Barack Obama Verses Israel And Uncle Sam

Obama Loved by Gaza and Jakarta Muslims

Gary Bauer, Contributing Author: Barack vs. Bibi - Obama did it again. In Jakarta, Indonesia, President Obama took a shot at Israel for building homes in Jerusalem, saying, "This kind of activity is never helpful when it comes to peace negotiations." Prime Minister Netanyahu's office fired back with a statement reading, "Jerusalem is not a settlement; Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel."

Why should the construction of homes for Jews in Israel's capital be unhelpful for peace negotiations? The explanation is obvious: The Palestinians are attempting to delegitimize Israel's entire existence. If Israel's claim to Jerusalem is undermined, its claim to any part of its land is undermined.

That Obama made his remarks in Indonesia (as he was again promising better relations with the Muslim world) was a slight not lost on the media. Even the New York Times noted, "On Tuesday, [Obama and Netanyahu] were worlds apart in symbolism as well as substance: the president voiced his criticism of Israel while on a visit to Jakarta, capital of the world's most populous Muslim country."

Israel is one of our closest allies. Yet it is constantly under fire from President Obama, who this time stoked the flames while in a Muslim nation. For a man who is supposedly a foreign policy genius (compared to that cowboy, Bush), his instincts seem bizarre.

While Barack Obama was singing Indonesia's praises, I was reminded of the time my daughter Elyse spent in that country a few years ago. In conversation after conversation with Indonesians, she learned that they all believed that "the Jews" caused 9/11. Anti-Semitism is rampant in this supposedly modern and model Muslim nation. How hard would it have been for the president to say that Israel has as much right to be a Jewish nation as Indonesia has to be a Muslim nation?

If you want to know what a true friend and ally sounds like, contrast Obama's remarks with these outstanding comments, delivered this week by Stephen Harper, Canada's conservative prime minister.

Barack vs. Uncle Sam -  If the president's comments toward Israel weren't enough, I've been seething for days about his remarks toward his own country. In Mumbai, India, this last weekend, Obama suggested we were a nation in decline. At least he didn't apologize for America again.

A quick read of the president's remarks might not sound that bad. He claims to be standing up for American jobs and for better relations with other countries. But there is no question how his comments were interpreted in the foreign media. Consider this excerpt from the Times of India: "Implicitly acknowledging the decline of American dominance, Barack Obama on Sunday said the U.S. was no longer in a position to 'meet the rest of the world economically on our terms.'"

Even if you believe that, please, Mr. President, don't say it in another country! The American people elected you to lead us, not to encourage other countries.

The most serious threat to America's competitive standing comes from the socialist policies that have bankrupted Europe and which he and his left-wing allies have tried to impose upon us. Thankfully, the American people seem to be coming to their senses. Last week, they took a huge step toward stopping Obama's socialism, but the battle is far from over

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Tags: Barack Obama, Gaza, Jakarta, Indonesia, India, Israel, Uncle Sam, Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!