If Biden is going to lecture U.S. on anything it should be that he is telling you what to do because he thinks he can. Not because he has any facts or fully understands the issues nor has he ever been personally involved with the issue (experiencing the issue by living among and talking to the person on the street and simple observation is involvement that creates full understanding).

And tomorrow Obama is hosting a Seder dinner.

Yeah. There’s only one catch: Obama’s leaving the door open for Ahmadinejad.

What self-respecting Jew would go sit and dine with a President who is telling Israel to back off and kissed the ring of the King of Saudi Arabia?

ctmom on April 8, 2009 at 10:24 PM

Whoever he or she is, they’d better be looking over their shoulder.

And tomorrow Obama is hosting a Seder dinner. What self-respecting Jew would go sit and dine with a President who is telling Israel to back off and kissed the ring of the King of Saudi Arabia?

ctmom on April 8, 2009 at 10:24 PM

Check out his cabinet, and then check out the Huffpo tool posting this thing.

US to attend group nuclear talks with Iran

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5imG-Gmyrfld190llCL7AdcThgngAD97EGTVG0

getalife on April 8, 2009 at 6:43 PM

Hooray! Peace in our time!

Obama Franks Waters LLC — destroyers of the world’s economy

Dr. ZhivBlago on April 8, 2009 at 7:53 PM

IIRC, RR’s backdown on Beirut was due to a Dem Congress and State forcing his hand. Still, I consider the Beirut retreat to be the lowest point of RR’s presidency. Having deployed, we should have stayed regardless of an attack on the base. Period.

Matt Helm on April 8, 2009 at 8:41 PM

Agreed. Realpolitik makes for some strange choices at first glance, and the most important piece on the chessboard of the day was the one whose thousands of missiles threatened the United States (USSR).

Also agreed your comment on Tip. I think one of the funniest moments of RR’s presidency was when he showed up in Tip’s district, at an Irish pub, to have a mug of beer with the patrons. Tip fumed from DC as RR laughed and joked. Priceless.

Wonder how many Republicans would have the balls to pull off a stunt like that anymore? Cantor is trying, but he pissed away his Conservative street cred with the AIG bonus tax vote recently.

/sigh

I don’t remember him treating Red China as a threat, nor North Korea. Again, perhaps, focus on Moscow.

Neither China nor North Korea at that time were really viewed as serious threats. Reagan viewed China as a valuable counterweight against the Soviet Union and the Chinese capitalist engine was really just getting started. North Korea was viewed more as an irritant than anything else. He did see Saddam as a counter to Iran. Also, remember, he did have to deal with a Democratic controlled Congress for much of his time in office and a Democratic controlled House for the entire time led by one of the most capable Speakers the Democratic Party ever produced–Tip O’Neill. Unlike Crazy Nancy, Tip O’Neill was competent.

However, I think he had some RINO-ish tendencies…maybe his years of California/Hollywood exposure, perhaps to avoid outraging the Left and sparing political capital for facing down the Soviets. I don’t remember him treating Red China as a threat, nor North Korea. Again, perhaps, focus on Moscow.

True, he did order/authorize the strike against Qaddafi, but his non-response to the Beirut Marine Barracks bombing displayed his unwillingness to get involved with the Middle East as he saw it as a no-win quagmire…Qaddafi was on the periphery.

My best guess is that given his probable view of the Geopolitik at that time, Saddam was a valuable, conservative ally against the Iranians, and would also make the Soviets think twice about moving into Iraq especially if they had nuclear capabilities.

Even so, IIRC, RR didn’t protest too much, other than to go through the motions of the UNSC “harshly worded statement”. Not long afterwards, the matter was quietly dropped.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

US to attend group nuclear talks with Iran

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5imG-Gmyrfld190llCL7AdcThgngAD97EGTVG0

to work and having 98% nations of the world hate you, Israel needs to have evidence that their existence was threatened to soften the enormous criticism that would come their way.

WashJeff on April 8, 2009 at 4:05 PM

There is no proof that is sufficient for the evil to make them decent. The only thing that Israel could do to get the Left and muslims on their side would be to walk themselves to a concentration camp in preparation for another final solution.

The situation is completely polarized at this point. Israel should not waste any time or lives in a futile search for positive “world opinion”.

Israel could call his bluf and attack Iran. But, if he was not bluffing and the US reacted strongly by withdrawing significant economic and military support to Israel they may have made their position far worse for the mid to long term.

SoonerMarine on April 8, 2009 at 5:03 PM

The Israelis would have to decide whether the threat is an existential one or not. If an Iranian nuclear bomb is an existential one–and I would say that it is–then they might not have a choice but to strike and deal with the consequences. Before that happens though, if I’m Israel, I’m stockpiling and making friends–or at least sellers–wherever I can find them–Taiwan, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, even China if possible–just in case. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Of course it would almost turn into a game of chicken. If the President moved to cut aide and cooperation with Israel he’d have to face a strong domestic response. There continues to be strong support of Israel amongst both Jews and non-Jews in the US. And, is that a fight he’d want to take on?

Israel could call his bluf and attack Iran. But, if he was not bluffing and the US reacted strongly by withdrawing significant economic and military support to Israel they may have made their position far worse for the mid to long term.

Biden thinks Israel would be ill-advised to destroy Tehran’s nukes. I say Israel would be ill-advised to allow Tehran to nuke them. I wonder what Israel thinks?

morganfrost on April 8, 2009 at 4:23 PM

I think someone forgot to wind Slow Joe’s spring this morning.

Biden to Israel: Leave the mullahs alone!

Obama will bow to the mullahs just like he bowed to the Saudi King.