Last year, Israel had three stable borders and one unstable border. Now that the Arab Spring has turned into Terror Summer, those numbers have flipped around. Israel’s border with Egypt has become as troubled as the Lebanese border. And the Syrian border is following close behind.
Obama had thought to use the Arab Spring as the linchpin of his reelection campaign, tying the unrest that brought down Mubarak to his Cairo speech. But the ugly turn of events in the region has him distancing himself from events instead.
The Arab Spring did not become the Soft Power alternative to the Bush Doctrine that his advisers expected it to be. Instead the economic protests exploited by State Department backed activists are sliding formerly pro-American countries into the Islamist camp.
The regional instability is most visible as its fracture points on the Israeli border.
The Arab Spring succeeded in dismantling the region’s only enduring Arab-Israeli peace accord. The Camp David Accords signed by Sadat and Begin had been used as a model for regional peace for decades. But with the Obama backed overthrow of Sadat’s successor, it has become worthless.
In troubled times the Muslim world seeks unity by finding external enemies to fight. And Israel has become Egypt’s negative consensus. Egyptian presidential candidates from all sides have disavowed the Camp David Accords. It is the one thing that liberals and the Muslim Brotherhood can agree on.
Mohamed ElBaradei was Obama’s man in Cairo, a board member of Soros’ International Crisis Group and the choice of Western diplomats and reporters to replace Mubarak. But Egyptian voters weren’t biting. Desperate, ElBaradei leapfrogged Ayman Nour and other competitors who had already disavowed the Accords, by going one step further and threatening a war with Israel. ElBaradei’s warmongering bid for popularity showed how dangerous the post-Mubarak Egypt had become.
Sacrificing the Accords that brought some stability to the region in order to score political points in their election campaigns is a measure of how wildly irresponsible Mubarak’s successors are. And how wildly irresponsible the Obama administration’s actions in Egypt were.
Obama turned on Mubarak for political advantage. And Mubarak’s successors are turning on Israel for political advantage. But all this maneuvering could easily lead to war.
The abandonment of the Accords has sent a message to terrorist groups that the leadership in Cairo supports their agenda and is willing to play the role of the Lebanese government, as they act out the part of Hezbollah. And the Popular Resistance Committees, the group allegedly behind the terrorist attacks in Southern Israel, is closely tied to Hezbollah.
Egyptian troops are in the Sinai in violation of the Accords, and there has already been an incident between Israel and Egypt. The violence in the Sinai is tied to political instability in Cairo. The worse the instability gets, the worse the violence becomes.
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, the junta currently ruling Egypt, is facing a political backlash over its suppression of liberal protesters. The Council is at its weakest in domestic policy, but at its strongest in military affairs. The easiest way for it to score points is to stage an incident with Israel. Which Egyptian activists allege is exactly what happened in the firefight between Egyptian security officers and the Israeli army.
Frontpage-rag, what are you complaining about? liberation often involves and includes violence. Look at palestine pre 1949. …or even the US war of independance. Why should Egypt be any different?
Egypt will be run by war mongers intent on annihilation of Isreal and the rest of the world.
Its starting to make sense. If you have a bunch of people who dont want to play nice with the rest of the world then you put a dictator in charge to keep them in line. I almost think we should have left Saddam in power. He kept iran in check. Oh well, maybe this is necassary to bring all this zhit to a head so we can end it once and for all.
Let freedom ring : )
unfortunately egypt will not be free and israel will soon have to go to total war against the muslim enemies that surround her.
Israel should just take them all over and make there country larger.
LOL… that'll definately bring peace to israelis! LOL…
Jihadwatch/Homestead, calm down. You won't settle any wars by trolling this site.
Remind me when George Washington's men were carrying out virginity checks on protesters?
So you're saying some violence is better than other violence. I guess there are extremes of course …but it still doesn't make it justified in any case,.
However, the reality is, and here is where I agree with jihadwatch, that most countries have gone through periods of violence when transitioning from one form of rule to another. Some of those periods have lasted for generations.
Transitioning to a group known to want for Israel's destruction is not what any sane person can consider a peaceful transition. You excuse away their blatant calls for Israel's destruction in order to believe that the new government will be peaceful. The Muslim Brotherhood is racist and filled with violent aims yet you seem blind to that. What they say is NOT political rhetoric, it's their true belief! THAT is the REALITY and not what you opine.
Good of you to agree with yourself.
The Camp David Accords was / is for dummies.
Why's that? Camp David was a bargain for Israel, you idiot!
In what way was it a bargain? What did Israel get by giving up the strategic Sinai that she would not have had by retaining it? Israel kept the Golan Heights. What would she have gotten from Syria in return had she given it up?
Israel had stability for 40 yrs with egypt. That peace was a major reason for the relative prosperity current enjoyed by most israelis. Agression leads to more agression.
Israel still has every opportunity to enjoy peace with it''s neighbours. That's achieved through:
1. a sincere determination for peace with it's neighbours
2. some creative thinking and humility from it;s leaders
3. respect for the basic humam rights of it's occupied palestinians
This would be a good start.
In South Africa, when the ANC took power, a truth and reconnciliation commission was formed. That needs to happen in the mindset of Israel's leaders and ruling elites. If it doesn't, then I'm afraid perpetual war will spell the destruction of the State of Israel in the not-too-distant future.
Wake up leaders!
Hard to maintain peace when you are surrounded by the Muslim animals that just want to kill yoou. I hope Israel shows no mercy and kills all those camel jockeys.
I supect the everyday palestinian guy in the street thinks the same thing about the israelis.
Substitute Muslim for palestinian and non-Muslim for Israeli and you'd be right
How's South Africa doing these days? The parts of it that aren't permanently on fire.
… it's transitioning. Only a very naive person expected South Africa to resolve it's huge issues overnight. Are you blaming them for ridding themselves of apartheid?
Right; like America is transitioning under Obama.
Lol… are you suggesting that violence in america or perpetrated in the name of america is the fault of obama?
..actually I don' think you're suggesting anything meaningful to be fair to you. You just spurted out the first thing that came into your erstwhile empty head.
I think you've missed out on some much-needed sleep there, mate. Go back to bed and try again in a couple of hours.
"Lol… are you suggesting that violence in america or perpetrated in the name of america is the fault of obama? "
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Yes, that is exactly what I am suggesting.
You cannot compare Israel to South Africa. Your writing projects arrogance and a lack of understanding. Israel is not a colonial enterprise. One does not colonize ones own land. You did not answer my question above. Israel has had relative stability with Syria for 38 years with the Golan Heights. Israel will need to re-occupy the strategic Sinai. She will need to re-occupy Gaza. There is no accomodation with jihadists. It is clear Egypt is going the way of the Muslim Brotherhood, which is no big surprise, as polls show Egyptians want more Islam rather than less Islam. Pew researchers found that 84 percent of Egyptians favor the death penalty for people who leave the Muslim religion. Who and what have you read post 9/11? What scholars on Islam have you studied?
Israel IS a colonial power. It DID and HAS colonised the current state of Israel which did not exist prior to 1948 or 49. anyone with half a brain knows that.
Take over the sinai desert and re-occupy Gaza and what kind of country and society are you left with. A state or perpetual war, which, as someone stated earlier, will lead to the inevitable destruciton of the state of Israel in the short to medium term. It will self-implode. Hitler conquered europe and was them defeated by a concerted resistance both in and out his occupied territory. Learn the lessons of history or be doomed to repeat the same mistakes…and suffer the consequences.
Israel is already self-imploding. It's the fate of every arrogant imperialist power. They all go down a similar path.
Really? Is that why the Arab nations are crumbling? If that's the case, then I guess your musings on arrogant imperialist powers are actually true!
Obviously, Israel's economy is doing pretty well despite terrorism and worldwide financial meltdown.
What do you know about Israel's history, ancient and modern? The Jews have had an uninterrupted presence in the land of Israel for some 4000 years. My justification for the Jewish people's right to this land is based on the Bible. Others invoke the (Lord) Balfour Declaration and more importantly the League of Nations Mandate that Israel — from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea — would constitute the Jewish National Home in "Palestine" Fifty-one member countries – the entire League of Nations – unanimously declared on July 24, 1922:
“Whereas recognition has been given to the historical connection of the Jewish people with Palestine and to the grounds for reconstituting their national home in that country.”
Notice the word, "reconstituting."
To this day, the treaty has force of law. "The UN has no power to vary an existing valid international treaty which the League of Nations – its predecessor – had approved." Actually Jordan was also a part of the Jewish National Home, but the British illegally carved it out of the Mandate. Today, Jordan is overwhelmingly Palestinian. "
The United Nations has the legal power to overturn something drafted under the defunct, ancient, obsolete and useless league of nations. The same league of nations that allowed the massacre of ww2 and militarisation of germany to happen unchecked.
LOL… putting quotes around a dumb sentence doesn't make it 'real'. LOL.
There was no state of israel prior to 1948. Get a grip man!
If you are right, if the United Nations has the legal power to overturn a previously ratified treaty, when did the United Nations vote to overturn the League of Nations Mandate which established the land of Israel as the Jewish national home?
"The United Nations has the legal power to overturn something drafted under the defunct, ancient, obsolete and useless league of nations."
WRONG, nice try professor. The UN is bound by previous arrangements and precedent made under the League of Nations.
"There was no state of israel prior to 1948."
There was also no Palestine. Israel has been the capital for Jews worldwide for over 3,000 years – and Jews have always maintained a continuous presence in the land. Arabs only arrived recently, most of whom arrived in the 19th century due to improvements and economic opportunities provided by the Zionists. Nice try though…
"Israel IS a colonial power."
Impossible by definition. The indigenous of a land cannot be its colonizers. The Jews are the indigenous of Palestine. It is the Arabs who are the colonists in Palestine.
"Take over the sinai desert and re-occupy Gaza and what kind of country and society are you left with."
If we don't repeat the mistake of leaving the Arab settlers to reside on the reconquered lands, then we're going to be left with a good, in fact much improved, country and society, thank you.
"Israel IS a colonial power. It DID and HAS colonised the current state of Israel which did not exist prior to 1948 or 49. anyone with half a brain knows that. "
WRONG, Colonialism is a system in which a state claims sovereignty over territory and people outside its own boundaries, often to facilitate economic domination over their resources, labor, and often markets. Zionists did not come to the holy land as tools or representatives of any nation. They came as individuals from nations around the world to RESETTLE in their HOMELAND. In fact, Zionists went to the holy land to flee the oppression and discrimination of Western nations, not to be their representatives.
Besides, "exiled Jews had been returning to Palestine for millennia, long before Western nations became powerful, before Europeans dominated the area, and before the Balfour Declaration and the Palestine Mandate." Recall, Jews have always had a historical and legal connection to the land and Jews were the only stable and continuous indigenous culture in the Holy Land. Early Zionists were merely part of this age old pattern.
Gotta love that you create your very owns standards for peace and expect Israel to abide by your subjective positions. That said, Israel has ACED your ridiculous standards.
"1. a sincere determination for peace with it's neighbours"
What was 1948, 1967, 1979, 1993, 2000, 2005… need I really go on? For example, in 2000 Israel offered the Palestinians their own state on over 98% of the W. Bank and all of Gaza and the Palestinians REFUSED without even a COUNTER-OFFER.
"2. some creative thinking and humility from it;s leaders "
In 2005, Israel offered to trade parts of Israel to the Palestinians in order to ensure that the Palestinians received a fair share of land. The only creative thinking from the Palestinians is how to implement new forms of terror to murder Jews.
"3. respect for the basic humam rights of it's occupied palestinians "
Strange, Israel provides over one million tons of humanitarian aid to Gazans on an annual basis. Over 98% of the W. Bank is autonomously governed and they have experienced an unprecedented 8% economic growth all thanks to Israel. When will the Thuggish Palestinians respect the basic human rights of Israelis and cease with the terrorism and murder of Israeli children? Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both cited the Palestinians for human rights violations and war crimes because of their terrorist campaign against Israel.
"In South Africa, when the ANC took power, a truth and reconnciliation commission was formed. That needs to happen in the mindset of Israel's leaders and ruling elites. If it doesn't, then I'm afraid perpetual war will spell the destruction of the State of Israel in the not-too-distant future. "
First, Israel is not at all similar to S. Africa. Second, Israel is not morally responsible for the Palestinian refugees and should not apologize for a war that Arabs started in 1947 and have continued to wage until today. Israel has no obligation to show contrition for defending itself against incessant terrorism. The Palestinians have suffered largely because of the decisions of their own leadership. Nonetheless Israel does show deep sympathy for the Palestinian's suffering by providing them with humanitarian and economic aid as cited above.
What bargain? Israel's borders have shrank over the past 30 years and the Palestinian terrorism is even worse than ever!
How long will it take,providing,that Barack Hussein Obama won't get an
second term,to clean up the dangerous mess he leaves behind?
Or will the muslim-brotherhood (monster) domination be to strong for us?
How long did it take to clean up the mess that Carter left behind?
Not nearly as long as it will take to clean up the myriad messes created by George W. Bush.
Ah blame Bush, that always works.
Any treaty with the infidel can be broken at anytime by the faithful (Muslims). Mohammed set the precedent for this when he broke his treaty with the city of Mecca.
Indeed, and no treaty endures for long even between Muslim states once their interests are at loggerheads.
Yes. Amercians have a lot of room to talk about breaking treaties to suit our interests.
Our treaties are as credible as those of most nations. Those signed by people who believe that there is no such thing as an agreement with people not of their religion is much less so..
There are realities in life that cannot be ignored. If you move into a bad neighborhood you have to be prepared to defend yourself and the best defense is offense. The more convinced your bad neighbors are that you are dangerous, the less trouble they will give you. Israel lives in the worst neighborhood imaginable. It will have to wage war every so often and be merciless.
As for Obama, he compulsively digs his own grave wherever he turns. His pseudo romance with Islam and his subsequent turning on his former great friends in Egypt and Libya has probably earned him thousands of unadvertised fatwas in the Muslim world. He better make sure that he maintains better security than any previous president in our history. This exigency will follow him long after he has left the White House, too.
"His pseudo romance with Islam"
There's nothing pseudo about it.
The Camp David accords which Daniel Greenfield praises were an agreement which paved the way for the United States to arm Egypt to the teeth and for Israel to give up the Abu Rodeis oil fields and the strategic depth of the Sinai for a promise of peace. Promises of peace that are bought with weapons result in war, a lesson the American State Department refuses to learn.
For peace to last the people in both countries involved have to desire peace with each other. A crucial part of the Israeli Egyptian peace treaty was an end to incitement and the creation of cooperative ventures all which were violated by Egypt once Israel handed over the Sinai. All that was left was a cold cease fire. It is noteworthy that for the duration of the peace treaty with Egypt Syria has also not attacked Israel and Syria has not peace treaty with Israel. The reason Egypt and Syria do not attack Israel is the perception of Israeli military superiority a superiority that is quickly eroding.
I agree with your general points, but the Camp David Accords were defensible from an American foreign policy perspective, less so from an Israeli one.
I sometimes think that Obama has not made a mistake over Egypt and enveloping Israel with dangerous regimes is something he desires.
he keeps the israelis honest…and busy.
Above you asked me, "are you suggesting that violence….perpetrated in the name of america is the fault of obama? "
Now you are acknowledging Obama is not only a man of violence, but is furthering violence in the region in order to "keep Israel busy."
The Camp David accords snatched away victory for Israel and replaced it with a diplomatic and miliatary disaster which is revealing itself with greater validity each day, I believe that Carter, whom we now know is a deadly enemy of Israel. really championed the accords with the hope of weakening Israel and boosting the military and politiical capability of Egypt.
jihadwatch writes, "Israel had stability for 40 yrs with egypt. That peace was a major reason for the relative prosperity current enjoyed by most israelis."
40 years? The Yom Kippur War was 38 years ago. Camp David was signed 32 years ago. That "peace" – little more than an extended cessation of hostilities – certainly allowed Israel to refocus on other borders (but losing desert fighting skills in the process). But it was hardly a "major reason" for the subsequent prosperity.
The mid 1980s, for example, were a time of stagnation and inflation, only brought under control by the first of a series of economic reforms that moved Israel away from its socialist beginnings to more open markets. The high-tech break-out was more tied to the influx of scientists and engineers form the Former Soviet Union in the 1990s and the parallel creation of a venture capital infrastructure than it was to Camp David.
Earlier this year, I read dozens of articles about the virtues of El Baradei. When everyone says the same thing I always suspect it is propaganda, so it is nice to have that confirmed, in a way.
Major propaganda and completely hopeless. Soros couldn't put his boy in office with a Twitter mob.
Every dummy knows that Iran wants to induce a clash between Egypt and Israel for 2 simple reasons.
To cancel the "peace" treaty and to induce the fall of the Egyptian army in order to push the Big brother so loved by BHO to power.
This is so obvious that one wonder why did the IDF pursued the PRC into Egypt. Both Eg and Is fell in the trap!
The Muslim Arab masses and leaders have no interest in peace. To them peace is meaningless. The destruction of Israel is for them the promised land. How dumb can these people be?
How many dumb? 1 billion or more.
The American President could still make a difference in Egypt. After all, Egypt needs our billions more than ever. But Obama won't do anything. Your political affiliation doesn't matter. Wishy-washy Obama should never have been President of America, the most powerful country the world has ever seen.
[19:1] "The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. [2] And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. [3] And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. [4] And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts" (Isaiah 19.1-4,).
"Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem"
We finally have some people who want to stem the flow of our tax dollars to Egypt and others of the anti-Amercican ilk http://msmignoresit.blogspot.com/2011/08/i-have-p…
' TAQIYYA '
Do your own research about it if you don't know what this means.
Islam IS EVIL. PERIOD.
Islam strives for world domination.
The Quran commands Muslims to exercise jihad.
The Quran commands Muslims to establish shariah law.
The Quran commands Muslims to impose Islam on the entire world.
Islam is NOT a religion, it IS a totalitarian ideology.
Islam wants to dominate all aspects of life, from the cradle to the grave.
Shariah law is a law that controls every detail of life in a Islamic society.
From civic- and family law to criminal law.
It determines how one should eat, dress and even use the toilet.
Oppression of women is good, drinking alcohol is bad.
The core of the Quran is the call to jihad.
Jihad means a lot of things and is Arabic for battle.
Islam means submission, there cannot be any mistake about its goal.
Islam and freedom, Islam and democracy are not compatible.
They are opposite values.
Mohamed's "wife" was six years old.
That makes Mohamed a PEDOPHILE!!!
And you want to base a "Religion" on this a z z -holes rantings?
Are you INSANE?
I STAND with Israel
Wow….is the Arab Spring ever not Obama's fault