Tag Archives: Obama

March 23, 2015

Bibi Bashing. It’s all the Rage

By davidgroen1

Europe Gaza Protests

 

 

 

 

I don’t claim to have the entire corner on reality.  Although I am by no means deluded, I am a flawed individual and therefore never claim to be that much smarter than anyone else.  I do know however, that if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s not a dog.  No matter how many people say otherwise.

Let me first get something out of the way.  My personal feelings aside, I realize Benjamin Netanyahu is not liked by many people.  He is a strong-minded and ambitious politician who comes off to many as smug and arrogant.  Despite the fact that I do not share their sentiments, I realize there are even people who I have great respect for that feel that way.  That being said, the facts don’t completely change just because of a dislike for a leader’s personality or even his policy.

Popularity or lack thereof often seems to come in the form of a fad. I am by no means saying that there are not many people who have carefully thought out their reasons for bashing Benjamin Netanyahu every opportunity they get, but there are numerous people  out there who have remained silent and are only now speaking loudly about their dislike for the Israeli Prime Minister.  It’s a very polarizing issue.  Families and close friends will disagree vehemently over their feelings for him.  Non-Jews with marginal knowledge of foreign affairs now know who he is, with many having formed an opinion.  As is the case so often, people follow the hoards.

I am baffled by how so much of liberal politics has taken the form of sympathy for the Palestinians against the evil Israeli oppressors. But much of that is also caused by people being followers.  The proof of that lies in the existence of liberals who do indeed support Israel and recognize the fact that Israel lacks a true partner in the peace process.

A friend of mine once said that people buy with emotion and try to back it up with logic.  As the world is being sold a bill of goods regarding the situation in the Middle East, the salespeople are constantly scrambling to back up their anti-Israel rhetoric.  For the sake of making my argument I will pretend I not only dislike Benjamin Netanyahu, but I will go one step further and pretend I don’t agree with his policies.

So I begin by pretending that I agree with the notion that Netanyahu is an arrogant, racist, self-serving politician who has done more to hurt Israel and its relationship with the rest of the world than he has to help it.  I will pretend that I agree with the notion that he has shown American President Barack Obama no respect and is working against him in a way that is diametrically opposed to the great relationship between the United States and Israel.  I am pretending all this is true.  Now that I am doing this I have a few questions.

Has Iran threatened to annihilate Israel?

Has Israel ever suffered attacks from terrorist organizations?  Let be more specific with my question. Has Israel been attacked consistently by terrorists from Lebanon in the North, Gaza in the South, and the Palestinian Authority in the east?

Were there terrorists attacks before Benjamin Netanyahu was Prime Minister?

Did anti-Semitism exist before Benjamin Netanyahu was Prime Minister?

Have offers for peace agreements that could have possibly led to a two state solution been made by Netanyahu governments?

Has the Palestinian Authority repeatedly turned away offers made by Israel?

Was Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas formerly a member of the terrorist organization Fatah?

Did Abbas help fund the massacre at the Munich Olympics?

Have close to 200,000 people been killed in Syria’s civil war?

Did Hamas use its people as human shields?

The answer to all these questions is YES.

 

Now I have 2 more questions.

Do most of the people who bash Bibi know the name of the head of ISIS? (without googling)  It’s Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by the way.

Would Israel suddenly have willing peace partners in the region if Bibi was not Prime Minister?

The answer to both those questions is NO.

 

My point is not that Netanyahu is perfect.  I recently had a discussion with someone very close to me who does not share my affection for him at all.  Despite his feelings this person does not bash Bibi for sport.  In fact he clearly gets no pleasure at all in criticizing him.  He has his views, he speaks his views, but then supports Israel and its government with a passion and commitment greater than most of us, myself included.  There’s a difference between being someone with a free voice who utilizes it to criticize their leaders than those who bash a high-profile public figure just because it’s become popular and everyone else is doing it.

No one would ever admit to this, but I’ve watched over the years as opinions get formed, they gain traction, and then all of a sudden countless numbers share these opinions without ever having any facts to back them up.   If you want to disagree with Benjamin Netanyahu and produce facts that back up your argument, than I’ll listen.  If however you want to come at me with a statement like Israel is an apartheid state under Netanyahu, I may just ignore you. If all you can talk about is how evil Bibi is but you say nothing about Syria, ISIS, Boko Haram and many others, I will realize your agenda has nothing to do with bettering the human race.  And I will expect that in many cases, as soon as you find the next fad you’ll probably move on anyway.

 

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August 14, 2014

U.S. Policy Towards Israel:One Step Forward, Two steps Back

By davidgroen1

OBKThe most recent piece of bad news regarding the relationship between the United States and Israel is troubling regardless of which way it is spun.  It seems when presented with the choice of once again appearing incompetent on foreign affairs or publicly appearing at odds with Israel, the current administration prefers the latter, but in truth it is clearly both.

The worst thing about this story requires a moment of total objectivity, which means I will look at this as the American that I am without any consideration for my love of Israel and the Jewish people.  Unless I read this wrong, and I pray to God that I did, the White House and State Department were blindsided by the transfer of weapons to Israel on the authority of the Pentagon and stated that the White House and State Department need to be consulted before any future transfer of weapons takes place.  The idea that the administration does not know what the Pentagon is doing scares me silly.  That degree of incompetence is ominous at best and proves we are anything but safe.

On a more subjective note, as a Jew and a staunch supporter of Israel I am tired of this administration’s technique of taking one step forward and two steps back when it comes to its relationship with Israel.   Yes they have done some positive things for Israel, but this recent turn of events is one more example of an administration that seems to be doing everything it can to damage a relationship that past administrations not only appreciated, but understood the importance of, and in doing so is empowering the wrong people.  It’s not only bad for Israel, but bad for America and the entire Western World.

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August 2, 2014

And the DOPA goes to…

By davidgroen1

dove of peaceStarting today Holland’s Heroes is rolling out a new feature.  It is called the Dove of Peace Award (DOPA).  The DOPA will be presented to friends of Israel and the Jewish people who display exceptionally strong and vocal support when it is needed most.  The people I speak of are people who have a clear understanding of  the damage and carnage being caused by, and as a result of the actions of Hamas and terrorists organizations like it, as well as a clarity about Israel’s true motivation, PEACE.  Normally there will be one at a time with an unspecified degree of frequency, but since there were 4 people I wanted to start with today, I am starting with a countdown of my assessment of the 4 most deserving of this weeks DOPA’s.

NUMBER 4:

BOB SCHIEFFER

Bob Schieffer 715In an atypical fashion for a journalist of his tenure, Bob Schieffer gave his very strong opinion of the situation in Israel and Gaza, and in doing so quoted the late great Prime Minister of Israel Golda Meir.  Schieffer said the following:

In the Middle East, the Palestinian people find themselves in the grip of a terrorist group that has embarked on a strategy to get its own children killed in order to build sympathy for its cause, a strategy that might actually be working, at least in some quarters. Last week, I found a quote of many years ago by Golda Meir, one of Israel’s early leaders, which might have been said yesterday. “We can forgive the Arabs for killing our children, she said, “but we can never forgive them for forcing us to kill their children.”

FOR THESE COMMENTS BOB SCHIEFFER GETS A HOLLAND’S HEROES THANK YOU AND A DOPA!!

NUMBER 3:

SENATOR TED CRUZ

ted-cruz-has-just-wrapped-up-his-epic-21-hour-defund-obamacare-talk-a-thonLet me start with an overdue apology.  I once called Senator Cruz a sideshow act. Now I call him Senator Cruz and do so respectfully.  He has shown himself to be a consistently staunch supporter of Israel, has given one of the most impassioned speeches on the Senate floor  supporting Israel in the past few weeks, and has shown his sincerity even further by going across party lines and working with Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of NY in pushing for a resolution condemning Hamas.  Senator Cruz said the following:

“Hamas is undoubtedly guilty of violating international humanitarian law through its deliberate, repeated, and consistent use of civilians as human shields. “The United States of America, along with the entire international community must expose and denounce Hamas’ barbaric tactics and unequivocally support Israel’s right to self-defense.”

FOR HIS CONTINUING EFFORTS TED CRUZ GETS A HOLLAND’S HEROES THANK YOU AND A DOPA!!

 

NUMBER 2:

HOWARD STERN

866px-Howard_SternWhen I heard Howard Stern’s recent assessment of the situation in Israel and Gaza, I almost stopped writing in Holland’s Heroes.  There was nothing to add. He nailed it.  It is one of the best 5 minutes you will ever spend. CLICK HERE TO HEAR HIS SPEECH. Howard leaves no doubt as to what he thinks in this humorous, intelligent, and candid accounting of what is really happening in the Middle East.  Just be careful.  If you don’t like bad language you better find the edited version.  But let’s face it, some people deserve a Go F&*(& Yourself.

He said the following:

“Israel’s at no fault,” he said. “Jews get enough s**t all over the world … Jews are the indigenous people of that area. The Arabs don’t even want those Palestinians .. nobody wants them.  If you’re anti-Israel you’re anti-America. [It’s] the only democracy over there, the only friend we have .. who’s willing to fight and stand up for what’s right.”

FOR HIS STRONG SUPPORT OF ISRAEL HOWARD STERN GETS A HOLLAND’S HEROES THANK YOU AND A DOPA

NUMBER 1:

JON VOIGHT

Jon-Voight1I have to admit, I loved Howard Stern’s 5 minute speech so much, I could listen to it 10 times a day.  So then why does Jon Voight get number 1? Because in his support and defense of Israel one forgets Jon Voight isn’t Jewish.  When he gets going he sounds as passionate as someone who was born and raised Jewish and conscience of Israel and the Jewish world.  And he not only shows his support, he makes it an obvious priority in a way that shows it is not only important, it is personal.  His passion is so strong he even goes after the administration.

Jon Voight said the following:

Instead of telling Hamas to stop sending rockets into Israel aimed at its civilian population, [Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry] say Israel has to stop killing civilians. What a travesty of justice! Every patriotic America- Jew and non-Jew alike- must show their outrage and that we will not tolerate propaganda and lies about Israel being the aggressors and suppressors of the Palestinians.”

FOR HIS STRONG SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE JON VOIGHT GET’S A HOLLAND’S HEROES THANK YOU AND A DOPA.

 

dove of peaceIf you have anyone you want to nominate for future DOPAs please feel free to leave a comment on this page.

 

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July 28, 2014

American Pressure on Israel: Fundraising, dislike, or fear?

By davidgroen1

Barack ObamaIn the name of integrity I must start by confessing that I voted for this administration twice. So when I criticize its actions I also on some levels criticize my choice. Be that as it may, there are many issues to consider when analyzing an American administration’s attitude towards Israel. In fairness it needs to be said that the United States of America has always been a friend of Israel’s, and the funding of Iron Dome under the Obama presidency clearly needs to be appreciated. With that said, why is Israel’s most important friend trying to push it towards unacceptable agreements with a terrorist organization? There are 3 possible reasons and none of them make the U.S. look good nor are they helpful to the overall situation.

The first possibility, and clearly the most cynical one, is that a President who is a master fundraiser is in some ways fundraising by showing poor support for Israel. When we hear that Qatar, a wealthy nation with money to burn, is supporting Hamas, it has to be considered that they are using their financial clout to influence the president and this government. With a U.S. economy floundering and an Arab nation with the potential ability to hold financial leverage over many people, companies and even nations, the power of money can’t be ignored. I stop short of making accusations of personal financial corruption because such claims being made without evidence is irresponsible, but to say that Qatar can use its money for influence is not only accurate, but realistic.

The second possibility, which is one that many Jews and supporters of Israel gravitate towards is a dislike for Israel, particularly towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. I won’t analyze this because the actions are very clear and out in the open, and since some are supportive of Israel and some are not, without a clear declaration of intent we just don’t know how Obama and his cabinet feels. I can only hold out hope that there is enough competence in this administration to at least make decisions based on assessment on what is the best move and not on personal likes or dislikes. We just can’t be sure.

The third choice, and the one I will go on record as thinking is the most likely one, is fear. Fear on many levels. Fear of escalation, fear of confrontation, fear of terrorist reprisals on U.S. soil, but most of all basic fear of the enemy. I know there are those who will read this that feel President Barack Obama is complicit with Islamic fundamentalists, but for the sake of sanity I will work from the assumption that this president does not intend to destroy the United States and western civilization. I do however feel that he is scared of the consequences connected with opposing Muslim fundamentalists. It shows with his inaction in Iraq, where the rise of ISIS may be the single most dangerous thing happening on the planet today, it shows with his approach towards Iran and North Korea, and it shows with his lack of conviction against Hamas, a terrorist organization very capable of organizing attacks on the United States in the future.

Here’s the concerning catch to all of this. Despite the fact that blaming it on fear is less cynical and callous than the other choices, it may be the most dangerous. An American government working from fear gives strength to the forces of evil that previously were held in check by this great country. If America as a nation shows fear, it emboldens the enemy, and once they get too strong there may be no turning back.

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November 6, 2012

And the Winner is…..You

By davidgroen1

Those of you who know me somewhat well, most likely know who I intend to vote for tomorrow.   It is however, of no significance to this particular post.  In fact, this post can very likely be described as being apolitical.   I will not be making an argument for one candidate or another tonight.  This does not mean I am not taking a stand or that I am ashamed of my vote.  My reasons for making this, what I hope is a very noncontroversial post, are not important.  What is important in my opinion is that we understand truly how fortunate we are to live in a country where we have a genuine opportunity to choose our leaders, where we can verbally attack our leaders if we so desire, and where we can battle those who hold different opinions from what we believe.

I started this website to promote the book Jew Face.  Tonight, although I am not writing about the subject matter in the book, I find it very easy to draw a connection between Election Day and the events in Europe between 1933 and 1945.

I have watched over these past months as the attacks on ideologies and candidates has become more and more intense and less and less subtle.  The people with the loudest voices on social media certainly do not fall into the “Undecided” category.  They make their points unapologetically, they often hold nothing back, and if you choose to challenge them, you better be prepared to take what they throw at you.  Let me make two enormously important points.  First of all, these people are on both sides of the political aisle.  I am by no means implying one side is less passionate than the other.  The second point, but probably the more important one, is that the intensity and passion these people feel for their viewpoint is by no means a bad thing.  If these people are good or bad people, it is not for me to judge, but I will say that I do not believe that judgment should be made by whether or not they vote for Obama or Romney.

These people I am referring to are Americans.  I am an American.  I am proud of being an American.  I am proud of all that I am. I am so very proud of being Jewish and I am very proud of my Dutch background.  But tomorrow, all that matters is that I am an American.  And when I look at what my parents and all of Europe went through under Hitler’s dictatorship and we hear the stories today of what still takes place in countries run by people who would crush those who passionately disagree, dare I say even hate their leaders or candidates, I am so tremendously proud and grateful to be an American.

Our leaders will always make mistakes.  I guarantee you that whoever wins tomorrow, over the next 4 years he will make some mistakes.  But what I also know is that, not even based on the morals of the individuals but on the strength in the system, if you speak to a crowd or post all over Facebook that you hate your president, your basic human rights will not be taken from you.  I know that the extremely passionate amongst you might say, “that might not stay the same if the wrong guy wins”.  The great thing  is that you have the right to say that and no one can ever take that right away from you.  And no country in history has defended that right like the United States of America.

So when you get up tomorrow, and hopefully cast your vote, be thankful that you live in a country where you not only do not need to hide who you are voting for, but even if you wish you had a better choice, you still do have a choice.  And the best part is, that in this country you are the only one who needs to feel it is the right choice.

 

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