I have very little hope that Obama will make any changes

[cali]

regarding U.S. policy toward Israel or Palestine- or at least any substantive changes. He won't buck the dems in the Congress who are getting ready to overwhelmingly vote for a resolution supporting Israel. It'll be more of the same, and the support for Obama among Muslim across the globe will swiftly evaporate.

Pretty dispiriting.

[babylonsister]

1. That's too bad. I have some hope and think he will at least

attempt to use some diplomacy, unlike the current bunch of do-nothing pols. I'm not ready to give up on the next admin. before they even start.

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/01/06/obama_addresses_gaza_hes_fired_up_ready_to_go/

snip//

Obama said he was "not backing away at all from what I said during the campaign" and that "starting at the beginning of our administration, we're going to engage effectively and consistently in trying to resolve the conflict in the Middle East."

Read between the lines. He is going to engage big-time, and not piece meal either. This is good news. (Note, he addresses the the loss of life in Gaza first, before mentioning Israel. That is how it should be considering that 98% of the deaths are Palestinians but, nonetheless, this is not how the issue is usually addressed in Washington, neither by Bush or by the Democratic Congress.)

[Midlodemocrat]

2. I have a co-worker in Saudi Arabia. The Muslim world isn't

that enthralled with Obama to start with, according to him. And, it's because of his perceived lack of support for Palestine.

[bdamomma]

3. they have to give him a chance to further himself away from

the bush's foreign policies.

[Thrill]

4. I disagree. But we'll see.

[onenote]

5. Cali -- did you previously have hope of a significant change in policy?

And if so, what was it based on?

[cali]

8. i had a little more than I have now

and it was based on comments made by Obama some years ago and his friendship with Rashid Khalidi.

[monmouth]

6. Ahh, my first reading from a malcontent... Why not wait until he's POTUS

then you can really give it your all!

[Solomon]

7. No. It's your post that's pretty dispiriting.

[HughMoran]

9. Your nondescript and all-encompasingly negative subject line is very telling

I believe your doubts are real, but this thread carries a certain manipulative character with it's deceptive title.

Bad form there bud.

[cali]

12. true enough. it was intended to manipulate people into reading the thread.

I hardly think that's noteworthy- or even terribly bad form.

[ellie]

10. Agreed

I guess I am losing hope. I know he wants to appeal to everyone, but repukes won't vote for him and alienating the base is a sure-fire way to lost votes there. Who is going to vote for him in 2012? The mushy middle? Good luck with that.

I mean really. Sanjay Gupta? Has he lost his mind?

[cali]

11. I could care less about Gupta

In fact I find the outrage about this not too important appointment rather amusing.

[DevonRex]

18. I hope I can find it amusing today. Yesterday I was set to throw in

the towel here, even wondering if I could ask that my username be deleted so I wouldn't be tempted to log on anymore. The only reason I didn't do it is that I had the horrific thought that I might have a tombstone by my name if I did that.

If I continue to be depressed about all the outrage over stuff like Gupta, I guess I'll have to pose those questions to admin.

[Barack_America]

33. Not too important to you.

But, I'm going to take a gamble and guess that public health and health policy aren't your professional passions.

I felt the same slap in the face with Gupta that you felt with regards to Israeli/Palestinian relations. But then again, health policy is my thing.

[Freddie Stubbs]

13. Support among Muslims across the globe = zero electoral votes

Support among Jews in America = winning Florida

[mmonk]

14. I'll reserve judgement until he speaks to the issue.

I do agree, however, it will be politically tough to lead on the issue of middle east peace.

[democrattotheend]

15. I think he'll be more actively engaged on the issue than Bush was

But not necessarily more pro-Palestinian. I think his approach to the issue will probably be similar to President Clinton's, and I thought Clinton was pretty fair and he at least actively engaged both parties and made brokering peace between them a priority.

[firedupdem]

16. Agree...He can't come out Pro Palestine. He would be run out

of this country. I think he will broker peace between them and that would be a great start in the right direction.

[LiberalFighter]

31. That is an important key. Obama will be more actively engaged than Bush. Even more than Rice.

[DevonRex]

17. I think the dems in congress are trying to manipulate Obama.

Just as Israel is doing this before Obama takes office, to achieve what they want without interference from him, the congressional dems are doing this so that Obama has less leverage after the inauguration. And I think it sucks.

The fact that there IS a resolution on this is the biggest sign that Congress thinks Obama is going to change US policy. They don't like it and they're trying to corner him.

[jillan]

19. I disagree. While I think he will treat Israel as our ally, I also think

that he will be more honest and straightforward with them.
I don't think he will give either side of the conflict his okay to bomb each other.

He is smart enough to know that our relationship with Israel is hurting our security.
I know his VP feels that way - not so sure about where his SoS stands on the situation, but I'm sure they will all speak with one voice.

We will just have to wait and see.

[DevonRex]

20. Biden will definitely be a huge help. When I think of the challenges

ahead, I am SO glad he's the VP and that he will be a voice in what happens. Thank you for reminding me that we have a great team assembled. It has been too easy to forget the good stuff with all the outrage lately. :hug:

[jillan]

25. I don't have the link anymore - but Biden spoke infront of some pro-Israel group

about 1 year ago and pretty much told them he won't kiss their butts if it affects our security.

Hopefully Obama will be listening to Biden on that.

back at ya! We do have a great team.

[Jennicut]

28. Yeah, I forgot about that too. One can be for Israel to defend itself

but not to the point where they are practically decimating the Palestinians. These people have been blocked for a while from having decent resources to live. I think Israel needs to realize that the rest of the world is starting to look at them as an embarrassment for going so extreme. I do have some hope. Sarkozy from France seems to be doing a good job in trying to get another cease fire brokered, he and others will have to fill up the space Bush refuses to fill for the next two weeks. Obama cannot really act like President on foreign policy until he is sworn in.

[gravity]

21. He isn't president yet

Stop rushing to judgments when Obama has little control on the matter.

[Renew Deal]

22. lol

:rofl:

[onehandle]

23. I never expected any of the electable Democratic candidates to make any changes.

I never understood why any DUer would have thought so.

[Danger Mouse]

24. I disagree. He will definitely be supportive of Israel...

but he will not hang the Palestinians out to dry, either.

[IsItJustMe]

26. I would say you are a realist. But hey, you never know.

[Vinca]

27. Here's an idea. Let's wait for him to be sworn in and see what happens. nt

[AtomicKitten]

32. the OP confuses a preemptive whine with a reasoning process n/t

[FriendlyReminder]

29. Listen, give the guy a chance on this. It may take a few months but don't be so

negative until he can "speak out"

[LiberalFighter]

30. A resolution by Congress is non-binding.

It is whatever he and the Secretary of State does in regards to diplomacy and determining U.S. policy.

[PurityOfEssence]

34. Mixed feelings

I do feel for your disillusionment, but seeing how you triumphally shouted down ANYONE who would have the temerity to get in his way or bring up the serial appeasement, I can't have much sympathy for you and would request you to not look for hugs and nurturing after the ritual blistering you've meted out for months. THIS WAS AND IS EXTREMELY OBVIOUS. This always HAS been obvious. The appointment of Rahmbo just makes it crystalline in it's clarity.

Obama is a somewhat right of center moderate corporatist. Fine. Things could be MUCH worse, but the endless derision slathered on the many who pointed this out still rings in our ears.

You were far from the worst in your invective, but you were pretty damned grating and sanctimonious.

Please don't post looking for sympathy; mercifully, there's only a hint of that in this missive, but the trend looks clear.

He was pretty obvious about this. He sucked up to AIPAC and others in a big way, and although many repeatedly said it was largely to dispel the muslim rumors, there's more going on there.

I do, on the other hand, commend your candor at this moment. Who knows? The guy's a cipher; perhaps we're both wrong about this.

[Captain Hilts]

35. If he just takes us back to where we were in 2000 we'll be okay. He'll do a good job. nt

[Occam Bandage]

36. I agree, and am disappointed in that. This is the one area in which I am disillusioned,

and I blame myself for inappropriately getting my hopes up.

[OneBlueSky]

37. here's why I still have hope that Obama will facilitate real change -- eventually . . .

one thing we can all agree about is that Barack Obama is one smart cookie . . . he intelligent, perceptive, educated, and very well informed -- unlike the current resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue . . .

now although his political instincts are those of compromise and "going along to get along," the situation in this country and across the planet is becoming so dire that at some point, Obama's intelligence will tell him that reality is going to have to trump politics . . .

take healthcare, for example . . . right now, Obama's instincts are to restructure the US healthcare system in a way that includes the HMOs, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical companies and allows them to continue skimming billions upon billions of dollars off the top of our healthcare system . . . that system simply isn't sustainable, and at some point Obama is going to realize that . . .

as the reality of the situation bites him in the ass, Obama is going to have to switch sides and come down squarely on the side of the patients (who the industry calls "consumers") rather than the corporations . . . the hundreds of billions that industry skims off the top of our healthcare dollar would go a long way toward solving the problem if they went to the provision of healthcare and preventive services rather than to corporate profits, executive compensation and perks, advertising and marketing, and all of the other non-healthcare items that they currently pay for . . .

as he gets into his presidential duties, Obama will undoubtedly see that most of the other critical problems he'll be facing also have corporate profits at their root . . . and in every case, his "post-partisan" instincts won't see him inaugurate any real, substantive change -- at least initially . . . but, like I said, he's one smart dude, and it won't take long for him to realize that real change is, of necessity, going to have to really upset the corporate/government apple cart . . . it's when this realization kicks him in the head -- if it does -- that he'll really have the chance to be a truly great president . . .

we shall see . . .

[Forkboy]

38. I don't think he'd be able to do much even if he wanted.

That part of the world isn't going to wake up until it's a shiny glass desert.

[spanone]

39. why don't we wait till it happens to be dispirited

[merh]

40. I'm sorry, did he give some speech that gave you that impression?

And please do not pull the "his appointments" crap - you don't take over a corporation and fire all the folks and hire anew, that cripples your effectiveness because you waste too much time trying to educate your new staff.

What has he said that makes you believe it will be more of the same?

And please tell me, when was the last time the GWB admin tried to get the parties together in a summit to try to find some type of resolution.