Intentional vs. Incompetent

October 12, 2015

As the world spirals out of control (and not from global climate change), there is increasing debate these days as to the role being played by Obama and his Administration in fueling the fire. To those who acknowledge that Obama's foreign policy has been a complete disaster for the United States and the free world, the debate is whether he is intentionally causing the global chaos and turmoil through his actions and policies, or whether the chaos and turmoil are the result of his foreign policy incompetence. (In addition to addressing this debate, I also hope to demonstrate that Obama's foreign policy is, in fact, a total failure for the United States and the free world.) Interestingly, more and more so-called experts and analysts are coming to the conclusion that Obama is intentionally and deliberately acting and using his policies to cause the global maelstrom we are witnessing and living in today. To them I say, welcome aboard.

In my mind, I have no doubt that Obama is intentionally sabotaging America and the free world and causing much of the chaos and turmoil we are witnessing today. Do not get me wrong, I think there is more than enough foreign policy incompetence to go around among members of his Administration. Secretary of State, John Kerry, immediately comes to mind. But Obama and many others in his Administration are successfully accomplishing what they intentionally set out to do. Let me try to substantiate my claim.

For starters, it is common knowledge that Obama vowed to fundamentally transform America and the world. These are his own words. Not mission impossible, as some people may have hoped and thought, but rather, mission accomplished. In fact, he has been extraordinarily successful and has accomplished much in a very short period of time. And, regrettably, there will be plenty more to come.

To accomplish the transformation, Obama has consistently adhered to his radical left, anti-America and anti-Israel, and pro-Muslim ideologies domestically and internationally. He has weakened America militarily, economically and socially, and successfully divided the country. He has repeatedly apologized to the world for America and what it stands for, and increasingly shows his hate for America's past. He has used his apology tours to implement his lead from behind foreign policy strategy, which has had a direct and profound adverse impact on world affairs.

Obama supported the Arab Spring debacle, leading to much of the havoc in the world today. He supported the overthrow of more moderate and secular dictatorships, such as those of Mubarak in Egypt and Gaddafi in Libya. In Egypt, he welcomed and, unbelievably, helped fund the radical Islamic terrorist group, the Muslim Brotherhood, which replaced Mubarak. When that terrorist organization was ousted, Obama cried foul and has refused to acknowledge the current moderate leader of Egypt, el-Sisi. The same el-Sisi who courageously spoke out at the UN about the need to combat Muslim fanaticism and extremists. Obama's actions and policies here seem much more calculated than incompetent.

On Obama's watch, we are on the verge of not one Islamic caliphate, but two. Fortunately, the two potential Islamic caliphates, Iran and the Islamic State, are competing against each other. My money is on Iran, especially as it has now strengthened its friendship with Russia. This despite the fact that Obama and his 62 country coalition have not toppled, but have actually propped up, the Islamic State while wasting tons of money training ineffective Syrian rebel groups, or, more precisely, a humiliatingly few individual rebels. After Russia and Iran strategically finish off these and other Syrian rebel groups, they likely will turn their attention to the Islamic State, which will be no match for them. Predictably, Obama will then spout off about how that was his plan to defeat the Islamic State all along and that Iran and Russia make such terrific bedfellows. The bottom line, though, is that Islamic caliphates do not just spring up by chance.

Sticking with Iran, Obama had the chance to support Iran's Green Movement, a peaceful and pro-democratic organization, when it demonstrated and protested against fraudulent elections in Iran in 2009. Instead, Obama supported the radical Islamic clerics of Iran, and sat idly by as they crushed and massacred members of the Green Movement. So, while he went out of his way to openly and vocally support the ousters of more moderate and secular leaders in Muslim countries, he was deaf, dumb and blind when it came Iran's turn notwithstanding its radical Islamic terrorist leadership. Here again, Obama's actions and policies seem much more deliberate than incompetent.

Obama has since gone out of his way to strengthen and embolden Iran, the all around most dangerous country on the planet today. He has rammed a terrible nuclear deal with Iran down the throat of the international community, particularly America, Israel and the Arab Gulf States. He touted Russia, China and the UN as proponents of the deal while ignoring the public opinion of Americans and sidestepping the United States Congress as much as possible. He is rewarding Iran with billions of dollars so that it can continue its global terrorism and belligerence while embarking on a path to develop nuclear weapons over time. Iran, an avowed enemy of America since 1979, has been recognized and elevated by Obama without having to cease or even lessen its aggression and terrorism. America has very quickly reversed, without any good reason, its foreign policy toward Iran, which has been in place for over 35 years. These types of changes, like the sudden change in relations between the United States and Cuba, result from intentional and deliberate foreign policy decisions.

Obama also has helped reverse the gains the United States made against Russia under President Reagan. Very quickly, the United States is swapping roles with the "Evil Empire". The United States and the rest of the world had benefitted from the United States' role as the foremost super power for decades, making the world a better and safer place. Now, however, with Russia poised to capitalize on Obama's strategy of leading from behind and become the most dominant super power, the world, tragically, will have to endure more havoc and upheaval.

Obama also has abandoned the long standing American policy of not allowing Russia to obtain a strong foothold in the Middle East. Russia has now established a physical presence in Syria, which will further empower Iran and its terrorist allies. This complicates matters for the United States and its allies in the region, particularly Israel, which were already living under the threat of an emboldened and rising Iran. Russia will very likely continue its sophisticated arms sales to Iran in return for some of the billions of dollars Iran is to receive under the nuclear arms agreement. So, in the immediate future, Iran will obtain more sophisticated weapons, and within a decade or so, it could, under the agreement, be legitimately on a path to develop nuclear weapons. It is not a coincidence that Russia and Iran chose to openly strengthen their ties very shortly after the agreement was concluded, thereby slapping Obama, Kerry and the Administration in the face.

I do not believe that these fundamental changes in America and the world happened by accident or incompetence, especially when the leader of the free world told you ahead of time that the changes were coming. But yet, there is even more.

Of course, Obama and Administration officials get on stage and applaud themselves over how wonderful their foreign policy strategies (when they have any) are working. But any expert, analyst or K-12 student can see through that nonsense and deceit. If we were talking solely about incompetence, by now, one would reasonably expect that Obama and Administration officials themselves also would understand the damage their policies are causing, and back off and continue to lead from behind. But when it comes to Israel, Obama's ideology will not permit that. Instead, they are obsessed with forcing Israel into a dangerous "peace" deal with the Palestinians.

If it was incompetence, people at least learn from their mistakes, whether they admit to them or not. Obama and his Administration must truly see the dangerous predicament Israel is in and how much worse the situation has become since Obama has been in office. Obama and his Administration must know that now is exactly the wrong time to be forcing Israel into a "peace" deal. Israel is doing everything it can to survive on a daily basis. It is surrounded by enemies who do not recognize its right to exist and vow its destruction, including the Palestinians. The Islamic State is infiltrating Palestinian territories. A nuclear armed Iran will be enough of a threat, but now it has an even closer presence to Israel in Syria. And it is supported there by Russia, which will make it harder for Israel to respond to Iranian aggression. Israel can ill afford to relinquish control over any of its own land.

Obama himself has taken away any incentive for the Palestinians to negotiate or make any concessions in pursuit of a two-state solution. Instead, he makes it incumbent on Israel to concede to Palestinian demands. In the recent savage and horrific wave of Palestinian terrorism throughout Israel, which has targeted all Israelis, including women and young children, Obama and his Administration have been strikingly and disgracefully silent in condemning the Palestinians. Worse yet, when the Administration makes a statement, it disgustingly equates Palestinian terrorism with Israeli defense of its innocent civilians. These statements are obviously designed to support a pre-determined policy on Israel and the Palestinians. Obama and his Administration likely will reward the Palestinian terrorism by ratcheting up their pressure on Israel. Intentional and dangerous, yes. Incompetent, no.

Despite everything going on in the world today, particularly in the Middle East, Obama is still hell-bent on forcing Israel into a bad two-state solution with the Palestinians. Why the obsession? Why not lead from behind on this issue, like in the other instances all across the globe? A good K-12 student could recognize the dangerous predicament Israel is in now and how much worse off it is as a result of Obama's policies. So why doesn't Obama and his Administration understand it and back off? The same K-12 student could explain to Obama why a two-state solution would greatly jeopardize Israel's existence. This cannot be incompetence. It is an intentional and deliberate strategy based on ideology. While they are at it, the same K-12 student also should explain to Obama and Administration officials the meaning of terrorism, as apparently they do not recognize it when they see it.

If we were to credit Obama and his Administration with only being incompetent, it is safe to say that by now they would understand their disastrous and failed foreign policy. But, that would not be giving them enough credit. As Obama promised, he is fundamentally transforming America and the world through his intentional and deliberate foreign policies. If one needs more proof, they only need to look at his obsession with Israel.

There is Something in the Air

October 4, 2015

I know that from time to time over the years since World War II people have worried for themselves, their children and their families based on the then current events. I acknowledge that there have been many trying times and crises, and I am not downplaying any of them. But for me, a middle-aged American Jew, I believe that what we are now witnessing is different than what we have experienced in the recent past. It is something we have not seen in many decades. There is definitely something in the air. And, I am afraid, it is a dark and evil force enveloping the world.

For starters, today, evil is absolutely gushing out of radical Islam. Radical Muslims are today's Nazis and today's villains. Murder, beheadings, rape and torture are just several examples of the evil that is emanating from radical Islam. Radical Muslims are killing everyone in sight--Jews, Christians, other Muslims and members of other religions. No one is safe. Iran and the Islamic State are competing to establish Islamic caliphates. Neither is letting anything stop or impede their progress. They believe in and act with savagery and barbarity to get their way. A quarter of a million people, including women and children, have been killed in Syria alone. Chemical weapons have been used in many of these killings. There are not thousands, but millions, of refugees fleeing Muslim countries.

Seeing Iran and its terrorist proxies use missiles, rockets and now chemical weapons on innocent civilian populations, President Obama and his puppet Administration, and the international community, are rewarding Iran with a lopsided nuclear agreement that provides Iran with tons of cash and a clear and legitimate path toward nuclear weapons. As if Iran was not having enough success on its own, it is now getting another huge boost by closely partnering with Russia. The same Russia that Obama frequently pointed to as favoring the nuclear agreement with Iran to garner American support for the deal. Russia and Iran will next strengthen their presence in Iraq and embolden Iran's other terrorist proxies. Do not be fooled by the smoke and mirrors being used with the Islamic State. They are not a real threat. The only reason they have flourished is because they have been allowed to do so. The real threat is from Iran. And Iran is on a mission and on the march. The same is true of Russia.

We also have an American president who does everything he can to promote his pro-Muslim ideology while weakening America. The deal with Iran is so bad it is too hard to believe that it is really happening. But, the frightening thing is that it is done and the world already appears to have moved on. With all of the violence being committed in the Middle East and Africa by radical Muslims on a daily basis, the only country that Obama criticizes is Israel. The only leader in the world that he is tough with is Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Why exactly is that? With as much danger as Israel is in now, from within and outside of its borders, the only thing you get from Obama is his obsession with trying to force Israel into a bad and destructive peace deal with the Palestinians. If Israel defends itself, he is outspoken against Israel. If Palestinians murder Jews in cold blood, as is happening now throughout Israel, he either ignores it, blames Israel when it responds or tries to morally equate the Israelis and Palestinians. America, the foremost super power in the world up until the time of Obama, is being rendered impotent by Obama as his leading from behind really means apologizing for America's past and not leading at all.

Ok, by now you may be saying that the world has recently faced serious threats (I am focused on the period since World War II) and today only the names and faces are different. Unfortunately, I do not believe that this is the case. There is something more sinister in the air today as I will attempt to demonstrate.

To me, the world seems to be possessed. So much of the world today does not think or act logically or rationally. Common sense and reason no longer exist. It is as if the world is now on autopilot headed for a predetermined destination, unable to change its path.

It is one thing to sit idly by and watch radical Muslims rampantly kill and torture innocent people. It is quite another story though for the reaction to be an obsessive fear of Islamophobia. The real fear for Muslims should be from other Muslims. But it is not. Instead, it is a concern for the harsh treatment of Muslims by members of other religions. So let's get this straight. Radical Muslims are killing Jews, Christians, other Muslims and members of other religions at a rapid pace. This is happening all across the globe. Jews and Christians are not targeting members of any religion. But the concern of the world is over imaginary Islamophobia. It does not make any sense.

Let's focus on Israel now. It is the only democracy in the Middle East. It peacefully accepts arabs into society despite all the terrorism it has endured for decades. There are arabs in the Knesset and arab doctors, nurses and professors in Israeli society. Arab students can attend the best Israeli universities even as they preach hate of Israel. Arabs live better in Israel than they do in any Muslim country. Arabs, particularly arab women and gays, have more rights in Israel than they do in any Muslim country. Unlike in Muslim countries, Israel does not summarily execute political opponents or innocent women and gays. Israel is not invading any countries. It is not acting aggressively or belligerently. If all countries would be like Israel, we would have world peace. Let these facts digest for a while. Then consider that, defying any and all logic and reason, it is Israel that is boycotted across the globe. It is Israel that is accused of apartheid. It is Israel that is accused of being racist and intolerant. It is Israel that is condemned by the international community, including through the disgraceful and despicable UN. The only explanation for this is that there is something evil in the air.

Despite Israel's acceptance of arabs, arabs in Israel (and every other country) do not tolerate Jews and do not want any Jews in their midst. Israel is the one and only Jewish country in the world. There are approximately 1.8 billion Muslims in the world with numerous countries of their own. In Israel today, Palestinians are waging jihad against innocent Israelis--men, women and children, young and old. Cold blooded murder of Jews by arabs once again is in full swing in Israel. As this disgusting, morally reprehensible Palestinian terrorism of Jews in Israel escalates, the world sits silently. That is until Israel takes defensive measures to protect itself. Then the international community gets on its moral soapbox to condemn Israel. Again, there is no logical or rational reason for this.

Incredibly and foolishly, Israel allows the holiest site in Judaism, which happens to be located in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, to be governed by Muslims. Arabs, in turn, do not want to share this site with Jews or Christians. They are terrorizing, intimidating and harassing Jews at this site and are trying to prevent them from praying. Jews are not even allowed to move their lips there. Radical Muslims are destroying sites holy to many religions, including Islam, across the Middle East. These are the facts. Are Palestinians or Muslims condemned for any of this? No, instead the international community threatens to divide Jerusalem to ensure that the holy sites of that wonderful city are open to all. It is as if the threat to these sites comes from Israel or Jews and not Muslims. This, too, is totally twisted. It defies logic or reason.

Then there is Europe. Anti-Semitism is continuing to escalate. Most, but not all, of the violence is committed by Muslims. There is no outrage or concern though for Europe's Jews. One would think that a continent that boasts of tolerance and multiculturalism, and that is soaked with the blood of Jews going back for generations, would express some concern for its Jewish citizens. But that is hardly the case. Instead, Europe, despite its huge Muslim problem, is opening its arms   wide to Muslim refugees. Germany, of all countries, is leading the charge to flood the continent with more Muslims. Already, there have been numerous reports of violence committed by Muslim refugees. This is not surprising as there is no vetting process and radical Muslims are getting into the mix, as they vowed to do.

How does one explain this European outreach to Muslims and shunning of Jews? Why do the typical stereotypes of Jews continue in perpetuity? Only 70 years after the Holocaust, the world has already forgotten. Anti-Semitism, somewhat dormant for a period of time, is again rearing its ugly head. But why? What have the Jews done now? They have done nothing wrong, yet evil is again in the air.

Returning to the United States and Obama, who would have thought we would be in the situation we are in now? After suffering too many terrorist attacks from radical Muslims ourselves, particularly 9/11, who could have predicted that America would have a president with an obsessive pro-Muslim ideology who embraces radical Islamists, while condemning Israel, Jews and Christians and fostering and promoting their plight? Who would have expected the policies of American leadership to lead to an abandoning of Israel, competition for Islamic caliphates and Russia pushing the United States out of the Middle East? How could it have happened so quickly? Then again, how could America be totally transformed so quickly? When did we become a country that fights for granting illegal immigrants full benefits and rights, but let's its veterans rot without saying a word or lifting a finger? When did we start marching and protesting for the benefits and rights of illegal immigrants, but staying silent when innocent Americans are killed by illegal immigrants with criminal records? When did we go to war against our law enforcement and when did it become acceptable to resist arrest? When did we become a country that has presidential candidates who feel the need to apologize for saying all lives matter instead of only black lives matter? And when did America decide that it was perfectly acceptable to tolerate and promote a racist, intimidating hate group? All of this too is illogical and irrational. That the United States has been transformed so quickly, when so few saw it coming and many are still in denial, also strongly suggests that there is something evil in the air.

The reader, if he or she did not know any better, might think that as a Jew, I am speaking for and making the case made by all Jews. After all, you generally cannot get a Muslim to criticize another Muslim. If radical Muslims kill Jews, other Muslims try to justify their behavior, even in terrorist attacks. There has been silence from Muslims on Muslim killings of Christians and members of other religions too. Muslims do not even denounce the killings of other Muslims. So Jews, too, must be united, especially since they have the moral, Biblical, historical and factual high ground, right? Incredibly, while Muslims are united and support each other no matter what atrocities they commit, Jews could not be more divided. Liberal Jews choose to ignore these relevant factors. Instead, they look for the faults in their fellow Jews and Israel. They engage in painful, agonizing, dangerous and ignorant self-examination and introspection. They ignore any and all extenuating circumstances, such as Muslim violence, Palestinian terrorism and a history of attempts to annihilate the Jewish people. The surprising thing is that many of these Jews are smart, educated people. The best of them lack common sense and are naive, while the worst of them should be viewed as collaborators. That Muslims stand together, while Jews bicker, fight and put each other in greater danger despite their tragic history, also is illogical and irrational.

Scholars and historians look back on the Holocaust and have many questions that eerily cannot be answered. For instance, Germany was a highly cultured, educated and civil society. In fact, Germans prided themselves on that. Germany's Jews had assimilated and most considered themselves more German than Jew. They contributed in every way possible to German society. What could they have possibly done wrong? The answer is that they did not do anything wrong. So the next common question for scholars and historians is what drove doctors, lawyers, teachers, professors, journalists, students, clergy, etc. in a highly civilized society to commit the most sadistic genocide of a people that the world has ever seen? Another question, how could fathers of children butcher and kill innocent parents of other children, and the innocent parents and children of those parents? Another question, how could mothers take their children to watch the cold blooded murder of innocent Jews and sing, laugh and cheer as it was going on as if they were at an entertainment event? How could the murderers sing, laugh and cheer both during and after these gruesome atrocities? How could they face their families knowing what they had done? To these questions, there are no answers. It was as if Germany and much of the world was possessed. One reads about and can readily imagine that, at the time, there was something in the air for Jews in Germany and other European countries. Some sensed the evil in the air early on, more did over time and many when it was too late.

Like at the time leading up to and during the Holocaust, Jews today are accused of many wrongs. Today, it is not enough to only be Anti-Semitic. One also needs to try to crush and destroy Israel as it serves as a safe haven for Jews today. At least, that is one of its designed purposes. In fact, Anti-Semitism today is often disguised as a bashing of Israel. Jews back in the time of the Holocaust were innocent. But what about today, is there anything to the claims of the international community? After all, Israel by far is the most vile offender in the UN, right? If I am sure about anything in my life, I totally believe and say with total confidence that Jews today are as innocent as they were at the time of the Holocaust and Israel should be celebrated and praised for what it stands for and how it survives each and every day.

But, as we unfortunately know, innocence and being a beacon of light does not always lead to survival. It also takes strength and that is one of the reasons why Israel exists today, to be strong, to welcome persecuted Jews from throughout the world and to protect its citizens. Israel is trying, but for some deceitful reason or another, it faces the wrath of the international community. I hope that I am wrong, but in the chaotic times we are living in, with the total lack of logic and reason for what we are witnessing, I am afraid that there is something in the air. And it is not good. It is evil.

Loyal Allies

September 24, 2015

It would not be much of a stretch of the imagination to believe that somewhere along the way the leaders of Russia and Iran told Syrian President, Basher al-Assad, that they have his back. Perhaps they assured him that no options, including military options, were off the table. Now that the world appears to have accepted and moved on from the Iranian nuclear deal, Russia and Iran have proven to be loyal allies to Syria and Assad. President Obama, Secretary of State Kerry, the rest of the deceitful Administration officials, Democrats and liberals should take note of what it means to be a loyal ally.

After the Iranian nuclear deal was agreed to in principle, Obama and Administration officials were hopeful that Russia and Iran would abandon their allies of Syria and Assad. As a slap in the face to the Administration, just the latest of many in the area of foreign policy, Russia and Iran have done the complete opposite by firming up their alliance with Syria, as well as Hezbollah. This includes moving sophisticated weapons and military bases into Syria. Russian and Iranian officials also have met to discuss and coordinate strategic options. They are clearly backing, not abandoning, their ally. We have gone from Obama's highly publicized red line bluff to Assad over the use of chemical weapons, to insisting that Assad must go, to redefining chemical weapons (which Assad continues to use), to now saying Russia and Iran could help the situation in Syria and Assad can stay on for some time. As if Obama, Kerry or the Administration, who have been totally ignored and rebuffed to this point, will have any say with Russia and Iran entrenched on Syrian soil (or sand). They will continue to hide behind the ruse that Russia and Iran can help in the fight against the Islamic State. I would not put it past Obama and the Administration to actually thank them for their help.

Obama and his Administration should learn from, of all countries, Russia and Iran, as to what it means to be a loyal ally. Having an ally's back? Check. Using military options? A big check. But Obama already knows this. Lying to Americans and Israelis, and abandoning Israel, is all part of his plan to fundamentally change the region and the world.

There are people, including liberal American Jews, who disagree with me. They choose to ignore the obvious, such as Obama's harsh treatment of Israel and its Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Or Obama's empowering the foremost state-sponsor of terrorism, Iran, including forcing through the terrible nuclear deal. It is not accurate to say that the deal was approved by Congress; rather it did not get enough Congressmen and women to reject it as almost all Democrats supported it while all Republicans, the strong majority by numbers, were against it. (Enough has been written on the difference between the voting requirements for treaties vs. presidential agreements and the Democrats' procedural maneuvers to prevent an actual vote in the Senate so I will not go into more detail here. Suffice it to say that Congress did not approve the deal.) The agreement will go into effect despite only having a 21% approval rating from the American public. The Obama and Hillary Clinton Russian "reset" has worked wonders, for Russia that is, consistent with Obama's hot mic comment meant to reassure Putin that he would have his back after the 2012 election was over. That has not worked out quite as well for Crimea or Ukraine.

But liberal Americans, including liberal Jews, will always give Obama the benefit of the doubt. Incredibly though, protecting his character and insisting that his intentions are pure are not enough. They insist that he knows what he is doing and that his policies are effective. I actually agree that he knows what he is doing; we just disagree as to who enjoys the benefits of his "effective" policies.

If Obama is acting in good faith, which is difficult for me to even write, then he is totally incompetent and ignorant. No matter how you slice it, however, his policies are dangerous to America and Israel. They have contributed to the upheaval in the Middle East, which is engulfed in death, destruction and turmoil as there are two competing caliphates, one of which belongs to Iran. Israel, America's true ally in the region no matter what Obama and liberal Democrats say or do, has come under increasing danger as it sits innocently in the midst of the chaos. Violence and death have increasingly encroached on its borders, beyond the threats from its everyday enemies. As if that was not enough, Obama has confirmed that his promises to Israel were false as he rammed through the Iranian nuclear deal, claiming to have the support of such stellar U.S. allies as Russia and China, in addition to the wonderful world body, the UN.

To make matters worse, Israel now has to deal with the alliance of Russia, Iran, Syria and Hezbollah on its border with Syria. This is dangerous on many levels. For one, look at how successful or incompetent (depending on your point of view as to his intent) Obama has been in reversing decades of American foreign policy of limiting Russian influence, not to mention presence, in the Middle East. It is as if the Russian reset of Obama and Clinton is resetting Russia to a period of strength and undoing and undermining the successful accomplishments of President Reagan.

There also are the direct threats from Iran, which has openly vowed to annihilate Israel and wipe it off the map. Those threats will be louder now that they will be coming from an additional border. One can just sense the provocations to come. And what trouble is in store as a result of an honest error? What happens if Israel retaliates to an attack or provocation, but the impact of the response is felt by Russia? Or Iran? This will be a powder keg. Does anyone believe that Obama will have Israel's back? Or that he will use military options? To avoid this, Israel may feel it has to stand down and tolerate yet more Iranian aggression directed its way.

Is the world really a better place as a result of America leading from behind and America demonstrating weakness instead of its superpower might? For it apologizing for its past to the world instead of being a leader and proud of what it stands for? Despite what liberals and Democrats, which are now really synonymous, would have you believe, American weakness and leading from behind are the cause of much of the chaos in the world today. Even worse, we are rapidly going down an even more dangerous path, as the new evil alliance demonstrates.

Leading from behind really means letting other countries take the lead, even if they are the evil ones in the new alliance, and then weakening America even more by trying to clean up the mess. One of the flaws of Obama's ideology is that it hurts Americans. Obama and liberals, as seen in their governing of the United States and their treatment of Israel, do not lead with the best interests of the country they represent. Obama employs an ideology that promotes the interests of his preferred classes. That is why, for example, he is now contributing over $400 million to aid the Syrian refugee crisis. That will result in an overall amount of over $4.5 billion spent on this cause. He also is doing his best to help bring as many refugees as possible to the United States, while admitting that some may be terrorists and the proper vetting process will not be done. This is a far cry from putting the interests of Americans first. $4.5 billion could go along way to help our veterans, who are needlessly suffering, as well as fixing many of our social challenges. Obama's leading from behind ideology has resulted in America carrying the pail and shovel to clean up the world's messes. He has tried to force a pail and shovel into the hands of Israelis in favor of his preferred Palestinian class, but so far, thankfully, that has been unsuccessful overall. I'm afraid that the attempts will continue.

Let's suppose that another global superpower, China, joins the new evil alliance. Then what? This is not all that farfetched and would be disastrous for America and the world. But I would bet it comes as a surprise to Obama and his Administration, or at least that is how they will portray it. Again, if they are really not thinking about that, they are incompetent and will scramble and fall over themselves in trying to react to it, should, G-d forbid, it ever happen.

Hats off to the members of the new evil alliance who seem to understand what it means to be a loyal ally. Sad to say that they have given Obama, his Administration, Democrats and liberals a very public lesson. Whether they truly need it or not is a different story.

The Country's Amnesia

September 18, 2015

With all of the danger and chaos in the world today, including the recent nuclear deal with Iran, it is worth bearing in mind that it has only been 70 years since the end of the Holocaust. Although to some people, 70 years might seem like a long time, I say "only" in the sense that in humanity's long history, its darkest and most gruesome and evil time was only 70 years ago. Yet, despite the enormity of that horror, the world has all but forgotten it. For Americans, despite losing many fine young men in World War II, the Holocaust was something that occurred overseas. The blood of the Jews was spilled, quite literally, on Russian and European soil. But what excuse do Americans have for forgetting September 11, 2001? The horrific attacks occurred only 14 years ago and soaked U.S. soil with the blood of Americans.

In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, Americans united with a great sense of patriotism. They relished the idea of a strong America that would respond appropriately to the terrorist attacks. American flags flew everywhere. The national anthem was song with pride and enthusiasm. That feeling of unity and strength lasted for a while, but the country's amnesia started way before the 14 year mark. To illustrate how far removed from 9/11 we were by 2008, one need only consider the presidential election. If I went into a coma right after 9/11 and came out of it after the election to learn that Americans had elected a president named Barack Hussein Obama, I would not have believed it. That he was such an enigmatic figure who arrived with such a mysterious and anti-American background would have made it even harder to believe. In fact, if I was told there had been a movie made on it, I would have claimed it had to be too farfetched and refused to go. (The best and most interesting movies are often those that seem too hard to believe, but are actually based on real facts and are true stories. This, unfortunately, would be one of them.) In this case, it was not too difficult for many people, myself included, to predict the misfortune to befall America from Obama's promise to fundamentally transform the country.

How did this happen? How did Americans elect Obama, with his radical left ideology, including his ties to anti-American extremists like his reverend, Jeremiah Wright, and friend and terrorist, Bill Ayers (to name just two of his radical associates), only seven short years after 9/11? Why were Americans so open and gullible to accept a transition of the country from strength and pride to weakness, guilt and having a compelling urge to apologize to the world for what it stands for so shortly after 9/11?

Now, 14 years later, it is still painful to watch the news on 9/11. I told myself I would just watch a little of the coverage this year, but pretty soon I was once again immersed in it. How does one watch without being overwhelmed with emotions? The images of the planes hitting the Towers and the Pentagon. The plane in the field in Shanksville, PA. The people jumping from the higher floors of the Towers. The zombie-like people near the Towers covered with debris. The 911 calls. The desperate cries and pleas for help. The interviews. Suddenly, you are back to that devastating time 14 years ago with your heart feeling like it is being ripped out of your chest. And again I have to ask, how did we transition so quickly from a nation coming together as one, with a great sense of strength, pride and resolve, to electing a radical liberal president who was not proud of America, apologized for its history and current ways, and vowed to change it?

The Holocaust took the historical murder of and pogroms against Jews to a whole new, darker level. After the Holocaust, Jews had a better appreciation and were on notice of the atrocities that humanity was capable of, of extraordinary evil that knows no bounds, and swore "Never Again". After 9/11, Americans vowed to "Never Forget". They were on notice of the evil that radical Islam was capable of. Prior terrorist attacks, as bad as they were, did not have quite the same impact. It was the magnitude of 9/11 and the fact that it showed our vulnerability on our own soil that made it hit home all the more. Yet, somewhere along the way, America and Americans developed amnesia and made their decision in 2008 (and again in 2012).

Perhaps it is the Holocaust that has served to so severely frighten Jews over the nuclear deal with Iran. Many, but not all, Jews that is. Others, particularly American Jews, continue to show their unwavering support and devotion for Obama and everything he does. They either are not very familiar with the Holocaust or have had their own amnesia set in. But what about Americans? True, only 21% of Americans approve of the nuclear deal with Iran according to a recent poll, but Obama and other elected Democratic officials have accomplished what was needed to have it pass and rammed down the throats of the American people. Where is the country's outrage? The fear? The outcry? The promise of "Never Forget"? Americans, like world Jewry, know what it is like to be on the wrong end of terror. Most Israeli Jews know enough to listen and take seriously threats from an evil enemy of "Death to Israel". Too many Jews ignored the threats of a different madman in the 1920s and 1930s and paid the ultimate price. Americans should now understand the threats of "Death to America" from radical Islamic terrorists and know enough to take them at face value. 9/11 was a wake up call, an alarm that should have put and kept the country on notice of what could happen. Imagine 9/11 with nuclear weapons, G-d forbid. But, unfortunately, the country's amnesia seems to have gotten the best of it.

We also are now witnessing a mass of Islamic refugees fleeing from Syria and Iraq. Europe, which one would think would understand the predicament it is in with its large Muslim population, appears to be ready to double down. Germany, of all countries, not historically the beacon of tolerance, has opened its arms wide for the refugees. It remains to be seen whether the German population is as eager to welcome the refugees as is its Chancellor, Angela Merkel. Hungary, however, is an exception. It is staying truer to historical form and has resisted accepting the refugees, which has earned it much politically correct criticism. Already there are reports and images of violence from some of the refugees who are unhappy with the treatment they have received from the host nations. Welcome to Europe, where Muslims are invited and many Jews are being forced to leave or consider leaving.

The United States and, incredibly, Israel also have been criticized for not taking more refugees. But Israel is a tiny country and already has felt the brunt of refugees from Eritrea in Africa. Obama has pledged to take over 10,000 Syrian refugees over the next year and Democrats are recommending that the United States absorb over 100,000 Syrian refugees. Conservative estimates are that easily 1% of the refugees could be terrorists, and the Islamic State has stated its intention to infiltrate countries through the refugees. The White House and Democrats admit that they would not be able to ascertain whether terrorists would be among the refugees that enter the country. One percent of 100,000 is 1,000 terrorists. Applying the same formula to the estimated 1,000,000 refugees that Europe may accept yields 10,000 potential terrorists. Again, these are only conservative estimates. It took only 19 Islamic terrorists to inflict such wide scale damage to the U.S. on 9/11.

For some reason, the focus has been more on the United States, Europe and even Israel to take in the refugees. But what about other Islamic countries? True, Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon have, but are these the only Muslim countries? Why is there no pressure on Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Iran, Pakistan, Egypt, Indonesia...? There are approximately 1.5-1.8 billion Muslims in the world who have more than enough of their own countries and ample room. Are we to believe that they are not capable of absorbing their brethren? As is the case with the Palestinians, who fled from Israel of their own volition, the Islamic nations sit idly by. It is just a matter of time before they show their lack of appreciation and their "concern" for the treatment and living conditions of their dear brothers and sisters who have the great misfortune of being welcomed by Western countries. In the past, Jews have fled from, not to, Muslim countries. There is nothing to suggest that that would change in the future. In fact, Jews are even being driven out of non-Muslim countries because of Muslims. It is an affront to Israel to even suggest that it has a moral obligation to accept the refugees. The political correctness must stop. Israel is the one and only Jewish country and it has to stay a Jewish country. For those who do not like it, too bad.

It is not just refugees from Islamic countries, but also refugees from African countries, who cannot flee their homelands fast enough. And these are the countries that Obama is proud of. He condemns and insults the country that he governs and Israel, to which various refugees have fled  for years and to which today are most desired destinations, but glorifies the countries people cannot leave fast enough.

I saw other emotional images once again this year as I watched the 9/11 coverage. They were the pictures and footage of our heroes in the FDNY and NYPD, and other first responders. How many of those among us would have been capable of going into the Towers as they were engulfed in flames and billowed smoke, while terrified civilians instinctually tried to find safety? How many of us would have stayed in the immediate vicinity directing and instructing horrified, innocent people? It was not only the courageous of the FDNY that suffered losses that day; many police officers were killed as well. At least we felt some relief and pride in those tough days that followed when law enforcement and firefighters from around the country marched into downtown New York to lend a helping hand. How quickly one can go from hero to villain though in a country with amnesia. We have gone from wearing FDNY and NYPD caps to burning and stomping on American flags in an effort to vilify all law enforcement personnel and even white America because of a few isolated incidents involving law enforcement and blacks, regardless of who was at fault.

Next year will mark the 15th anniversary of 9/11. There promises to be much fanfare, news coverage and attention to mark9/11/16. Much of the country will unite and rally together for a single day, as it seems to do on each anniversary of 9/11. It is fairly easy to predict that the country will then suffer from amnesia again and return to its state of schism. But Americans would be wise to carry that day and the feelings of American pride and patriotism forward to help prevent future 9/11s and worse.

More Democratic Division

September 10, 2015

Is it me, or does it feel as though we will never get out from under these two terms of office of President Obama? In his mission to weaken and divide the country and denigrate what it stands for, he has successfully sparked and promoted a war on our law enforcement.

It is apparent that it is open season on our law enforcement. This was a natural result of Obama's words and actions, as well as his silence and inaction, in response to multiple incidents involving black men and law enforcement, regardless of who was culpable. As violent protestors rioted, looted and burned cities, Obama sympathized with the criminals and condemned law enforcement in particular and white America more broadly for their alleged history and ongoing pattern of racism against blacks. As cities were engulfed in flames, and law enforcement was under attack, police officials were made to stand down.

As is typical and very predictable with Obama, it is his silence after ginning up dissension that helps embolden the enemies within. As outspoken as he is on his perceived racism by whites against blacks in this country, he is disgracefully silent on the war against law enforcement. We have seen Obama's heartfelt anger, hurt and respect for blacks involved in incidents with law enforcement, whether they were innocent or guilty. The lack of any outcry from him on the senseless, cold-blooded killings of innocent law enforcement personnel is painfully obvious and sends a loud and clear message to the criminal element of society. Again, this silence is very predictable as Obama himself helped launch this war. Look for Republican candidates to more forcefully pounce on this issue, which, despite Obama's silence and inaction, is a real problem.

Under Obama, Black Lives Matter, a real racist group, has flourished. The radical black group, the New Black Panthers, also has been empowered and emboldened. Both groups have openly threatened to murder cops. Shouldn't all Americans, particularly law enforcement personnel and their families, expect the President of the United States to unequivocally condemn such extremist views and their deadly consequences?

Interestingly, with the recent backlash and criticism of law enforcement, and with police personnel anxious about performing their jobs, there has been a dramatic escalation of violent crimes in many cities that have a large minority population. These cities are led by Democrats, many of whom are minorities themselves. Baltimore, Milwaukee, Chicago, St. Louis, Washington, D.C...apparently black lives do not matter in these cities when it comes to black-on-black violence.

It is not just Obama. Democratic presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders, meekly and cowardly handed over his microphone to menacing members of Black Lives Matter during a recent speech, while trying to defend them. Another Democratic presidential candidate, Martin O'Malley, took what seemed to be a reasonable approach, saying that all lives matter when his forum was hijacked by Black Lives Matter. But he quickly showed his true colors of weakness by apologizing to the group and saying black lives matter. Can you imagine, apologizing for saying that white lives matter and all lives matter in addition to black lives matter? These are pathetic excuses for presidential candidates. And the fact that a radical hate group like Black Lives Matter can feel empowered and emboldened enough to disrupt the campaigns of Democratic presidential candidates and to threaten the Republican Party is deeply disturbing and alarming.

The Democratic National Committee recently tried, for some reason, to extend an olive branch to Black Lives Matter by passing a resolution in support of the group. The group, however, rebuffed the DNC's make nice attempt. Typical failure of DNC Chairwoman, Debbie Wasserman Shultz, who still maintains that she is very proud of the group. But why all this warmth and support for a hate group? What would happen if the Republican Party tried to reach out the same way to the KKK? Like the DNC, the liberal media, instead of condemning and denouncing the vile hate group, Black Lives Matter, has chosen to embrace it. Truly shameful.

Then of course there is Hillary Clinton. She chose to have a ridiculous philosophical debate with members of Black Lives Matter, but still sided with them. As the real war on law enforcement is growing, she refuses to recognize it. Instead, she is only capable of droning on about the war on women. And targeting highly paid CEOs. And raising taxes on the "wealthy" and "rich" in America. Or, in other words, yet more Democratic division of America. It is all the more appalling coming from one of America's biggest liars and hypocrites. At least, thankfully, it seems as though this robotic drone is crashing and burning.

Yet somehow, even with their radical, far-left positions, which directly contradict core values and principles of many Americans, these Democratic presidential contenders are polling well against the Republican presidential candidates. Not only has the Democratic Party changed, but, as is apparent now with two Obama victories and recent poll results, the country has changed as well. But it is precisely because the fundamental values and principles of so many Americans are being violated that the country and the current election campaign are so divided. Conservative Americans will not tolerate an open hunt on our men and women in law enforcement, whether they are black or white. Nor will they tolerate racism, whether white on black, or more accurately today with Black Lives Matter, black on white. In short, conservatives will not be fooled by the attempts, disguised or not, of the contemporary Democratic Party to divide the country.

Black Hats, IDF, Camels and "El Chapo" the Shark

August 28, 2015

My family vacation this summer was my favorite one ever. Two wonderful weeks in Israel. For my wife and me, it was our first trip to the Holy Land. Our older son had been to Israel before on Birthright. Our younger son also had been there before on Birthright and then studied for almost two months at a Yeshiva in Jerusalem. Importantly, I was not the only one who enjoyed the trip; my wife and sons also had a fantastic time.

Having been raised in a big city, I always appreciate long drives in rural settings. When my kids were younger, and our summer vacations entailed driving through various parts of the American landscape, I would instinctually point out horses, cows and various other animals whenever I would spot them. After a certain point (which usually did not take too long), my three fellow passengers would politely and then not so politely tell me to stop.

Our trip to Israel was different. My family knew I was "crazed" to go and excited to explore and see everything we could cram into our pre-planned itinerary, which involved driving through much of the country. That partly helps explain their patience. They totally tolerated my constant shouts of black hats (said then and now with the utmost respect and admiration) and IDF (soldiers). They even tolerated my camel alerts, which were pretty frequent in the desert. It was heartwarming for me to know that my family was tolerant not only for my sake, but also because they were enjoying the same things I was. In large part, that focused on being around our fellow Jews. All Jews. For once, we were not the minority and that was a spiritually uplifting feeling.

There was another reason this trip was important to me. I have said and written a lot about Israel, always from a pro-Israel perspective. People I know, including Israelis, had been surprised about my passion for the country, particularly since I had never been there. At the same time, they assured me that, even though I had never visited, I really had a good understanding and was not missing anything that would change my views. Still, I knew that I had to go, and go with an open mind. It was not just for my own sense of credibility, I just had to see for myself. After spending a couple of weeks in Israel, and traveling through much of the country, I came home with a deeper and more informed love and appreciation of the Homeland and its people.

Our trip officially started under the blistering sun in the Dead Sea Region of Ein Bokek.  We stayed at a resort hotel that seemed to cater mainly to native Israeli and Russian Jews, although we met Jews of other backgrounds as well. There were, however, a good amount of arabs, many dressed in their traditional garb. A rough, non-scientific estimate would be around 5%-10%. Whether at the Sea, or in the spa or at breakfast and dinner buffets at the hotel, everyone in this eclectic mix appeared to be getting along just fine. We also saw an assortment of people, including arabs, as we hiked in Ein Gedi. Here too, there was nothing unusual to report.

We spent a good amount of our time at different beautiful beaches in Israel, including in Tel Aviv, Netanya and Haifa. It was in the clean, warm waters of some of these beaches that we encountered the only thing that gave us concern on the entire trip. It was a small fish that nipped, mostly at the ankles of swimmers. My younger son dubbed the fish El Chapo the Shark. I have no idea why. But the nickname caught on, especially when we would see swimmers scampering out of the water clutching their ankles.

We were the minority on a mostly arab beach in Haifa. Jews and arabs both frolicked in the water and on the sand while enjoying this wonderful beach. There also were many arabs in the section of Haifa where we stayed. There was a whole strip of restaurants, bars and cafes filled with younger arabs who definitely seemed to be carefree and enjoying themselves.

Pretty much wherever we went we came across arabs. In Tiberias, at the Jordan River and, obviously, in Jerusalem. In fact, we saw arabs in most of the places where we went in the Old City of Jerusalem. What was notable to me were the warnings that we, as Jews in Israel, received about steering clear of certain arab sections, gates and quarters of the Old City, but the routes we were told to use were full of arabs. One place where we did not see any arabs was in Yad Vashem, Israel's holocaust museum and memorial. There we saw only Jews.

In the vast amount of driving we did, we were able to see a lot of Israel. I was impressed with how much Israelis have accomplished in such a short period of time since the establishment of the country in 1948. They have done a truly amazing job of building up the country. At the same time, I was struck by how much land was still undeveloped and how much more room there appeared to be for growth. We would drive on roads (well-paved I might add) for long stretches of time and not see anything except the beautiful scenery until we came upon a city or town, sometimes elevated and off to one or both sides of the road. Interestingly, we would often observe the gold dome of a mosque in these places. As we would drive through arab towns or view these mosques, I could not help but to again think of the hypocrisy of the international community, which condemns Israel for being a racist country, but supports Palestinian demands that there not be a single Jew in their territories or in any future Palestinian state. Taking a detour into Gaza to spend some more quality time with arabs was not part of our itinerary. No, any interaction between Jews and arabs had to be done in Israel.

To be clear, we knew that the danger was not limited to Gaza. We also were aware of the increased terrorist attacks by Palestinians in East Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and did not venture there on this trip. We decided not to go to Hebron to see the Cave of the Patriarchs, after considering going with an armed presence and in a vehicle with bulletproof glass. We also heard about the danger and political nonsense occurring there from a rabbi who we spoke to who had been there earlier the same day.

Regarding the areas we were in or very close to, a Jewish couple we met told us about their trip to Nazareth, which consists mostly of arabs. They drove there, arrived at their destination, and had to quickly scamper away after encountering a young man and his machine gun there. We heard stories, but fortunately Jerusalem was quiet while we were there.

Throughout our trip, I could not help thinking, particularly as I was enjoying the rest and relaxation at the beaches, just how much the Palestinians were squandering their opportunity. If they only would want peace, their population could live in prosperity. Their people could enjoy freedom and have malls, restaurants, cafes and bars. In Gaza, they too could have a coast of resorts for their people to enjoy. It is to everyone's great misfortune that they instead choose to embrace terrorism, murder and brutality.

I cannot wait to return to Eretz Yisrael and be with my fellow Jews. I wish all Israelis peace and the coming of a time very soon when their biggest concern will be El Chapo the Shark.

Am Yisrael Chai.

The Dramatic Rise of Donald Trump

August 25, 2015

Donald Trump is, to date, defying all of his critics and detractors with his big lead over the other Republican presidential candidates. There is a simple reason for his dominance that many so-called political experts and analysts did not see coming and are still overlooking. What is that reason? In one word--Obama.

Obama has successfully divided the country and the division he has created is deep and severe. His radical liberal policies and over the top political correctness, both at home and abroad, have infuriated, disgusted and embarrassed a significant number of Americans. These Americans now all too painfully understand the meaning of Obama's promise to fundamentally change the country and they do not like the result. They now see his agenda more clearly and resent his thrusting his leftist ideologies upon the country. They have witnessed Obama's weakening and degrading of America and they do not like it one bit. They are angry and want a strong and unapologetic Republican candidate who will make America great again. Enter Mr. Trump who has taken center stage with that exact message. He is vowing to return the country to its greatness by taking positions that are diametrically opposed to Obama's.

I refer the reader back to my April 9, 2015 article entitled "Right Down the Middle". In that article, I set forth matters that are important to Americans and major issues facing America today, and how I pretty much disagree with Obama's position on all of them. Trump is systematically championing the opposite side of Obama's liberal positions on these matters and issues as well. And he is doing so in a blatant way. For Americans who are tired of Obama weakening and degrading this great country, Trump is saying everything they long to hear. They yearn for American success and greatness again and Trump is promising to deliver that in the strong and unapologetic terms they now crave.

Many of the other Republican candidates have substantially similar messages as Trump. And they deliver their messages without Trump's bravado, bragging and lack of humility. Looking back on the past, it is hard to see a candidate like Trump having so much appeal to the American GOP electorate. But Obama has made that possible. Obama's attack on core American values has facilitated someone riding in on a white horse and defending America. Obama's arrogance and consistent insults and humiliation of much of the population and the country have fostered the ability of someone like a Donald Trump to come out swinging and appeal to Americans in the process.

The result is a continuing divide of the country. Obama's radical left ideologies have made it very easy for conservatives to disagree with him on all or almost all major issues. Trump has done just that and will continue to do so. Supporters of Obama, including most of the media, will dig in and defend their liberal positions and will fight Trump all the way. At the same time, Trump will continue to have amazing appeal to Americans who believe in a strong America and want their country back. America will continue to lack a middle ground. Bipartisanship will likely continue to be non-existent.

Take illegal immigration as just one example. Many Americans strongly oppose Obama's far-left views and policies. They want the problem addressed and a common sense solution (at least in part) is to secure the country's southern border. Trump's promise to build a wall and to have Mexico pay for it has obvious appeal to these Americans. But have they fully thought through how Trump will execute on his promise to deport illegals? Whether or not they consider this measure to be extreme, they may be reacting out of frustration. To illustrate the division in this country on just this one issue, consider that while his backers applaud Trump even when he talks of deportations, liberals support illegals receiving more government benefits than America's military personnel. Liberals also are offended by and scoff at conservatives over terminology on the subject like "illegals", "illegal immigrants" and "anchor babies" even though there is nothing inaccurate about these terms.

Conservatives also see the current Democratic presidential candidates promising more of the same of what Obama is delivering, and that frightens them. That is understandable given the liberal messages being espoused by the leading Democratic candidates, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. In Clinton, they also see someone they clearly cannot trust, as each day there are new troubling allegations against her, even as reported in the liberal media outlets. This likely helps explain, in part, the surprising surge of Sanders. Sanders deserves credit in that he at least admits to being a socialist, but that honesty does not make him any more appealing to conservatives. Faced with these liberal choices, and now in the second term of a president with radical left ideologies and policies, conservatives do not want to leave anything to chance. They want the strongest candidate possible and so far they like what they are hearing from Trump and believe that he is their best bet.

It is not clear whether Trump can continue on his current successful path. He may be his own worst enemy. For now, however, he has galvanized the GOP base. His supporters have embraced him notwithstanding his insults of fellow Republican candidates, even so much as claiming John McCain is not a war hero. In the past, his brashness likely would have made him crash and burn as a candidate. In today's America though, he is instead viewed positively by conservatives as someone who speaks his mind and who is desperately needed to restore the country to its greatness. He can thank Obama for that.