Thank you President Obama
By Patrick Van Roy On September 16th, 2020
In case you haven’t noticed Peace has broken out in the Middle East…. well Peace with the Jews anyway.
We are witnessing a shift in priorities, a shift brought about by Barack Obama. Over Obama’s tenure as President he did the impossible, he built the ground work for Arab Israeli Peace.
From the Arab Spring to the Iran Deal Obama reversed America’s policy that has been in place since May 14, 1948. Not only did he do the best he could to deny bought and paid for defensive military equipment and a 1000 other cuts to Israel on a 1000 other levels the key piece to this ground work for peace between the Arab States and Israel was his open arm embracement of Iran.
His embracement and enrichment of the Iranian regime gave the regime the resources it had long been denied. With those resources the Iranians lit a 1000 fires and began the march to seize complete control of the region. To them the death of the Jews is just a tick on their checklist. A checklist to dominate all of Islam and then….
But the law of unintended consequences and the fickle finger of fate placed itself on the scales of the world. The mobilization of the Iranian terror network in the middle east has been directed not just at the Jews, but the other Arab Nations that don’t share the Mad Mullahs vision of joy of them ruling the Islamic World.
Those Arab nations and Israel would be lost right now swept away as Hillary allowed Obama’s dream Iran Deal to play out.
Something else happened Donald Trump was elected not Hillary. Every Arab Nation threatened now might be able to get backing from the US against Iran, and they will, at a Price….. and not a financial one.
To the Trump administration it’s a simple equation. You make peace with Israel will aid you to resist Iran, you don’t we won’t you’re on your own.
So the Arab Nations are asking themselves what is more important. Supporting a small group of “Palestinians” or retaining their countries? The result of course is sorry guys but we’re going to make peace with the Jews.
The truth is peace between the Jews and these countries leaders has existed since the 6 day war. That was an utter failure for the Arab world and Israel has not only grown stronger on it’s own but since then has become more and more a proxy state of the United States a military attack by any of their armies will never be on the table, but to keep the people focused the Pallies have been perfect. You tout their cause, give them guns and money it occupies the people keeps up the only pressure they can actually apply against Israel. A Win Win.
Except now thanks to President Obama Iran is going to run them over one by one without the aid of the United States and the Crazy man in the White House says he’s gonna let it happen unless we abandon the Palestinians.
And so Peace between the Arab Nations and Israel is becoming reality as we watch.
We owe President Obama thanks for this, if he hadn’t betrayed these Arab Nations and Israel the way he did this Peace would not be happening.
So thank You President Obama.
Its not peace its transactional diplomacy, the question is what are the Arabs getting in return for pretending to play nice with the Israelis
//what are the Arabs getting in return for pretending to play nice with the Israelis//
As Patrick says, they are getting military aid and US backing. It’s the US once again playing Israel’s foreign policy – the US gives, Israel gets.
The only American who benefits is Trump, and all this has been stage-managed to project him as some kind of peace-maker at a crucial stage of the election campaign. But it all makes little practical difference. The UAE and Bahrain have been doing business with Israel behind closed doors for years. Both countries have also recognised the State of Palestine (in 1988) in the borders of 4 June 1967 and have embassies in Palestine. Neither has ever been at war with Israel.
Both are attractive destinations for Israeli tourists (I’ve been to Bahrain and it’s one of the most relaxed and easy-going places in the region; as open as the Emirates but without the filthy glitter and wealth.)
The big question is whether Saudi will now fall into line and do what the Americans (i.e. what Israel) wants. Actually, Bahrain and the UAE would hardly have taken this step witout the approval of the Saudis. If SA now follows, the whole issue will be practically settled and – barring a major war – the Palestinian people will have lost their homeland forever.
I was fairly amazed to learn that El Al Has flown a commercial flight from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi, And that Saudi Arabia allowed it to fly over it it’s airspace, that Saudi was not afraid to have the world know of this. That’s a huge change.
https://www.businessinsider.com/el-al-israel-airlines-flies-first-flight-to-uae-peace-2020-9#overhead-screens-kept-the-passengers-abreast-of-their-historic-route-as-they-made-the-historic-crossing-over-the-arabian-peninsula-17
Ultimately the changes in the Middle East aren’t actually changes, simply codifying what was already in place, largely to check the growing power of Iran within the region. I’d say not only are the Saudis on board but are probably taking direction from the Emirates.
The de facto ruler of the Emirates is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, due to the ill-health of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed. Similarly the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, due to the age and infirmity of King Salman bin Abdulaziz. Both men are incredibly close to one another. And while MBS is the de facto ruler of the more powerful country MBZ is nearly twice the age of MBS. And MBS looks up to MBZ as a mentor.
I don’t see the situation as one that favours peace. Everything has a bit of a 1914 feel to it, with two huge power blocs emerging, with the Saudis, the Emirates and other Gulf States (with the de facto backing of the Israelis) on one side (backed up by the Americans) and Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon on the other side (backed up by China in particular, and also Russia).
Largely speaking it would suggest that it won’t keep the peace. It will just result in a far larger, and more terrible war.
The Saudi’s were actually the first to enter this and have been heavily involved in getting the others on board. It started quietly when the Iranians started attacking them through Yemen over 3 yrs ago.
And Sorry Noel it’s not Israeli Policy it’s American Policy.
If you want help you do as we say. Not as Israel says and the only concern the US has in the region is Israel unlike the rest of you we no longer need the oil.
//with two huge power blocs emerging, with the Saudis, the Emirates and other Gulf States (with the de facto backing of the Israelis) on one side (backed up by the Americans)
and Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon on the other side (backed up by China in particular, and also Russia).//
Hmmm I didn’t think of China and Russia. But they are hardly as close to the Shiite countries as the US is to the others. The new US-Israel-Arab alliance makes it more like 1914 with the Allies and the Central Powers all united against Serbia.
Unfortunately I don’t see an Israeli/Palestinian peace in our lifetime
I can’t see a way to any grand bargain
Friedman in the NYT, a lifelong studier of the region who speaks Hebrew and Arabic, praises these moves between Israel and the Gulf states
Friedman must have returned to sanity for a moment.
//anything that makes the Middle East more like the European Union and less like the Syrian civil war is a good thing//
The ME will never be like the EU as long as a civilised country has occupied another and is robbing the people’s land, denying them their right to move within their own country, confining them to ghettos and generally treating them as second-class citizens – all because of their religion.
Until then, it will be more like the Syrian civil war, but with far more cant and lies.
For some reason Friedman failed to mention that, and probably most of his readers swallowed his shit whole.
All because of religion?
The history of Arab terrorism against Jewish civilians plays no part in Israeli decisions?
( And Israel has much to be criticized for, not saying otherwise )
“Hmmm I didn’t think of China and Russia. But they are hardly as close to the Shiite countries as the US is to the others. The new US-Israel-Arab alliance makes it more like 1914 with the Allies and the Central Powers all united against Serbia.”
China is becoming increasingly close to Iran.
Last December they carried out joint military exercises (in fact there is an argument that the assassination of Qasem Soleimani was aimed, in part (it was obviously a multi-faceted situation) at reducing Chinese military presence in the region (by increasing the risks – a US-Iran war with a lot of Chinese hardware in the way risks China being dragged into it).
Only last month China entered into a 25 year strategic partnership with Iran. And while that agreement focuses heavily on trade and infrastructure (belts and roads and all that) there is a security component.
So I agree that China’s relationship with Iran is different and lesser than the US relationship with the Sunnis. But it is getting there.
I don’t think the Israelis mistreat the Palestinians because of religion. It is just good old fashioned land theft and ethnic cleansing.
And Friedman actually agrees with much of what you say.
He is a ferocious critic of both Bibi and Trump. See below from April
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/10/opinion/netanyahu-trump-israel-election.html
NYT
Iran will always be a big power in the region
And the US can’t stop its links with Russia and China.
Geography prevents that.
The Land thieves are the Palestinians not the Jews.
Wow!
The history of Jewish land theft, eviction, dispossession, invasion, brutality, opression and at best heavy handed violence against Arab civilians plays no part in ‘Arab terrorism?’
And yes, Irealise that the above comment smacks of ‘whataboutery’ but sometimes it’s the only way to answer prior whataboutery.
Well said, Noel. The ME will never be like the EU while we have things like Israel Exercising such hegemonic control by draconion measures. As for ‘peace’ in the region, what’s being done is the ME is being manipulated into even further polarisation, (which is probably the real covert policy of both the US & Israel), wich agurs for even greater conflict.
I see you’re still tryin to flog that dead horse myth, Pat. The US still imports more oil from the ME than the EU does.
That is called the flow of commerce Paul. Not a need for the oil.
//I don’t think the Israelis mistreat the Palestinians because of religion. It is just good old fashioned land theft and ethnic cleansing.//
You get land and houses in the settlements in Palestine if you are Jewish, not if you are Muslim or Christian Arab.
Your land in Palestine can be taken from you if you are Muslim or Christian, but not if you are Jewish.
You can use certain roads, enter certain areas and use certain water resources in Palestine if you are Jewish, but not if you are any other religion.
Of course you can also return to your long lost home in Israel only if you are Jewish, not if you are Muslim or Christian, but that’s a different story.
That’s an unsupported, invented opinion.