[Marxism] A dissipating Obama

[Louis Proyect]

 From the desk of Reuven Kaminer   July 28, 2009

Family Affairs

Obama’s ostensibly more realistic and sophisticated positions regarding 
foreign relations, which were supposed to have replaced US arrogance 
under Bush, are quickly dissipating.  No sooner does Obama embark on 
steps designed to improve the US image abroad, than key people in his 
administration such as Clinton and Biden come out with declarations 
echoing the “cold war” policies of the previous administration.

Here in the ME, Obama is losing positive momentum created by his Cairo 
speech.  His team, despite the addition of a “realist” diplomat here and 
there, is still the same old cluster of people whose main expertise is 
in organizing a peace process which is bereft of any substance at all. 
Since Obama’s real policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian issue is far 
from clear , there is room for endless diplomatic procrastination and 
bickering. How far can Obama go along the road to peace when he and his 
administration take care to remind us on every possible occasion that 
any differences with Israel are “in the family.”

In a recent statement at the beginning of the month,  Xavier Solana, the 
retiring EU Minister of Foreign Affairs and a pro-US, pro-NATO 
politician if there ever was one, proposed a serious alternative to the 
current “piece by piece” technique. Solana’s proposal demonstrated the 
gap between the Mitchell mission and real action on the 
Israel-Palestinian issue. Solana merely suggested moving the whole issue 
to the UN Security Council, including setting a tangible date to work 
out a clear compromise on the final status agreement. Of course, Israel 
rejected the idea in less than 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the US and other important players on the international scene 
are busy expressing their displeasure at Israel’s continuing settlement 
provocations beyond the Green Line (the June 1967 borders). While it is 
a pleasant diversion to watch the Israeli establishment writhe and 
squirm in the July heat, one fears that Obama is helping Bibi on the 
tactical level and falling into the old “piece by piece” trap.

It is hard to describe the paroxysms of simulated righteous indignation 
which seize Israeli leaders over U.S.   “intervention” in Israel’s 
“internal affairs.” Since holy Jerusalem was involved, the local media 
got busy declaring a new Israeli consensus supporting Netanyahu:

‘The U.S. position which challenges our sovereign rights in Jerusalem is 
totally unreasonable and simply unacceptable. Jerusalem was ours long 
before DC was built. It is impossible to understand that the US cannot 
understand this.’

Though it is clear to any serious observer that the excitement in Bibi’s 
outfit is pure hypocrisy, the U.S. behavior is actually helpful to 
Netanyahu on the tactical level. The demand for cessation of building, 
even in East Jerusalem, seems to the average Israeli as a concession, 
unless it appears as an element in real, practical negotiations on peace 
with the Palestinians. Serious, active negotiations are what are needed 
to convince public opinion that it is worth compromising to reach peace.

At this point, every diplomatic meeting here begins and ends with ritual 
declarations by the U.S. that Israel is our faithful ally, with common 
goals and interests. This catechism of “kutzenyu, mutsenyu” (intimate 
familiarity) merely increases Bibi’s credibility when he claims that 
there are no real problems in the “special alliance.” However, the U.S. 
is only fooling itself when it pretends that direct, genuine, productive 
negotiations in the region are possible while Bibi is in the Israeli 
driver’s seat.

In truth, the U.S. could get rid of Bibi or cut him down to size with 
relatively little effort. A demand for vigorous actions against the 
outposts would meet with general approval here and suffice to shatter 
Bibi’s coalition. The U.S. reticence to do some of the vital work to 
clear Israel’s political  swamp is another indicator that Washington is 
still far from being serious about real action for peace in the region.

It may be that Washington thinks that it has plenty of time to weaken 
Bibi’s power and prestige. This is another dangerous illusion. Cheap 
little chauvinist politicians like Bibi Netanyahu usually cultivate a 
gang of military strategists whose fondest dreams are to launch 
adventurous mega-provocations with gigantic destabilizing effects - 
perfectly designed to scuttle any possibilities for diplomatic progress. 
Uzi Arad, the Israeli choir master of the Dr. Strangelove disciples of 
the absolute deterrent, is only the tip of the non-conventional iceberg. 
The present Israeli coalition would prefer destabilization and chaos 
over the imposition of a just peace.

As George Mitchell, Bill Gates and James Jones come and go an eerie 
queasiness descends on the region. Is it really the case that 
Israeli-Palestinian peace is not urgent? Is it the least important 
element in this endless churning? One is tempted momentarily to believe 
that with all this motion something important must be happening on the 
peace front. However, despite al the diplomatic flurry, watching Bibi 
Netanyahu smirking at the head of a stable Israeli government should 
help to dispel any illusions.