Obama Succeeds Changing Palestinian Israeli Relations

During the campaign and after taking office, President Obama placed changing the environment of the stagnant Palestinian Israeli Peace Process. His initial idea of pushing the Israelis to freeze building past the Green Line, even including around Jerusalem, definitely pushed the Peace Process into virgin territory. Despite the Israeli comprehensive building freeze, against the better judgment of many in the ruling coalition, had the affect of hardening the position of the Palestinians who adopted an attitude of noncooperation holding out for additional concessions. The end result of President Obama’s radical activist intervention was new hope for the Palestinian leadership who saw the potential for their dreams to be answered, finally have an American President who was placing new pressures and demands on Israel while not requiring reciprocal concessions from them. When after almost the entire ten month freeze had expired and it became apparent that no additional demands were forthcoming on the Israelis, Mahmoud Abbas met once in Washington where there was a great shaking of hands, then refused to further meetings until the freeze was extended indefinitely.

Since the expiration of the building freeze, which the Israelis fulfilled their entire commitment despite the ineffectiveness, there has been extensive maneuvering by both sides, making moves, stipulating positions, demanding concessions, pressing Obama to impose on the other side, standing on presumptive principles, expressing disappointments and claiming intransigence by the other side. Despite more heated friction between the two sides, they have hardened their positions and none of the heat generated has warmed the possibilities for peace. The appearances of give and take has mostly turned out to be more grabbing and attempting to take than even the slightest instance of giving. All of this frantic flurry of fakes and feints has resembled the Keystone Cops more than skillful negotiations by an experienced diplomatic corps.

The latest volleys released from each side have included demands that are more posturing than actual honest expectations. The Palestinians insisted that the building freeze be extended for as long as the negotiations were continued. Israel countered with extending the freeze for a set number of months providing the Palestinians recognized Israel’s right to exist as the Jewish State. The Palestinians stood firm that such recognition was absolutely beyond the pale. The Palestinians opened the next salvo demanding that Israel guarantee the return to the Green Line 1948 armistice lines. Israel restated their intent to never again divide Jerusalem, stating it is their eternal indivisible capital. The Palestinians claimed the Temple Mount and Old City of Jerusalem, once again declaring their Muslim roots and denying the validity of any Jewish historical claims.

While this vortex of accusations and demands continued, the United Nations refused to be denied their moment in the limelight. UNESCO stepped forward declaring Rachel’s Tomb and the Cave of the Patriarchs to be Mosques with no Jewish history or significance. Not to be outdone, the Palestinians followed this up claiming the Kotel, the Western Wall, was built as part of the al-Aska Mosque further stating that there was no archeological evidence to the contrary. Then, this past week the United Nations General Assembly voted to schedule another Durban Conference to be held in New York on September 21, 2011, ten days after the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The stated agenda for the tenth anniversary of the Durban Conference is to revisit the agenda from the first Durban Conference held in Durban, South Africa where the Muslim and Arab countries supported by the non-aligned nations, numerous nations from Africa, and a plethora of NGO’s convicted Israel of responsibility for virtually every ill in the history of mankind, or at least since 1948. Also vilified at the first Durban Conference was the United States in particular, and the West in general. There was absolutely no mention of any other country having participated in any criminal activities or violence.

All in all, since President Obama took to the world stage to repair America’s image and bring peace to Israel, the Palestinians, the Middle East, and end human suffering wherever it was to be found, the world sure has changed. We have Lebanon on the brink of war, North and South Korea in the initial stages of war, the world economy in a total and complete shambles, anti-Semitism reaching levels not seen since World War Two, Iran at the cusp of becoming a nuclear power, and America’s image in the world reaching all time lows. President Obama sure has succeeded at far more than simply changing Palestinian Israeli relations, but the question is are these changes heading the world in the right direction?

Beyond the Cusp

Shortcomings, Misdirection, or Wrong Direction

Lately, the lack of actionable response to the exploding situations around the world by our current leadership, such as it is, will only result in further escalations and new breakouts in even additional places currently just simmering needing just a slight push to rise to volatile and unstable situations. A short list, which is anything but comprehensive, gives a clue to the severity of situations threatening to topple the world from its current balance on the edge of the razor. Not in my lifetime have I seen the world in such a peril filled set of situations, not even during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Recently, from North Korea we had the revelation of their advanced centrifuge systems processing uranium to supplement their known plutonium nuclear program. When these facts did not get a rise, not even a small ripple in the waters, from the leadership of the free world, North Korea took further advantage with the deadly day long artillery barrage of what they believe to be a contested island in coastal waters. Such brazen aggression is solely made possible due to the timid, feckless lack of convictions or principles that is indicative of the soul of the Obama Administration complimented by a growing military and economic influence from the quiet giant of the Far East, China. Iran, despite serious conflict between a large sector of their society as well as severe splits between many in the Parliament in opposition to President Amademajad and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, still is preceding full speed towards nuclear weaponry. What has finally been admitted by some in the West is the dark truth that even should the leadership in Iran change and fall to the so-called opposition, the pursuit for nuclear weapons expressly to be used for the destruction of the Zionist Entity, Israel, would continue unabated.

Another area of concern would be fellow NATO member state, Turkey. As I noted many times early in the life of Beyond the Cusp, Turkey has turned to the Islamic Sharia Law infected world. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Islamic Fundamentalist leaning Justice and Development Party has allied themselves with Iran. Turkey has even set aside the misgivings between Syria and Turkey to facilitate joining the Iranian run alliance. In the last few days, Prime Minister Erdogan has taken a trip to Beirut Lebanon making the threat to stand with Hezballah against any interference by Israel should Hezballah decide to take power through a coup. This anticipated coup to replace the remnants of a free Lebanon with the Iranian proxy and terrorist group Hezballah is anticipated to follow immediately after the release of the findings of the United Nations Special Tribunal into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri that leaks have led to the presumption that high ranking leaders of Hezballah will be implicated in the assassination. Hezballah has already had the ability to veto any action attempted by the Lebanese Parliament for a number of years putting them in virtual control of Lebanon. Once they have completely taken control of the governance via a coup, Hezballah will act as the Iranian proxy rulers of Lebanon leaving solely Iraq between Iran and complete control over the heart of the Middle East stemming from Iran through Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and also Gaza under the oppressive rule of the terror group Hamas.

Iraq and Afghanistan are another set of thorny disputes of ever growing concern. In both countries, Iran has been implemented playing a duplicitous role, offering support and encouragement to the formal governments while also arming and giving other support to the terror groups such as the Taliban and al-Queda in Afghanistan and Muqtada al Sadr and al-Queda in Iraq. This has allowed Iran to hold sway no matter who should end up with control in Afghanistan or Iraq. In the meantime, Iran simply bides its time waiting for the promised draw-down of American and allied troops from both theaters before taking steps to consolidate their influence, if not take total control over each country. Much of Iranian interference has been in conjunction with the Islamist influences inside Pakistan, another place playing both sides against the middle. All of this is being conducted with a minimum of secrecy or concealment of their intent. Despite these relatively obvious ploys by Iran, the current American policy is to draw down combat troop presence in both Iraq and Afghanistan to a point where their presence could be construed as meaningless as far as being an impediment to any moves Iran might make to take control. The only thing the few trainers that would remain could provide are as hostages held by Iran, a use they have proven throughout the Islamic rule to be very fond of using.

The last arena I will cover concerns Israel and her immediate neighbors. We have already pointed out the Iranian influence on much of Israel’s borders with controlling influence over Syria, Hezballah, Hamas, and lately, Turkey. Further muddying of this area has had muted coverage in the world press. That is the attempted mass terror attacks against the ruling family of Jordan, probably one of the few actual peaceful neighbors in the Israeli neighborhood. Egypt has held a cold, but mostly quiet peace with Israel. This could quickly change when Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak gives up his ruling position and allow conditions of the Muslim Brotherhood sweeping open elections, which would probably be the last free elections for quite some time. One must recall that the Muslim Brotherhood is one of the oldest and most influential Islamist organizations in the world. Despite the fact that the Muslim Brotherhood takes great pains to avoid being directly linked to any terror act, they are the parent organization behind Hamas, al-Queda, and numerous other terror supporting and terror sponsoring groups around the globe. The Muslim brotherhood also has ties to CAIR, ISNA, and other so-called Islamic Rights and Fundraising Charities active in the United States and the West who operate what is referred to as “Stealth Jihad.” Such a change in the leadership in Egypt would negate the peace with Israel. Syria has been making pushes to have the Golan Heights returned to their control, even if they have to promise a peace with Israel, one that would be as well enforced as the supposed peace resulting from Israeli disengagement from Gaza. The consequences of Syria being enabled to use the Golan Heights as a sniper haven would reach much farther into Israel than Hamas has from Gaza. Vast amounts of Israeli farmland and her heartlands would become shooting galleries for Syrian snipers, artillery and rockets. The last front facing Israel is the Palestinian occupied areas of Samaria and Judea. Should Israel be forced by world pressures to surrender the historic Jewish heartlands for the formation of an additional Palestinian State on top of Jordan, the original Palestinian State, within weeks Hamas would execute another coup thus establishing their rule over all of the new Palestinian entity. This would complete the encircling of Israel by her most viscous enemies, the growing empire of Iran. This would become increasingly evident as the Egyptian and Turkish navies and air forces, which were built by the United States, would complete the encirclement by swarming the Mediterranean coastline of Israel. The future for the Israeli little corner of the world looks perilous and fraught with danger. It seems that another full-blown war to drive the Jews into the Sea is unavoidable, dependent solely on the Israeli surrender of Judea and Samaria to Arab and Muslim control.

All of these situations do not include some other ominous and complex circumstances on the economic front and as a result of out of control immigration of nonassimilating peoples. Europe is having desperate problems in both areas with many European Union participating countries teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. Another majority of European countries are also having growing unrest caused by immigrant peoples who are insisting that the European societies bend before their demands to drastically alter the basis of their traditions in order to implement a new base of laws. The United States is not as close to the abyss of oblivion as are much of Europe, but America is closing the gap at an alarming pace. But these difficulties shall await another time to allow me to close this already too all-encompassing article.

Beyond the Cusp

Oklahoma Refused More Than Just Sharia Law

Once again, here in Oklahoma, we get to hear the cacophony of righteous indignation from the usual suspects who cry, “Islamophobia”, at the drop of a hat, or the passing of a common sense referendum on the ballot this past Tuesday. It was listed as “State Question No. 755” and “Legislative Referendum No. 355.” The descriptive Subject was, “Courts to rely on federal and state laws when deciding cases forbidding courts from looking at international law or Sharia Law.” And finally, the comprehensive descriptive content stated, “This measure amends the State Constitution. It changes a section that deals with the courts of this state. It would amend Article 7, Section 1. It makes courts rely on federal and state law when deciding cases. It forbids courts from considering or using international law. It forbids courts from considering or using Sharia Law.
International law is also known as the law of nations. It deals with the conduct of international organizations and independent nations, such as countries, states and tribes. It deals with their relationship with each other. It also deals with some of their relationships with persons.
The law of nations is formed by the general assent of civilized nations. Sources of international law also include international agreements, as well as treaties.
Sharia Law is Islamic law. It is based on two principal sources, the Koran and the teaching of Mohammed.”

For the record, this item passed easily receiving 695,568 in favor versus 296,903 against. This was almost 70% for and 30% against, a major landslide, which was obviously garnering bipartisan support from all factions in Oklahoma. It is extremely rare to find any political subject that would receive such support. Despite this limitation placed upon adjudication restricting judges to implementing solely United States Federal Laws and Oklahoma State Laws thus protecting the residents of Oklahoma from foreign laws no matter the originating country as well as international laws created by the United Nations, European Union, NGO’s, the World Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, or any other legislative or adjudicating body. Despite the stated complaint by many Islamic organizations, this was not a law intended to deny Muslims from practicing their religion, nor did it derive support from Islamophobia. This was driven by the people of Oklahoma desiring to limit the courts to applying only those laws over which the citizens of Oklahoma have the ability to influence through legal and legislative avenues available to them as Americans. This initiative had the simple intent to deny the influence of laws decided by means of which the people of Oklahoma have no avenue of redress to affect change should they disagree with the content of said laws. Sharia Law was not the single target, it was simply one of the more recognizable systems of laws that could be used and receive universal recognition. The people who spoke in favor of this referendum initiative before the election stressed with equal, if not superior, representation laws made by the United Nations and the numerous other bodies who influence international laws usually referred to as the “Laws of Nations.”

As a citizen of Oklahoma, I can tell you why I supported this initiative. Yes, it disallowing the application of Sharia Law was one of many reasons behind my support, but it was not the primary reason. My primary reason for supporting this referendum was to make sure that at no time in the future would the United Nations efforts to make private individual firearm ownership illegal. I also wanted to remove any chance that laws of the European Union or many of the European countries could even find their way into our courts as the laws in Europe concerning libel, slander, self-defense, freedom of speech, and numerous other freedoms held dear to me as an American are as foreign as is Sharia Law. My reasons for supporting this referendum was solely due to the fact that I already fear much of the direction laws have taken here in America, I sure do not wish to open the flood gates to even harsher laws of oppression that exist elsewhere throughout the globe.

Beyond the Cusp