If ... Then ...

Submitted by Canaan (United States), Jun 15, 2009 at 04:56

Mr. Rosenblatt on this blog was prescient. Netanyahu may have given Obama exactly -- and all -- that he asked for: an empty rhetorical gesture, please. This reminds me of the hollow 'assurances' Obama asked from Medvedev -- that Russia would pressure Iran on nuclear weapons -- in exchange for U.S. pullback on the Missile Shield. Medvedev refused to give Obama the 'press copy' he asked for. But if Medvedev had played along with Obama's game, how much comfort would Israel take from those 'assurances'? Absolutely none.

Obama just wanted to say he got something (i.e., nothing) back from Russia in exchange for giving up Missile Defense. Obama did the same on health care. He got the health care industry to agree to reduce health care costs 'in principle.' No specifics--none at all. No requirements. Just an agreement in principle to cut costs. I can't imagine any adult would take that agreement seriously. But Obama claimed 'this is a historic day.'

This is how Obama works. He trades in illusions. The 'two state' line from Netanyahu's speech reeks with Obama's style. It's Obama-esque. Just press copy so Obama can claim he has 'made history' in the Middle East.

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