It has taken me a good 24 hours, since appearing on Ken McClenton’s radio show Monday night (please see his The Exceptional Conservative site here), to calm down sufficiently to craft this post. I vacillated back and forth a number of times; do I take the high road? Do I mince words? Do I attempt to remain as diplomatic as possible? Or do I provide my opinion in a completely unexpurgated fashion?
I have decided to be as gracious as I have been for the eight years under the most Leftist and authoritarian United States regime in my seven decades on the planet.
Historically, the US had a 30-year tradition of supporting Israel at the UN. With one resolution the United States has cast Israel to the proverbial curb.
“Friends don’t take friends to the security council.” — Benjamin Netanyahu
A “no” vote from the US was a vote to stop the resolution. The US abstained. Let’s get some background. From USAToday.com:
U.S. abstains on U.N. vote condemning Israeli settlements
by Doug Stanglin
In an unprecedented diplomatic rebuke of Israel, the United States abstained Friday on a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlements, allowing the highly charged measure to pass.
The resolution was approved 14-0 with the one abstention. The vote was greeted with loud applause in the packed Security Council chamber.
Because the UN then and now has historically been aligned against Israel.
The measure demands Israel “immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem.” It declares the establishment of settlements by Israel has “no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law.”
In abstaining, the U.S. brushed aside calls for a veto by president-elect Donald Trumpwho, in an unprecedented move, managed to delay the vote a day by weighing in with Egypt, the initial sponsor of the resolution.
To continue:
The American Jewish Congress also expressed dismay with the move.
“In the strongest terms possible, the American Jewish Congress is deeply disappointed with the Obama administration for shamefully abstaining on today’s anti-Israel UN Security Council resolution,” the group said in a statement. “By the U.S. abstaining, President Obama abandoned long standing American foreign policy of vetoing one-sided resolutions against Israel at the United Nations, and in doing so, he steps away from his presidency, turning his back on the unbreakable bond with our great ally Israel.”
Even worse, the US Ambassador to Israel, Ron Dermer, says that Barack Hussein Obama is behind the resolution. From Breitbart.com:
Israel’s U.S. Ambassador: Obama Administration Behind United Nations Gang Up Against Israel
by Jeff Poor
Monday on CNN’s “New Day,” Israel Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer told fill-in co-host Don Lemon that the Obama administration was responsible for a United Nations Security Council resolution that condemned some Israeli settlement construction to be adopted last week.
In that vote, the United States abstained. Dermer argued that despite that abstention, it was the Obama administration that orchestrated the vote, calling it “outrageous” and “shameful.”
Let’s watch the video. Please notice that Don Lemon cuts Dermer off.
Then let us note the input of Charles Krauthammer, not the most consistently-reliable supporter of Donald Trump.
John Bolton has said “I cannot think of a worse way for the Obama administration to go out. It’s a needless tragedy and reflects Obama’s sick ideology.” Obama still has two additional weeks to disadvantage Israel. His abstention, representing the United States, only gives rise to the empowerment of anti-Israel forces. As an aside, I believe the Trump administration has made a grievous error by not acquiring the services of John Bolton in any was possible.
The United States funds a full quarter of the UN every year, to the tune of $8 billion dollars in “mandatory payments.” The rest of the planet contributes when it feels so motivated. Perhaps yes, perhaps no. Meh. The truth is this: the United States — meaning YOU, the American Taxpayer — supports the United Nations, pays for the upkeep of the building, security, and provides budgetary patches when other nations find themselves “hard pressed.”
In other words, we pay for other nations to excoriate us, vote against us, rail against us, with little if any benefit to us. You. Me. We pay for that. We pay for that.
This was what some quantify as a “gratuitous act” by Barack Obama. I say it is this: a final act by a lame-duck president that speaks to his core values because, for once, he absolutely answers to no one for anything and has a last-chance gasp to express his disdain for Israel with no repercussions whatsoever.
Is the UN completely irrelevant when, for example, New Zealand votes in favor?
Bolton says that US contributions to the UN should be voluntary and not assessed or mandatory.
I couldn’t agree more.
Israeli President Netanyahu has declared that he is not going for the proverbial “two-state solution” with the Palestinians. Instead, he said he will re-assess Israel’s relationship with the UN, to include funding issues. For decades, Israel has pursued a policy of constructing Jewish settlements on territory including the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem which was captured by Israel in the 1967 war with its Arab neighbors, also called the Six Day War. Egypt, Jordan and Syrian forces along with those of Iraq, Kuwait and Algeria were on the cusp of an Israeli invasion; Israel, vastly outnumbered, conducted air strikes and gained tactical advantage.
John Kerry, in response to negative comments and feedback from the abstention, said
“The truth is that trends on the ground, violence, terrorism, settlement expansion and the seemingly endless occupation, they are combining to destroy hopes for peace on both sides and increasingly cementing any reversible — an irreversible one state reality that most people do not actually want.
Today, there are a similar number of Jews and Palestinians living between the Jordan river and the Mediterranean sea. They have a choice. They can choose to live together in one state or they can separate into two states. But here is a fundamental reality. If the choice is one state, Israel can either be Jewish or democratic. It cannot be both. And it won’t ever really be at peace.
Moreover, the Palestinians will never fully realize their vast potential in a homeland of their own with a one state solution.”
According to Kerry, it is Israel’s duty to create the “Palestinian State” by giving up its own home soil and it is every bit arrogant to declare in a Stentorian voice that “Israel can either be Jewish or democratic, not both.”
What of those massive Muslim states surrounding the miniscule Israel? Why is it they cannot find it within themselves to donate land to their Muslim brethren? Why is it Israel’s “duty”? Easy answer: anything to hurt the nation of Israel; anything to hurt or help eliminate the Jews.
Obama continues his haughty talk at the end of his presidency. If you recall, some persons were intimating that Barack Hussein Obama would do his best to enable a third term — illegal, of course, under the 22nd Amendment. He has as much said he’d hold sway, stemming from his Monday comments (“I could have won a third term”) that, had he run for a third term, he would be president now. The naked arrogance of his statement is stunning. Specifically:
I’m confident that if I — if I had run again and articulated it, I think I could’ve mobilized a majority of the American people to rally behind it. I know that in conversations that I’ve had with people around the country, even some people who disagreed with me, they would say the vision, the direction that you point towards is a good one.
Not only is that a direct slap in the face to Hillary Rodham Clinton (essentially set up as Obama’s proxy), whom Obama typified as “the most qualified presidential candidate ever,” but it also flies against actual facts. Under Obama, the American voter has consistently rejected the stance of the Demorats (including Mr Obama) for the past eight years by (2008 to 2016) as they lost 63 seats in the House and 10 seats in the Senate. Let that sink into your Mark I, Model I Brain Housing Group for a moment or three.
Barack Hussein Obama created Bernie Sanders and Donald John Trump. And those states Trump won would have been the same states won under an Obama candidacy. All the people who were confident of an “Obama win over Trump,” if you didn’t predict the Trump victory and what did happen, you’d fail at what would have occurred. Cake? Eating it?
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Republicans (from 2008 to 2016) gained 900+ seats in state legislatures, along with 12 governorships across the US — meaning that 2/3rds of the governors in the nation are now Republicans.
Further, Mr Obama can be proud of the fact that in his “home town,” run by Leftist Demorat Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chicago boasts a wonderful 770 homicides to date as opposed to 492 in 2015. Go team! Let’s not only conduct what amounts to genocide on black babies by way of abortion, let’s also try to kill the bulk of young black males in Leftist urban rat cages. Good times. One reminder: Chicago has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation. Chicago’s Police Superintendent, Eddie Johnson, wants even more restrictions. Because what you’ve done to date has been effective?
Yes, that clearly indicates the wide-ranging success of Barack Hussein Obama and obvious support for his plans and policies. The Demorat party is in weaker shape now than it has been since the Depression in the late 20s.
Hmm. Kind of like current US military forces.
Obama ran on being a “middle-of-the-roader” and turned out to be anything but. Those of us, like myself, who took the time to examine Obama’s formative years knew this was untrue. Obama’s “legacy” and “signature” piece of legislation, ObamaKare, is about to be revisited and changed markedly.
Then there’s this, a third of the Senate will be up for election in two years — and the heavy majority of them are Demorat seats. They involve states where Trump either won or won big.
Worse yet, the Demorats are deflecting. Their loss to — my God, Donald Trump of all people — is due to hacked elections, the Russians, “fake news,” too much Fox News exposure, tidal pull, sunspots, delayed borborygmus, paint thinner and women hating women. Everything except the truth: Hillary Clinton was the worst possible candidate at the worst possible time. Again, see my comment above: my God, Donald Trump beat her for Christ’s sake.
Bill Clinton sat center-left and was successful. The Demorats have moved left and now resolve to — what? Correct. Move further left. I’d now like to introduce you to the definition of insanity, thank you.
Why did Obama do this? For three reasons. Number one, he is clearly anti-Israel. Number two, he greatly dislikes Benjamin Netanyahu. And finally, because he can and because, as a lame duck, there will be no repercussions.
Barack Hussein Obama, this is your legacy: you are completely reprehensible.
BZ
Obama did this to help his Muslim friends, at the cost of a friendship America has had for a very long time. There is a special place in hell for his ilk.
I’ve said again and again, never discard the formative years in Obama’s life. It made him what and who he is today.
BZ
Trying his damnest to set up a Trump failure out of the box… Pretty chickens**t, IMHO…
I believe he’s purposely trying to put Trump in a foreign affairs box before he leaves. He’s now saying there is going to be “retaliation” for Russian hacking. Then he’ll leave things for Trump to repair.
BZ
Come January 21st there will be an adult in the White House, one who is beholden to no one but the voters who put him there.
You must have some insight in the ways of the FBI. There must be many who relish the thought of going after Obama’s felonies if they can be assured they will be supported.
He can’t pardon Shillary until she admits to her crimes (per Supreme Court ruling in 1915). Her ego won’t let her do it. So, if he is complicit in her crimes, and she is brought to justice, what stops him from being charged?
I think that’s one of the reasons he’s done his best to protect her all along. There is a connection, a reason that he pulled executive privilege and refused to let anyone examine the emails HE wrote under a pseudonym to her.
BZ
i agree that the anti-Israel move was an abomination. i do not understand this:
“…Egypt withdrew the nomination after what its ambassador called an “intense pressure”.[17] Then on 23 December, the draft was taken up and proposed again by Malaysia, New Zealand, Senegal and Venezuela.[2] New Zealand was pressured to withdraw, Netanyahu informing their Foreign Minister Murray McCully that support for the proposal would be considered by Israel as a declaration of war.[16] Britain encouraged New Zealand to keep pushing for a vote. ”
– https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_2334
and the in the vote, both France and the UK voted in favor of it. can anyone explain the anti-Israel votes of France, the UK and New Zealand? i can’t.
Sorry. Me neither. New Zealand? WTF?
BZ
I agree that Kerry’s speech was a ridiculous move. Trump holds different views and will be president in a few weeks.
It says a lot about the presidential system – it is not fit for purpose in the C21st. The process takes almost two years, is not based on the popular vote, is predicated on $millions and then there is a two month hand over period when the incumbent president is a lame duck…..oh and just to add some icing on the cake, the president gets to pardon people. This is the trouble when people cling to a system that was developed for a different time.
But I digress, to come back to your point, Kerry’s speech was crazy at this time. Apparently he wanted to say this two years ago – he should have.
People are going to do nothing more than interpret it as Obama’s Legacy. Apparently this is what he wants to hang his hat on as he leaves the Spite House.
BZ
I agree. The notion of letting a leaving president remain in power for two or so months was at a time when men were gentlemen. When multi-million dollar deals could be done on a handshake, when a man’s word was his bond, and when a document such as the U.S. Constitution was written on four pages. Hell, the U.S. govt federal regulation on how to make brownies is 26 pages.
Things are different. Politicians are much more devious, and look at the law as something to get around…not follow. And a man’s word is not his bond, it is what is written that counts..oh, and don’t forget the fine print.
When a person is let go or fired, he is “asked” to leave immediately. Sometimes, having security watch over him as he cleans out his desk and is then escorted from the premises. Hell, even on the TV show, Survivor, when a person is voted out, he is asked to leave the council area immediately. No long goodbyes, no opportunity to collect you stuff…just GTFO. And why is this. For the very simple and logical reason that the person being asked to leave may see fit to enact some retribution for being told to leave. Erasing files, shredding documents, changing passwords, stealing stuff, hiding the bathroom key and so on. I don’t care if you are a janitor or a the U.S. President, humanity is humanity and EVERYONE is prone to all of its frailties. And when it comes to obama, no one is more devious, arrogant and egotistical. We all knew obama was not going to accept a Trump presidency with class. He is as vindictive as they come.
IMHO, obama should have been escorted from the whitehouse on the morning of November 9th. I have no doubt he will not be limited to simply stealing some dishes and furniture like the clintons did. I wouldn’t put it past him to take top secret information and pass along to his muslim brothers. After all, he has already made it well known, his love for his fellow muslims is far greater than his love for America. This is not my opinion, this is from obama himself.
Nice thought; won’t occur. Wishful thinking.
BZ
I think that should happen to every president. Nothing to do with “that is when people were gentlemen” – it has to do with the speed at which things can move now.
With today’s technology it is crazy that when campaigning candidate have to fly all around the country “pressing the flesh” – ooooh I will vote for X because the came to “back of beyond, choose your county”. The system is archaic!
It’s very likely that Trump has already talked with Netanyahu about the “vote”, and will counter it after the inauguration.
I’d like to see all the “east river residents” have their lease revoked, and be sent home, but that’s probably something which will never happen.
The UN has just become the focus of something it would much rather have avoided. It brought this focus upon itself. I’m fine with removing the UN and/or suspending all payments to it in perpetuity.
BZ
I agree. This move just put the UN higher up on Trumps clean up list. A place you do NOT want to be.
And so, enough from me on obama and this UN/Israel disaster. One thing that has come to mind for me, and that is the jewish vote. Upon looking back in the last 50 years of voting, jews in America have voted by a vast majority for democrats. With a high of 90% for LBJ and roughly 75% – 80% for obama (give or take a few points depending on who you ask). If you ask me, the jews here in America deserve much of what obama has done to them. They are not much better than the blacks, who voted for obama en masses, thinking he was going to pay their mortgage and give them free stuff from his stash. Hell, even Jimmy Carter, one of the biggest anti-semites ever to hold the office of president prior to obama, got darn near 3/4 of the jewish vote.
Why oh why do jews vote this way. When will they learn that dems HATE them. Hell, FDR got 90% of the jewish vote his last two terms during WWII, the same president who denied entry of a boat filled with almost a thousand jews fleeing the third reich and the halocaust. The ship was force to return to Germany where all of the passengers were sent to concentration camps and killed. I have to wonder, how many jews voted for Hitler?
And the jewish vote in the other direction would have denied obama the whitehouse. Do jews really hate themselves that much? Or, do they like the status of victimhood?
Anyway, I have to believe that the jews in America are not the same jews in Israel. They have a very different mindset, and it would appear that jews in America care little for their far away brothers and sister living among the enemy in the middle east. It appears that our current democrat politicians care more for muslims that hate us and who want to kill us and destroy our way of life and our freedoms than they do for our jewish friends who could give us the shirt off their back in order to bring us aid and comfort, even to at their own detriment. I understand this hatred on the part of obama, as he is a muslim and has been taught…no…brainwashed and ingrained into he psychy, to hate all jews. It still galls me to no end when I think of the time when obama made Bibi come to the whitehouse thru the backdoor, like he was a servant, and then get up and leave him just sitting there like some idiot, while obama went off to have dinner. obama is a classless moron. Bibi is a bigger man than me, and how he held his composure at every turn when obama treated him like trash, is beyond me. What I do not understand is this hatred from the rest of the dems.
Anyway, my point is, when will jews here in America come around and realize that the democrats do NOT like them? That they are a voting block, just like the other minorities, to be used like a whore come election time, only to wake up the day after the election, the politicians no where to be found, and a few sheckels on the dresser, not even enough for cab fare home.
I am sure there is something Trump can do. I have no doubt that Netanyahu is counting down the days til obama takes the walk of shame and is forever evicted from the whitehouse. And with the U.S. footing the bill for the U.N., and Trump’s attitude on who things should be run, there is a fix in the near future for Israel.
Obama IS a classless moron. That is his legacy.
BZ
Should be no doubt in anyone’s mind at this point that Obama is indeed a muslim as well as a Marxist. Traitorous scum indeed. Trump will reverse all this crap starting on 20 Jan.
Of course he is a Muslim – with a name like that it is obvious (sarcasm intended in case you did not realize). It is hilarious to read how many people think he is a Muslim, but then again some people believe that climate change is made up by the Chinese, Saddam Hussein had a connection with 9/11 etc etc
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