Romney Should Visit Israel
By Bradley Blakeman
Newsmax.com
Candidate Obama did not make clear when he was
running for president that Israel would be getting
no special treatment and in fact would play second
to Obama’s “outreach” a.k.a. “apology tour” to the
Muslim nations of the world if he became president.
When Obama did become president he wasted no time in
sending signal after signal to the Arab world that
there is a new American sheriff in town and that
Israel would no longer play the role of our closest
and most dependable ally in the Middle East and the
world.
Instead of going to Israel on his first trip to the
Middle East, President Obama went to Egypt in the
spring of 2009. He hoped that by showing disrespect
to Israel that would somehow buy him credibility
within the Arab world and radical Islam.
In fact, the White House as a peace offering to the
Arab world billed Obama’s Cairo speech as” a new
beginning.”
This is some of what he said:
“I have come here to seek a new beginning between
the United States and Muslims around the world; one
based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and
one based upon the truth that America and Islam are
not exclusive, and need not be in competition.
Instead, they overlap, and share common principles —
principles of justice and progress; tolerance and
the dignity of all human beings.”
The facts are that many Arab nations, including
Saudi Arabia, Iran, the Palestinian Authority, etc.
do not even recognize Israel’s right to exist.
What “principles of justice and progress” was Obama
talking about?
He chose in the beginning of his presidency to
marginalize a friend and ally and to give
credibility and comfort to those who seek Israel’s
destruction and are no friend to the U.S. either.
Obama’s anti Israel campaign was further advanced in
May of 2011 when he sandbagged Israel on the eve of
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit to America by
stating that no Middle East peace deal could be made
without Israel first agreeing to ‘67 borders. Israel
was forced to rebuke the president of the United
States by stating that a return to ‘67 borders would
leave Israel “indefensible.”
Obama has made clear his public contempt for Israel,
but perhaps the most telling feeling toward Israel
and its leadership came in November of 2011 when
French President Sarkosy told Obama in a “private
conversation” picked up by press microphones that “I
cannot bear Netanyahu, he is a liar,” to which Obama
replied “you’re fed up with him, but I have to deal
with him every day.”
With all Obama’s “outreach” what did it get America?
Is the Middle East any safer today than it was when
Obama took office?
Has Iran given up its nuclear weapons program? Are
we any closer to seeing an Israeli/Palestinian
peace? Have oil prices been positively affected? Has
radical Islam beaten their swords into plowshares?
The answer is clearly “no” to all of the above.
Now is the time Romney can show some real leadership
by visiting Israel this summer.
Candidate Romney must be bold and must send a clear
message to the Middle East — particularly to rogue
states like Iran, the Palestinian Authority and
members of Hamas, Hezballah, al-Qaida, etc. that a
Romney administration stands first and foremost with
Israel.
The fact that Romney chooses to visit Israel when
Obama has never been there as president will speak
volumes.
Our enemies respect strength and exploit weakness.
The fact is that enemies of Israel are enemies of
the U.S.
In addition to visiting Israel, Romney would be
smart to visit Canada and Mexico as well.
We have taken our closet neighbors, valued trading
partners and friends for granted.
With the Obama administration ignoring Mexico and
running guns there or telling Canadians to shove
their pipeline, and with the Supreme Court ready to
rule on immigration visa vi a state’s
rights to secure its own borders, now is the time to
show some needed attention to Canada and Mexico.
America can no longer afford to disrespect our
friends and reward our enemies.
Romney can send a powerful message to our friends
and our enemies around the world.
A Romney administration will stand first and
foremost with our friends, and America will no
longer pander, or apologize as a tool of foreign
policy.
Peace is only achieved and maintained through
strength, a fact that Obama has never believed or
achieved.
Bradley A. Blakeman served as deputy
assistant to President George W. Bush from 2001-04.
He is currently a professor of Politics and Public
Policy at Georgetown University and a frequent
contributor to Fox News Opinion. Read more reports
from Bradley Blakeman —
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