Author Archives: Soccerdad

About Soccerdad

I'm a government bureaucrat with delusions of literacy.

The sport of Bibi bashing

There’s something tasteless about headlining a “news analysis” Keeping score on Obama vs. Netanyahu (via memeorandum), but I suppose there will be a lot of this over the next three or four years as the media try to score points … Continue reading

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Synagogue bomb plot foiled

A number of media outlets are reporting that a cell of Islamic converts were foiled in an attempt to blow up New York area synagogues. The New York Times reports: Four men were arrested Wednesday night in what the authorities … Continue reading

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The settlement panacea

In Upping the ante on Israel, David Ignatius notes that President Obama has asked the Arab world to start normalization with Israel. To give Israel some quick tangible benefits, the United States wants the Arabs to begin normalizing relations with … Continue reading

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Between Erakat and a hard place

Saeb Erakat’s CV: His campus politicking notwithstanding, Erekat had in mind for himself a career in academics. After returning home in 1979, he got a teaching job at An-Najah National University at Nablus on the West Bank but soon won … Continue reading

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Getting nervous

Yesterday, the Jerusalem Post reported that two accused Lebanese spies for Israel and their families fled to Israel. Two Lebanese citizens suspected of spying for Israel have fled the country and crossed the heavily fortified border into Israel, a senior … Continue reading

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Bibi – dishonestly and honestly

Scott MacLeod judges Binyamin Netanyahu based on Aaron David Miller’s memoirs. Frankly, I think his account says a lot about Miller and ex-President Clinton – and little of it good. (Nor do I think much of MacLeod who takes Miller … Continue reading

Posted in Iran, Israel, Israel Derangement Syndrome | Tagged | 1 Comment

War by other means

In Mideast Contest of wills, Jackson Diehl outlines the likely priorities of both President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu. Contrary to what it would like Iran and the rest of the world to believe, Israel would not attack Tehran’s nuclear … Continue reading

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Jolly Roger

Roger Cohen, who has spent the last several months arguing that Iran is moderate because only 75% of its Jews chose to or were able to leave, is at it again ahead of President Obama’s meeting with Prime MInister Netanyahu. … Continue reading

Posted in Iran, Israel | Tagged | 1 Comment

Skunk’d

Barry Rubin identifies two types of unrealistic realists This is explained by saying that the practitioners weren’t good enough–“I’m smarter or more charming than they were,” which today seems to be what President Barack Obama is saying–or didn’t try hard … Continue reading

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The coming confrontation?

For now I’m going to persist in my illusion that Binyamin Netanyahu and Barack Obama are not headed for a major showdown next week when they meet. Steve Rosen wrote: The commentariat and the blogs are full of predictions that … Continue reading

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Two state confusion

Tony Karon writes this bit of inanity in his survey of President Obama’s foreign policy challenges: Unlike Netanyahu, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is fully committed to the two-state solution being championed by the Obama Administration. The problem, however, is … Continue reading

Posted in Israel, Israel Derangement Syndrome, palestinian politics | Tagged | 5 Comments

The world’s smallest violin for Syria

Syria’s upset: Syria’s Tishrin newspaper said U.S. policies of isolation, blockades and sanctions adopted by the former U.S. administration “have put the United States in an intractable impasse.” It said Washington can reverse this path if it stepped up its … Continue reading

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When Bibi meets Barack

I don’t doubt that Prime Minister Netanyahu will have a major challenge next week when he meets with President Obama. But the chances for his success are not insurmountable. The problems he goes in with are that the President has … Continue reading

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An agenda for J-Street

Short New York Times editorial: When PM Netanyahu visits with President Obama, Netanyahu ought to listen to his superior and faithfully do all that the President, in his infinite wisdom, asks him to do. The NYT has a perfectly obnoxious … Continue reading

Posted in Israel, Israel Derangement Syndrome | Tagged , | 1 Comment

National brotherhood week

Back in March 2000, Pope John Paul visited Israel and held an interfaith meeting. After then Chief Rabbi Lau spoke and caused a bit of an uproar by claiming that the Pope had recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Then Sheikh … Continue reading

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