Franchise registrations in Saudi Arabia surge 866% over 3 years    Lulu Saudi Arabia celebrates its 15th anniversary with the grand launch of 'Super Fest 2024'    Cristiano Ronaldo's double powers Al Nassr to 3-1 win over Al Gharafa in AFC Champions League    Culture minister tours Saudi pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka    Al Ahli edges Al Ain 2-1, bolsters perfect start in AFC Champions League Elite    Saud Abdulhamid makes history as first Saudi player in Serie A    Saudi Cabinet to hold special budget session on Tuesday    King Salman orders extension of Citizen's Account Program and additional support for a full year    Al-Falih: 1,238 foreign investors obtain premium residency in Saudi Arabia    Several dead as Storm Bert wreaks havoc across Britain    Irish PM apologizes for walking away from care worker    Most decorated Australian Olympian McKeon retires    Adele doesn't know when she'll perform again after tearful Vegas goodbye    'Pregnant' for 15 months: Inside the 'miracle' pregnancy scam    Hezbollah fires rocket barrages into Israel after deadly Beirut strikes    Ukraine losing ground in Russia's Kursk region, says military source    Do cigarettes belong in a museum?    Saudi Arabia to host 28th Annual World Investment Conference in Riyadh    Riyadh Emir inaugurates International Conference on Conjoined Twins in Riyadh    Katy Perry v Katie Perry: Singer wins right to use name in Australia    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Obama Under Siege
Published in AL HAYAT on 24 - 11 - 2009

The neoconservatives in the United States were defeated, but they were victorious in Israel and for Israel. They achieved a single victory during the administration of President George Bush, who spread chaos in the manner of the nihilists, believing, stupidly, that it was the way to spread American values.
The revenge for other defeats began immediately, after Barack Obama won the presidency and made attempts to change imperialist rhetoric and adopt diplomacy instead of war to achieve Washington's interests. The conservatives launched a fierce media campaign against “the black man in the White House.” They spared no method, from doubting his loyalty to the US and accusing him of coddling Islamists, out of loyalty to his roots, to inciting racism against him and mobilizing the Jewish lobby to punish him whenever he took a step toward calling for a peace settlement in the Middle East.
Then, Dick Cheney's campaign began. He called Obama to stop “dithering” in Afghanistan because “uncertainty in Washington would have a negative impact on our friends and strengthen our enemies”, as he put it.
Last month, John Bolton wrote something in which he used the same language as Cheney. He accused Obama of weakness, hesitation and harming US interests, saying: “Obama is no Harry Truman. At best, he is reprising Jimmy Carter,” who represents a historical example of weakness and hesitation in taking decisions. Bolton blames Obama for halting the project for a missile shield along Russia's borders, and stumbling as he tries to push the Middle East peace process forward “because he set a target for an end to Israeli settlement expansion, couldn't meet it,” while the confrontation between Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benajamin Netanyahu ended by weakening the US president and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Bolton continued to list “mistakes,” from North Korea to Afghanistan, as well as Iran, summing it up by saying that Obama's continued dithering and failure to settle matters would produce a huge abyss that the US would eventually fall into.
The neoconservatives are not alone in this American ideological struggle. Their allies are present to implement what they propose, in practical terms. Netanyahu, for example, has exploited every opportunity to weaken Obama. His famous meeting with him, in the presence of Abbas, was portrayed as a victory for him and for US and Israeli values. He rejected the demand to freeze settlements, even if for a limited period of time. He insisted on getting Jerusalem and the right of return for Palestinian refugees out of the negotiations. He halted indirect talks with Syria, unconcerned about Israeli-Turkish friendship. He launched a war of annihilation against Gaza. He tried, with his rejection of the Goldstone Report, Washington's determination to support him. He won the bet. He turned George Mitchell from an emissary between Israel and the Palestinians to one between him and the White House, concerned only with maintaining this “favored son” and meeting his demands, even if this is at the expense of the initiative of his president and the reputation of his country.
Some are awaiting Obama's reaction to this siege. However, everything indicates that he is retreating before the pressure. He decided to increase troop levels in Afghanistan. He no longer cares about playing a role in Europe. The peace process in the Middle East is no longer one of his concerns. He is no longer ready to hint at pressuring Israel in order to deliver on his promises.
In short, the specter of George Bush has returned, to dominate the White House. It sprang from the position of its sole victory in Israel and from the chaos of the Middle East to Washington, in the form of a black Democrat who carries out the policies of the neoconservatives.


Clic here to read the story from its source.