Clueless in Israel

Commentary By Ron Beasley

Once again Israel has shown that it cares about nothing but itself. It is no friend of the US or anyone else.  It's OK for the Egyptian people to suffer a tyrancial autocrat as long as it's in Israel's best interest.  In addition the Israelis are clueless and don't seem to to realize that Mubarak was a dead man walking and they don't seem to realize that a a peaceful and smooth transition that might result is a government somewhat less friendly to Israel instead of one hostile to Israel. 

Israel shocked by Obama's "betrayal" of Mubarak

Political commentators expressed shock at how the United States as well as its major European allies appeared to be ready to dump a staunch strategic ally of three decades, simply to conform to the current ideology of political correctness.

.......

"We always have had and still have great respect for President Mubarak," he said on Monday. He then switched to the past tense. "I don't say everything that he did was right, but he did one thing which all of us are thankful to him for: he kept the peace in the Middle East."

Newspaper columnists were far more blunt.

One comment by Aviad Pohoryles in the daily Maariv was entitled "A Bullet in the Back from Uncle Sam." It accused Obama and his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of pursuing a naive, smug, and insular diplomacy heedless of the risks.

Who is advising them, he asked, "to fuel the mob raging in the streets of Egypt and to demand the head of the person who five minutes ago was the bold ally of the president ... an almost lone voice of sanity in a Middle East?"

"The politically correct diplomacy of American presidents throughout the generations ... is painfully naive."

Obama on Sunday called for an "orderly transition" to democracy in Egypt, stopping short of calling on Mubarak to step down, but signaling that his days may be numbered.

"AMERICA HAS LOST IT"

Even the neocons and Israel's supporters in the US had a better grasp of reality:

U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), the most recent Democrat to Chair the House Subcommittee on the Middle East and the presumed Ranking Member of the panel, issued the following statement today on the crisis in Egypt:

"Like all Americans I have been watching events in Egypt and it has become clear that it's time for America to step off of the rhetorical tightrope and stand clearly with the people of Egypt in their struggle for freedom. The Egyptian people are in the midst of a crisis, and like anyone in crisis, they need to know who their friends are.

"While initially it may have been prudent for the Obama Administration to walk that rhetorical tight rope to keep the confidence of regional leaders, that moment has surely passed. By their passion, courage and sacrifice in the streets, Egyptians have proven beyond question that they are taking their government back and that the Mubarak-era of rule is ending.

"President Mubarak has been a valuable partner for the United States, but he has, by his own decisions and successive phony elections, shorn his rule of any mandate or legitimacy beyond that provided by force and arms. His last act of service to Egypt should be to facilitate a fast transfer of power to a transitional government that can prepare for free and fair elections.

"Accordingly, I believe the United States must suspend its assistance to Egypt until this transition is underway.

"The Egyptian people have made their wishes very clear: it is time for President Mubarak to step down and allow Egypt to move forward into a new era of democracy, human rights and the rule of law."

The Subcommittee on the Middle East has oversight towards U.S. policy towards Egypt and all countries in the Middle East. In his capacity on the panel, Ackerman has traveled to Egypt numerous times where he has met with President Mubarak and other government officials to discuss U.S.-Egypt relations, the Mid-East peace process and numerous other issues.

Once again Israel is demonstrating that it is it's own worse enemy. I guess I'm not surprised that Israel would be looking out for themselves first but I am surprised at the stupidity.  Over at Hot Air Allahpundit agrees:

Explain to me what the United States gains by sticking with Mubarak at this point, or what it would even mean to �stick with him� now. Realistically, the only way he holds onto power is by convincing the army to renege on its promise not to use force and to turn Tahrir Square into Tiananmen. If that happened, we�d lose any shred of goodwill we still have in the region and we�d end up dumping him anyway. Short of that, he�s finished; the best he can hope for, realistically, is to stay on a bit longer as the nominal leader of a transitional government in advance of elections. The outcome of those elections may be rotten, but it is what it is. Even if the U.S. declared unequivocal moral support for Mubarak in order to reassure the Saudis and Jordanians, watching him topple anyway would only remind them of how little leverage we have. Which is to say, there are no good outcomes here that involve Mubarak; in all likelihood, there are no good outcomes period. (There are certainly no good outcomes for Israel.) In fact, if Mubarak did somehow hold on, I wonder if his political near-death experience wouldn�t frighten him into turning belligerent towards Israel in order to shore up support among the public. The only option for the U.S. is to side with the opposition, however tentatively, and do what we can to get guarantees from them that they�ll keep a cold peace with Israel and keep the Suez Canal open. It is what it is, which is why even McConnell and Boehner are sympathetic to Obama�s handling of this thus far.

It's not often I find myself agreeing with something at Hot Air.