Why I trust Obama

Submitted by Sigmund Derman (United States), Aug 3, 2012 at 20:39

How has Obama earned my trust?

With specific relevance to Israel, President Obama

1) provided over 50 advanced "bunker buster" bombs to Israel within weeks of taking office (this was a reversal of Bush's decision not to provide them).

2) more than doubled support for David's Sling, the Israeli Missile defense system ($110 million vs $52 million under Bush).

3) Funded Iron Dome missile defense system.

4) Restored America's credibility in diplomacy and foreign policy, thus allowing him to rally support for the current economic sanctions against Iran. Let's not forget that the diplomatic buffoonery of the Bush administration had virtually destroyed American credibility in all quarters of the globe. Romney's recent statements suggest to me that he would re-establish the inept, blustering and ineffectual approaches of the Bush administration.

5) Strengthened cooperation between American and Israeli militaries with such joint exercises as "Operation Juniper Cobra," "Operation Juniper Stallion."

6) Strongly supported Israel in the UN with such actions as his 2011 veto of the attempt to condemn the Israeli settlements in the UN security council as well as his promise of a veto of any unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state.

7) Signed the United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act.

In related and other areas, under Obama's policies and leadership we have

1) Ended our role as major direct combatants in Iraq. Granted that we are not totally out of there, but we are essentially out of there as much as we can responsibly be.

2) nearly ended our role as the leading direct combatants in Afghanistan, with the same reasonable limitations as mentioned above.

3) Banned the use of waterboarding by the United States

4) Killed Osama bin Laden

5) Accomplished a landmark overhaul of our healthcare system putting the United States on a course toward achieving universal coverage

6) Turned the economy in a positive direction so that we are currently adding jobs rather than losing them.

7) Supported civil rights in the United States by his support of gay marriage rights.

He did not do everything I hoped he would do, but he has tried hard to fulfill his promises. His major failing, in my opinion, was that he unwisely trusted the Republicans to meeting him halfway in a number of compromises. This hurt his ability to fully accomplish his agenda. But he certainly tried. There are a few more items I would have liked but he has made a remarkable number of achievement that benefit israel, the United States, and the cause of world peace.

---

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".