More or less, he's doing what Netanyahu wanted him to be doing. What did Netanyahu decide was the correct response?
It turned out to be a swift kick to the groin. While he was visiting, the Israeli government announced it was building 1600 new settlement units in East Jerusalem. This means that the Americans can't even pretend there is a fake peace process ongoing. Biden only wanted Netanyahu to give him empty gestures, and he didn't even do that. Instead he spat in his face.
As punishment, Biden showed up 90 minutes late to a state dinner. I don't expect any more lasting change in America's Israel policy.
This is part of a larger pattern. Netanyahu is an Israeli right winger. He seems to have learned well from American right wingers how to deal with Democrats. No matter what they do, kick them in the crotch. If they do something you don't like, called them "communist Nazis" (Republican version), or accuse them of being against Israel. If they do something you like, slap them in the face. If they ask you to do something, refuse, and make a demand of them.
It's a test, to see how far you can go. If they don't resist, then you can push them further next time.
This works, because the Democrats have no self confidence, and no ideas of their own. On American issues, they are convinced that the Republicans are right, and that Republican ideas are popular. No matter how many seats they might win in an election, this attitude persists.
Thus the Democratic health care plan is very similar to the plan passed by Republican Mitt Romney in Massachusetts, or that proposed by the Republicans in 1994. They've tried to win Republican support by making concessions. When the Republicans snarled back at them, they watered it down further.
They filled their stimulus with tax cuts, and cut its size, to try and when Republican support. For this, the Republicans called them communists. They kept trying harder to please the Republicans after that.
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is a Republican. Chairman of the Fed Ben Bernanke is a conversative Republican. The Democrats didn't feel confident putting people of their own in place. They have more confidence in Republican ideas.
Barack Obama has continued most of Bush's policies, except with a more pleasant, erudite tone.
Regarding Israel, "there is no space"* between the two countries. They agreed with everything the most right wing Israelis say, and try their darnedest to make them happy.
Originally, Obama asked Netanyahu to make concessions. Netanyahu snarled. Obama backed down. This was a sign to the Israeli leader that he could push harder. If the Americans let this latest snub go, then it will be a sign that they can push for more in the future.
Meanwhile, American liberals haven't learned how to play the game. They focus on what can be done, and criticize those who call for better proposals as being "unrealistic". This means Obama faces no pressure from his left. So he tries to win the support of the frothing mad Republicans who accuse him of being a foreign born communo-Nazi-muslim-terrorist who is not being tough enough on security, and should be torturing more people.
Obama then makes concessions to the Republicans, to show that he's not like that at all. Really.
"Gee whiz, I'm really the sort of guy you should like, I swear. Please, please won't you tell me you like me? I'm doing all of these things you said you wanted."
The liberals need to learn the lesson that the Republicans and the Likud seem to have learned long ago. If you want a man with no self respect to do what you want, treat him like dirt. Make him try harder and harder to please you, and never, ever act satisfied. Maybe dangle a few hints that you'll do what he wants if he does something you want, first. Then once he expects you to return the favour, do it all over again.
It seems to work with Obama. The Democrats are the party of nerds. Republicans the party of the jocks and school yard bullies.
* If you want an example of how deep is Biden's true belief, here's a telling anecdote from Pat Lang, a former high official with the DIA:
" I was there with my Arab employer to visit the senator. the Arab didn't want anything except to meet Biden. He was foolish enough to think that an acquaintance with such people is a kind of talisman. It is not. The Arab made some pro forma positive reference to the "peace process." Biden flew into a rage, grew red in the face and shouted that this was an insincere lie and that his guest knew that it was only Arab stubbornness that prevented "little Israel' from living in peace. His "guest" sat through this with what dignity he could manage. I would have walked out on him if I had been alone."
He'll probably go back to his attitude that "there is no space between the two countries" soon enough, once he forgets about how angry he felt on this trip.
No comments:
Post a Comment