What happened to the only “hyper power” as the former French FM Hubert Vedrine once called the United States of America under the presidency of Barack Hussein Obama? In Roman times, the colonies had to pay tribute to the Roman emperor. Today, it is the other way around. A US client state, called Israel, asks the US empire to pay tribute, some call it bribe, for a three month extension of a so-called settlement freeze in Israel`s ongoing colonization process of Palestinian land. Obama makes not only a fool of himself but also shows where the center of real power rests. But this kind of charade has been going on for over 62 years, with total complicity of the US. George W. Ball and Douglas B. Ball have documented in their book “The Passionate Attachment” that the US has been compromised every time over the supposed interest of Israel vs. those of the US. The killing of 34 crew members of the USS Liberty during the 1967 war by the Israeli air force was never investigated by the US. This imbalance of interest to the disadvantage of the US continues to the present day, and it gets worse.
Under the Obama presidency, this circus reached its peak. The US president groveled before Benjamin Netanyahu and pleaded desperately for a three-month “settlement freeze”. Obama went out of his way. He did not only offer to deliver stealth bombers worth three billion US-dollars to Israel but also promised to veto all upcoming UN Security Council resolutions which might be critical of Israel’s aggressive policy, if Israel would just delay its illegal settlement project for another three month period – East Jerusalem not included. Besides this self-abandonment of the Obama administration, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu demands even more: he asks for the release of the Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard who serves in the U.S. a life sentence for betrayal of secrets to Israel. What kind of chutzpah is that? But Obama appears not only desperate but already so weak that he might succumb to this impudence, too. Not even Bill Clinton gave in to such a political blackmail.
Does Obama really think that such an act of self-denial will stop Netanyahu from humiliating the US even further? Vice President Joseph Biden – not to speak of Congress members - has already demonstrated that he is an obedient servant of the Israel Lobby. Finally, Netanyahu will accept Obama´s tribute graciously and magnanimously. Perhaps Obama´s self-humiliation serves even a political purpose? Did not the princes of darkness advise the Obama administration to attack Iran in order to win a second term? Does Obama promise Israel stealth bombers so it could attack Iran’s nuclear facilities? These warplanes do not have to be refueled on their mission to Iran. Now, the veto guarantee of any resolution by the UN Security Council critical of Israel makes sense. Obama is here playing a devilish game. Has the American administration already forgotten what General Petraeus and Admiral Mullen had said about the connection between America’s problems in occupied Iraq and Afghanistan and Israel’s continued occupation and mistreatment of the Palestinian people? What will happen to the American forces if the US turns Israel loose against Iran?
A three month freeze of settlement construction is a joke. It does not mean anything to the Israeli government. After this period colonization of occupied land will continue unabated. What about “president” Abbas and his cronies? They are tragic figures, too, but through their own fault. Even if they would proclaim a Palestinian state, the US will veto it and Western allied states will follow suit. When the Palestinians enter into negotiations with Israel they will achieve nothing. A colonial occupier has never made voluntarily concessions to the colonized. Have the “Wretched of the Earth” forgotten what Frantz Fanon wrote some 40 years ago? On the Palestinian stage they just play the second act of “Black Skin, White Masks”; this time the ridiculous actors are Palestinians. Do they never wake up? Don´t they have some self esteem? The Palestinians can´t get their freedom in a sleeping coach.
Under the Obama presidency, this circus reached its peak. The US president groveled before Benjamin Netanyahu and pleaded desperately for a three-month “settlement freeze”. Obama went out of his way. He did not only offer to deliver stealth bombers worth three billion US-dollars to Israel but also promised to veto all upcoming UN Security Council resolutions which might be critical of Israel’s aggressive policy, if Israel would just delay its illegal settlement project for another three month period – East Jerusalem not included. Besides this self-abandonment of the Obama administration, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu demands even more: he asks for the release of the Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard who serves in the U.S. a life sentence for betrayal of secrets to Israel. What kind of chutzpah is that? But Obama appears not only desperate but already so weak that he might succumb to this impudence, too. Not even Bill Clinton gave in to such a political blackmail.
Does Obama really think that such an act of self-denial will stop Netanyahu from humiliating the US even further? Vice President Joseph Biden – not to speak of Congress members - has already demonstrated that he is an obedient servant of the Israel Lobby. Finally, Netanyahu will accept Obama´s tribute graciously and magnanimously. Perhaps Obama´s self-humiliation serves even a political purpose? Did not the princes of darkness advise the Obama administration to attack Iran in order to win a second term? Does Obama promise Israel stealth bombers so it could attack Iran’s nuclear facilities? These warplanes do not have to be refueled on their mission to Iran. Now, the veto guarantee of any resolution by the UN Security Council critical of Israel makes sense. Obama is here playing a devilish game. Has the American administration already forgotten what General Petraeus and Admiral Mullen had said about the connection between America’s problems in occupied Iraq and Afghanistan and Israel’s continued occupation and mistreatment of the Palestinian people? What will happen to the American forces if the US turns Israel loose against Iran?
A three month freeze of settlement construction is a joke. It does not mean anything to the Israeli government. After this period colonization of occupied land will continue unabated. What about “president” Abbas and his cronies? They are tragic figures, too, but through their own fault. Even if they would proclaim a Palestinian state, the US will veto it and Western allied states will follow suit. When the Palestinians enter into negotiations with Israel they will achieve nothing. A colonial occupier has never made voluntarily concessions to the colonized. Have the “Wretched of the Earth” forgotten what Frantz Fanon wrote some 40 years ago? On the Palestinian stage they just play the second act of “Black Skin, White Masks”; this time the ridiculous actors are Palestinians. Do they never wake up? Don´t they have some self esteem? The Palestinians can´t get their freedom in a sleeping coach.
First published here and here.
