an army in defeat. 😎
August 8, 2013 at 4:06 PM
Patton is crying now.
August 8, 2013 at 4:56 PM
America is not weak. America is strong but her leaders are weak.
Corruption in high places and a republican party that betrays all conservatives and people who love your great constitution.
America has no money for the military? Hell, the 100 million bucks spent for the African safari vacation of El Presidente alone would be sufficient to finance the presence of 50 marines in each of these embassies for a year.
Political correctness run amock instead of targeted profiling costs you billions each year and protects the terrorists.
Insane rule of engagements prevented your forces from firing back at the rat who shot down your navy seals in Afghanistan.
Billons spent on welfare fraud .. Solintra …
There is too much to mention.
With the right leadership the economy would be recovering, you would be energy independent, the military would not be cut but increased and the power and intrusiveness (IRS, NSA) of the state could be reduced greatly.
For this to happen you must get rid of El Presidente ASAP.
But that, my friend, only you Americans can do.
This means that any one who doesn’t want the clown in the White House must do something about it.
I’m just a guy from Europe who loves the old America and the values of liberty associated with it and who doesn’t want to speak Chinese or to bow towards Mekka one day.
May God help you and grant you success in restoring your country.
August 8, 2013 at 5:10 PM
Damn AR! You’d make a heck of a good American. You should pack up and move here and join the struggle! 😀
August 8, 2013 at 5:21 PM
Honestly, I’ve played already with this thought.
I’ve heared that the cheapest way to become an American is to come illegally through Mexico. Maybe I should call myself Jose. LOL
August 8, 2013 at 5:25 PM
Here’s a special gift for you.
Watch this. Amazing.
August 8, 2013 at 5:34 PM
Thank you my friend! Truly amazing. I can’t help but wonder if Assad’s military is even capable of such beauty. Semper Fi to all you proud Marines out there. Thanks again AR. 😎
August 8, 2013 at 8:21 PM
LS….
Israel has first dibs on him !
August 8, 2013 at 8:18 PM
Amen !
BTW, the Chinese are learning English….
August 8, 2013 at 4:43 PM
The USA is lapping the world militarily, financially and technologically.
I’m no Democratic, but I’ll give Obama his due. When Obama took office the US was bleeding figuratively with two wars and financially, stock market and financial crash. The wars have been wound down as well as the money they drained from the economy. The stock markets are now at all-time highs, while most of the behemoth global technology companies are American! America is essentially now energy independent causing the trade deficit to shrink as well as the debt obligations of the US government. The US will continue to lap the world over and over again for years to come. Open your eyes people.
August 8, 2013 at 4:49 PM
Yep it is going great, but for me it sounds like a religion , you have to believe it.
August 8, 2013 at 5:02 PM
No religion Joop, what you see is what you get.
August 8, 2013 at 5:19 PM
I agree totally JP. I just heard today that Ford is coming out with an F150 pickup truck (biggest seller in the USA) that will run on natural gas! This is long overdue. We have so much natural gas here in the States it used to be flared off when drillers were looking for oil. It’s this type of innovation that will keep us one step ahead of the competition. You are right about Obama. That’s one thing I will concede to his administration, getting us out of these ‘limited engagement – nation building – never ending – bullshit’ wars. 😡
August 8, 2013 at 8:22 PM
Israel likewise has more natural gas than it knows what to do with…
August 8, 2013 at 5:37 PM
Totally true,which really means the usa and europe have dropped the Middle east and russia the ant now want all its problems and in the future this will come as the greatest strategic deception NATO has ever pulled off as russia cant handle the fire it has ignited and this really will be the end of russia while we all sit in Europe and America energy independent
August 8, 2013 at 5:58 PM
Good point Justice. 8)
August 8, 2013 at 6:05 PM
Who is this, really? This can’t be Justice because this kind of made sense…
August 8, 2013 at 8:26 PM
John…
Please don’t bait the tiger. Appreciate him while he’s not dismembering you.
August 8, 2013 at 8:36 PM
:o( ok.. no fun though….
August 8, 2013 at 10:13 PM
Damn it Joe, you were right, just go slashed across the back. NUTS!!!
August 8, 2013 at 10:14 PM
You earned it… Go back to your “book.”
August 8, 2013 at 10:37 PM
WTF!!!!
I was being funny with you. I thought we were laughing together.
Please don’t be offended by something meant to amuse and lighten the air.
John, you’ve known me long enough….
August 9, 2013 at 12:46 AM
This will amuse you
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2319311/Israeli-warplanes-bomb-suspected-chemical-weapons-site-Syria-fears-arms-sent-Lebanons-Hezbollah.html
August 8, 2013 at 10:08 PM
no john its what i have been trying to get into your head for that last year its all strategic deception,on a scale you cant comprehend because of that stupid fucking book you quote all the time,and you know what were winning,and you know what jhon none of it makes sense to you because its not in your book i all made sense to rest of us hatrd to get round but still makes sense,look at what i posted in the past its all become obviously true,keep to the rational and stay away form that book,i clash with you because of the book and not you,
August 8, 2013 at 10:25 PM
WTF book are you talking about, I’ve been posting here and other sights for years not quoting no book. Mostly posting that history was repeating itself and that evil will trump the good in this world because good unfortunately hopes against hope evil will change its spots, it never does. Hitler nearly won because the world hoped against hope he’d reverse his path he did not. Justice, the mad Mullahs will not make one or two Nukes but hundreds. This evil will be a scourge on this world unless those good men make a stand. Evil wins only if the good fail to act. In the age of Atomics waiting till the last minute to act is a recipe for disaster . So lay off that book crape it’s just another example that you do not know WTF you are talking about.
August 8, 2013 at 10:31 PM
John, I’m smiling…
Justice actually managed to provoke you into sounding more angry and belligerent than him !
Advice to all:
Don’t defend. Your ideas stand on their own merit.
Let attackers hoist themselves on their own petard.
August 8, 2013 at 5:24 PM
Right on LS…..
August 8, 2013 at 7:10 PM
Yep, keep up the high spirit but patriotism and realism are not the same.
August 8, 2013 at 7:18 PM
Joop, lets hear your vision of the future of America..
August 8, 2013 at 7:20 PM
Again, Oke, look good to the eu and you see the future of the USA.
August 8, 2013 at 7:28 PM
Ummm, I do respectfully disagree
August 8, 2013 at 7:31 PM
John I hope you are right and i,am dead wrong.
August 8, 2013 at 7:30 PM
Joop, you seem to me to be a glass is half full kind of guy…..
August 8, 2013 at 7:38 PM
Depends , depends !!
August 8, 2013 at 8:06 PM
:0) understood….