Chastened Obama returns to Mideast – US military omnipotence ‘punctured as a myth’

[WISKY291]

A Palestinian woman walks past vandalized posters

 

 

 

 

WASHINGTON: When Barack Obama last went to the Middle East, he bore a soaring speech for the ages. This time, he says he’s just going to listen and will carry no grand plans. Obama will visit Israel, the West Bank and Jordan this week on his first visit as president, four years after asking in Cairo for a “new beginning” for America with the Muslim world. In that seminal speech in 2009, Obama brimmed with ambition, telling hard truths to Arabs but also daringly conceded faults of US behavior.

He also promised to work for Israeli-Palestinian peace with “all the patience and dedication that the task requires.” Tomorrow, with a failed peace effort to show for his pains, Obama will arrive in Jerusalem on what experts see as a “maintenance trip” without a new peace initiative. “My goal on this trip is to listen,” Obama told Israeli television today, saying he wanted to hear ideas from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leaders Mahmud Abbas and Salam Fayyad. Given his limited goals, questions are being asked as to why Obama is going at all, other than to check a political box after being criticized for not visiting key ally Israel in his first term. But, by going now, Obama can bill the trip as a chance to reconnect on key challenges like Iran and Syria as he starts a second term and Netanyahu begins his new mandate.

Had he waited a year, questions about absent ‘deliverables’ would have been even more acute. Obama may share frustration common to several of his predecessors: sources said he told Jewish community leaders privately last week he cannot want peace more than the parties themselves. But conditions for a resumption of the “peace process” are hardly ripe, in Israel or the Palestinian territories and outside Middle Eastern powers may be too preoccupied to play a useful role. Egypt, under the Muslim Brotherhood, is more hostile to Israel, at least publicly, and is trying to keep a lid on its own internal turmoil. Syria is imploding and in no shape to weigh in on mechanics of a regional peace. And Saudi Arabia, spooked by political uproar around its borders, has an ailing king and brewing succession intrigue.

While Obama’s visit may be welcomed as a symbolic sign of engagement by his hosts, his regional audience will be less receptive than four years ago. “I think the administration wasted three valuable years after Cairo,” said Marwan Muasher, a former Jordanian foreign minister now with the Carnegie Endowment in Washington. “They raised expectations to an unprecedented level, but then they didn’t follow up.” What Obama could not have known in Cairo was that the region was on the cusp of monumental political change with unprecedented uprisings against autocratic rulers. In 2009, Washington looked at Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, as a potential dialogue partner, Muammar Gaddafi still ruled Libya, and the United States had an ally in long-ruling autocrat Hosni Mubarak in Egypt. Now Assad is a blood-soaked pariah, usurped Gaddafi died humiliated and Mubarak was toppled. Iran’s nuclear drive, broiling political change and Syria’s agony now preoccupy the region more than Arab-Israeli peace.

Obama has had to navigate the challenges of the Arab awakening which tore up a generation of US Middle East strategy, leaving Washington with less leverage. “There are many dynamics and trends that are beyond the control of the United States or the influence of the United States or any other actor,” said Haim Malka, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Obama was also dealt a tough hand. The idea of US military omnipotence was punctured as a myth when Washington got bogged down in Iraq-ironically Obama will visit the region 10 years after the invasion to oust Saddam Hussein. There is also a perception in the region that US power projection is compromised by financial woes-reflected in the decision to postpone a Gulf deployment by the aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman.—AFP

 

http://news.kuwaittimes.net/2013/03/18/chastened-obama-returns-to-mideast-us-military-omnipotence-punctured-as-a-myth/

[clkelle]

he's wasted 3 yrs since last trip and certainly has less leverage ,  his big speech last time fell on death ears as has many of his speeches,  once you loose respect you lose everything.

[Osmosis]

What a waste of his time and our money!  If he was sincere it might be different.....

[MyLadiesDaddy]

Anyone else find it strange that Obumer takes a trip to 

 

the middle east in the same week that the 10th anniversary  

 

of the, "big plan" ? Man I'm gonna love to read how Maggie and 

 

her liberal friends try and spin it when Obummer claims the whole 

 

rv thing was his doing. Oh wait I wont be able to read their comments 

 

as they are not paying members here. OH WELL 

[vietnam1969]

He has something else up his sleeve besides sitting on the side lines listening to what the other leaders are saying. I hope they tell him to get on his camel and ride, myself. He has already screwed up this country of OURS and now he wants to tell other countries what they should do.   Maybe they will tar and feather the bastard and send him home in a cage, where he should be. Now that would be a change for sure! What a jerk of a person.

[yota691]

Anyone else find it strange that Obumer takes a trip to 

 

the middle east in the same week that the 10th anniversary  

 

of the, "big plan" ? Man I'm gonna love to read how Maggie and 

 

her liberal friends try and spin it when Obummer claims the whole 

 

rv thing was his doing. Oh wait I wont be able to read their comments 

 

as they are not paying members here. OH WELL 

I do see a pattern...I can see them passing out in audience claiming this with his Frequent Flyer Teleprompter!!! Somebody will Paste it and we will both have to read them.   

[Sparta]

Man I'm gonna love to read how Maggie and her liberal friends try and spin it when Obummer claims the wholerv thing was his doing. 

Which Maggie?

[MyLadiesDaddy]

Which Maggie?

 

 

The one that likes to follow dontlop around. Has numbers after her name. 

[yota691]

U.S. helicopters in Abbas' headquarters in preparation for Obama's visit to the Rum God

- MARCH 18, 2013

U.S. helicopters in Abbas' headquarters in preparation for Obama's visit to the Rum God 

Ramallah time U.S. helicopters landed yesterday at the airstrip the provincial headquarters of the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank city of Ramallah, in preparation for the visit of U.S. President Barack Obama expected to the region that begins next Wednesday. And landed U.S. Mrahiat 10 at eleven in the morning at the headquarters of the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah and left after less than ten minutes of the descent of the diplomatic and security delegation on board, according to witnesses and official Palestinian sources. In the southern city of Bethlehem West Bank U.S. aircraft landed at an airstrip Palestinian leadership yesterday as well, where it is supposed that the Obama during his visit the Church of the Nativity, which is one of the most important religious and tourist places for Christians there. For his part, spokesman for the Palestinian security apparatuses Major General Adnan objection that American planes which landed yesterday morning at the headquarters of the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah was carrying dignitaries from the diplomatic and security of Americans, and that arrangements for Obama's visit. The objection that the security delegation another U.S. had reached the Palestinian territories for several days. 

At the level of security cooperation Palestinian-American before Obama's visit, pointed objection to the Palestinian security services represented security presidency and intelligence, police and preventive security and civil defense as well as the Ministry of Health on alert on clock to secure the visit. 

than its part, Israeli police yesterday that about five thousand Israeli policeman deployed daily around the clock in all parts of the city of Jerusalem to maintain security during the visit of U.S. President Barack Obama. 

spokeswoman Israeli police Luba Semary said police fired on the campaign that will play a leading role in maintaining security alliance name that symbolizes peoples to visit hosted by President Barack Obama and the accompanying delegation, consisting of 600 people. The room was set up for the leadership, supervision and coordination of the work of these forces in the hotels that will host U.S. President and his entourage, according to the same source. She said speaking to about one thousand policemen will secure the U.S. President and the delegation from the place of landing the helicopter for the reception of kings and presidents that independent from one place to another, to the end of the visit. 

and put the police command instructions work strictly to deal with any possible scenario may occur prior to the visit or where. 

hand Elsewhere, Semary confirmed that there is coordination with the Palestinian Authority and all stakeholders for President Obama's visit to the cities of Bethlehem and Ramallah. She will not be imposing a military closure on the territories of the Palestinian Authority. 

AZP01

[WISKY291]

Yota, nice post. Thanks

[Rayzur]

Oh wait I wont be able to read their comments as they are not paying members here. OH WELL

This is NOT posted in the VIP section.... so I'm not sure why you think you won't see the responses of everyone? Maybe you just recently joined VIP? Just a heads up in case, being VIP doesn't exclude postings from others on the forum outside the VIP area.... so ahummmm yeah you will be able to read everyone's response....

Interesting also that you believe people will claim Obama is responsible for the making the RV happen?? Really??... I haven't seen that, but maybe there are people saying that and I just missed it. In any event, it seems that most people are saying or believing that Obama is the one who is stopping it (though I'm pretty sure its not conservatives saying that in contrast) .... Wouldn't make sense to divide up that way... Actually, I don't believe the value of currency exchange is the product of US political affiliation or party dictate.... It seems kind of inane to think it is... In fact, (laughing) I just heard today from others following a bizarre (and not public) guru, that Obama has been given an ultimatum by China that he will not be allowed to any longer stop this RV and he must agree to it.... And they now believe it will "RV" within the next few days, cause Obama has been ordered to comply and release it....

It's always fascinating to note that in the minds of some people the US is in charge or control of every single major event that happens on this planet isn't it... Not sure if you mean a person on this site, but I don't see many DV members biting into that at this stage of the game....and certainly none of our seasoned people

Edited March 19, 2013 by Rayzur

[MyLadiesDaddy]

This is NOT posted in the VIP section.... so I'm not sure why you think you won't see the responses of everyone? Maybe you just recently joined VIP? Just a heads up in case, being VIP doesn't exclude postings from others on the forum outside the VIP area.... so ahummmm yeah you will be able to read everyone's response..

Read more: http://dinarvets.com/forums/index.php?/topic/144082-chastened-obama-returns-to-mideast-–-us-military-omnipotence-‘punctured-as-a-myth’/#ixzz2NyfnAsqd

 

 

It requires a bit higher than average intelligence, I know, but before 

 

you go and rip someones head off you may want to try and comprehend the

 

point that person is making. I have been a member here just a little longer than

 

you have, Nov 16 2010, and apparently more aware than you seem to be of the 

 

functions of this site. My statement was not only a plug for VIP, which I find 

 

invaluable, but an acknowledgement that AFTER AN RV Adam will be 

 

closing down the site. From what I have read it will become a members

 

only investment site. Adam has said once he might keep the free part open

 

but he wasn't sure. It is my sincere hope that he don't. Why would I, or anyone for that 

 

matter, want to go to an investment site that has liberal hacks telling you how

 

stupid you are for investing in whatever that site has to offer? Also you need to

 

be aware that unlike other sites Dinar Vets tends to have more Conservative type 

 

members, so liberals beware. You might get your evolved sensibilities damaged.

 

There are people here that can think on their own. Like a question I now have for

 

you, Are you Maggie? Your quick angry response and your use of the neg button 

 

suggest that my post struck a touchy nerve. Having more than one sign in name is

 

common, I know. Though I'm not sure of the integrity of it all. Far as I am concerned only

 

Adam has a need for aliases, and that so he can roam the site without being bombarded

 

by peeps.  And you do, I mean Maggie does,    follow dontlop around quite a bit. So 

 

​nothing in my original post was inaccurate, but liberals can't handle the truth. To Bad.   

 

Oh and SEIMPER FI.  

Edited March 19, 2013 by ladyGrace'sDaddy

[tellmewhen]

Royal Dinarians,  Righteous

[Maggie123]

There are people here that can think on their own. Like a question I now have for

 

you, Are you Maggie? Your quick angry response and your use of the neg button 

 

suggest that my post struck a touchy nerve. Having more than one sign in name is

 

common, I know. Though I'm not sure of the integrity of it all. Far as I am concerned only

 

Adam has a need for aliases, and that so he can roam the site without being bombarded

 

by peeps.  And you do, I mean Maggie does,    follow dontlop around quite a bit. So 

 

​nothing in my original post was inaccurate, but liberals can't handle the truth. To Bad. 

 

Oh and SEIMPER FI.  

 

     ..........

[zigmeister]

I happen to be in agreement with Rayzur, what party lines has to do with a friggen RV is more than I will ever understand.  The entity that has been and is responsible for an RV is the one that pulls the trigger.  CBI.  

 

Another thing I do not understand is this political party, conservative vs democrat bs.  The only politics that should be of interest here is Iraq's ins and outs.  Not everyone can nor wants to be a  conservative/republican, and those that aren't, should not be disrespected for their beliefs.

[WISKY291]

Somebody neged me. WTH

[sandfly]