The Abraham Accords, The Sheriff vs. Lebron, Confronting Communist China

Gary Bauer

by Gary Bauer: The Abraham Accords
As many of you know, much of my work in Washington is dedicated to strengthening the U.S. alliance with Israel and the bond between American Christians and Jews. Needless to say, it was challenging work during the Obama/Biden Administration, which regularly snubbed Israel while it embraced Iran.

Thankfully, the Trump/Pence Administration reversed course and reoriented our Middle East policy toward Israel and friendly Arab nations.

President Trump did what other politicians promised but failed to do when he moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. He recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. And he kept his promise to withdraw from the disastrous Obama/Biden nuclear deal with Iran.

Contrary to all expert opinion, the "Arab Street" did not erupt nor did war breakout when Trump did those things. He also crushed the ISIS caliphate that Obama/Biden allowed to fester in the Middle East, and he took out Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Iran's terrorist mastermind.

Arab leaders once again recognized America's leadership in the Middle East and they appreciated the president's actions to contain Iran, setting the foundation for peace in the region.

So I was tremendously honored to be at the White House today with the leadership of Christians United for Israel and hundreds of other Christians, Jews and Muslims for the official signing ceremony of the Abraham Accords – a historic peace deal between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

As President Trump noted, there have been only two such agreements between Israel and its Arab neighbors in Israel's entire 72-year history. Now the Trump Administration has achieved two peace deals in the past month. The president suggested earlier today that five or six more nations may join the accords in the near future.

President Trump said that lies have held back peace for generations, fueling a vicious cycle of terror. But he added that these agreements prove that the truth is breaking free from the lies – lies about Israeli oppression of the Palestinians, lies about the Al Aqsa mosque, and lies about the ancient Jewish connection to the land of Israel.

The Abraham Accords are founded on the shared interest in peace, and also on the shared recognition that the Islamic Republic of Iran is the greatest threat to peace in the Middle East. Iran threatens not just the Jewish state of Israel, but all its Arab neighbors that do not adhere to the ayatollah's radical vision.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the accords as "a pivot of history." And he thanked President Trump for standing in solidarity with Israel and against the tyrants of Tehran.

But as I noted yesterday, all of this is at risk if Joe Biden prevails this November. He is once again vowing to return to Obama's policy of appeasing Iran, offering the ayatollah "a credible path back to diplomacy."

What has Iran done to deserve that? Has Iran renounced terrorism? No. Has Iran stopped calling us "the Great Satan"? No. Has Iran recognized Israel's right to exist? No.

America and Israel cannot afford to risk a Biden/Harris Administration that seeks to reward Iran at the expense of Israel and other Arab nations in the Middle East.

The Sheriff vs. Lebron
Kudos to Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva! Sheriff Villanueva publicly called on Los Angeles Lakers star Lebron James to match the reward currently offered for the capture of the cowardly thug who attempted to assassinate two deputies Saturday night.

Los Angeles County is offering a $100,000 reward and two private contributions added another $75,000. So, a $175,000 reward is currently available to anyone who has information about the shooter.

During a radio show yesterday, Sheriff Villanueva said:

"I want to make a challenge…to LeBron James. I want you to match and double that reward because I know you care about law enforcement.

"You expressed a very interesting statement on race relations and officer-involved shootings and the impact that it has on the African-American community and I appreciate that.

But likewise, we need to appreciate that respect for life goes across professions, races, creeds, and I'd like to see LeBron James step up to the plate and double that [reward]."

James, whose net worth is estimated to be at least $450 million, could easily come up with the $175,000 to double the reward to $350,000.

Speaking of black lives, at least 50 people were shot and 11 killed in Chicago this weekend. In Baltimore, 50 people were shot and 15 were killed.

Where are the protests from Black Lives Matter groups?

Where is the outrage from the media?

Where are the statements of condemnation from Joe Biden and Kamala Harris?

Confronting Communist China
Disney is taking heat as its latest live action film, Mulan, is hitting homes and movie screens around the world. The entertainment giant, which is always quick to show its support for the latest left-wing cause, actually thanked several communist Chinese agencies in the closing credits of Mulan.

One of them was the state police force in the city of Turpan, where China operates more than a dozen so-called "re-education" camps.

So, while Disney is pledging millions to left-wing organizations that oppose law enforcement in the United States, it is offering its "special thanks" to the totalitarian police forces of communist China!

Meanwhile, the Trump Administration is imposing additional sanctions on China over its use of forced labor and the ongoing persecution of the minority Uighur population in the Xinjiang province.

The Trump Administration is also warning American citizens to avoid traveling to China and Hong Kong due to the risk of "arbitrary detention" and "arbitrary enforcement of local laws."

As we have reported, the Trump/Pence Administration is aggressively cracking down on communist China's spying and espionage against American businesses and institutions. A big part of that crackdown involves U.S. educational institutions, many of which are receiving funding from the Chinese Communist Party through Confucius Institutes.

A recent poll finds that 45% of Americans want U.S. colleges banned from accepting communist China's cash, which, of course, comes with considerable strings. Incredibly, 31% of Americans don't see a problem with China pushing its propaganda on our college campuses.

Another 24% aren't sure what they think, but I suspect it wouldn't take much to convince them that Beijing doesn't have their best interests in mind.

In addition, the administration canceled the visas of more than 1,000 Chinese nationals who were conducting "research" on U.S. campuses after the administration determined they were security risks due to their connections to the Chinese military.
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Gary Bauer (@GaryLBauer)  is a conservative family values advocate and serves as president of American Values and chairman of the Campaign for Working Families

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