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Slight Shift in Obama Policies Detected
Jul 3rd, 2009
Daily NewsArutz Sheva - Hillel Fendal
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel;Peace Process

 
Arab intransigence and the realization that Iran nukes might be more important than Jewish houses are leading the Obama administration to a slight shift in policy.

The San Francisco Sentinel reports that “the U.S. administration has not been successful in securing commitments from Arab countries to take steps toward normalizing relations with Israel.” Similar reports, all based on “Jerusalem government sources,” appear in other news sources around the world.

The reports say that not only would Arab countries, led by Saudi Arabia, not move towards normalization with Israel while Israel continues with settlement construction, but they would also not do so even if Israel agrees to freeze building in Judea and Samaria.

“In such a situation,” the source is quoted as saying, “the Americans can’t continue demanding gestures only from Israel, such as the demand that Israel freeze settlement construction.”

Ex-Ambassador: There Were Bush-Sharon Understandings

In addition, former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Zalman Shoval says he notices the first signs of a slight change in the Obama administration’s emphasis. 

“I have just returned from a series of important and interesting talks with leaders in Washington,” Shoval told Arutz-7’s Hebrew newsmagazine, “including heads of the previous administration, such as former National Security Council head Stephen Hadley and Elliott Abrams. They all confirmed what was publicized this week, that there were understandings between the Bush Administration and Ariel Sharon [that Israel could continue settlement construction after the Disengagement from Gush Katif – ed. They even drew the maps for me, and I am certain that the Obama administration knows these facts too.”

Shoval said that there is a willingness in Washington “to find solutions for the mini-crisis that has arisen on the matter of settlements. The Americans realize that this dispute has grown out of proportion, and that there are more important things than the settlements – for instance, the recent events in Iran.”

Question Mark About US Iran's Policy

Shoval says the Americans are beginning to rethink their policy vis-à-vis Iran: “They see a large question mark about their policy until now, because everyone now understands that Ahmadinajad and Khamenei have entrenched themselves into their regime once again, and the chance for dialogue with them is very slim. This regime has revealed itself to be extremist – not only towards the world, but even towards its own people – and American public opinion will no longer accept the concept of dialogue with such a government. Even the media there, which until now has supported Obama, have begun attacking the government. There is criticism not only about Iran, but even regarding statements by some Obama people that understandings were not reached in the past regarding the settlements.”

PA Arabs in Late Response to Obama Speech: No, We Can't
Jul 3rd, 2009
Daily NewsArutz Sheva - Maayana Miskin
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel;Peace Process

 
A poll released this week showed that PA Arabs are reluctant to grant rights to Jews or Christians within areas demanded for a PA state. A survey conducted by the Arab World for Research and Development among 1,200 Arab residents of Judea, Samaria and Gaza found that did not feel Jerusalem should be shared with Jews and Christians.

When asked to what extent they agreed with a statement made by United States President Barack Obama that Jerusalem should be “a secure and lasting home for Jews and Christians and Muslims,” less than 17 percent said they agree, while 20 percent said they “somewhat agree.” More than 42 percent said they disagree with the statement, while 17 percent “somewhat disagree.”

NEA to consider full support of homosexual 'marriage'
Jul 3rd, 2009
Daily NewsOneNewsNow - Pete Chagnon
Categories: Today's Headlines;Moral Decline

The co-founder of the National Education Association (NEA) Conservative Educators Caucus says the NEA will consider adoption of a resolution supporting homosexual "marriage."

The NEA is currently holding its annual convention in San Diego, California. Educator and conservative activist Jeralee Smith called OneNewsNow from the convention to report that the executive council has approved language that will throw the full support of the NEA behind same-gender marriage, homosexual adoption, and other issues surrounding the homosexual agenda.
 
"They will help to overturn legislation that is discriminatory against same-sex couples," she notes. "And then there is one little bullet about [how] they will recognize that marriage has a religious connotation and it's not compatible with beliefs and values -- because of that they recognize that certain churches should not be forced to conduct same-sex marriage."
 
Smith says the resolution could be voted on as early as midday Friday or as late as Tuesday of next week. She points out this is not the first political issue the NEA has undertaken. The NEA gave $50 million to help elect President Obama in 2008.

Israel sends sub through Suez Canal
Jul 3rd, 2009
Daily NewsJpost
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel;Warning

  After a long hiatus, the Israeli Navy has returned to sailing through the Suez Canal, recently sending one of its advanced Dolphin-class submarines through the waterway to participate in naval maneuvers off the Eilat coast in the Red Sea.

IDF sources said the decision to allow navy vessels to sail through the canal was made recently and was a definite "change of policy" within the service. In 2005, then OC Navy Adm. David Ben-Bashat decided to stop sending Israeli ships through the canal due to growing threats in the area.

However, the Dolphin-class submarine sailed through last month to get from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. Israeli officials said it passed through the canal above water, and that it was not done covertly.

"It is a question of policy," a senior officer explained. "Navy vessels have sailed through the canal on several occasions recently."

The significance of the move was debatable, but it could be interpreted as a message to Iran and a demonstration of strengthening ties between Egypt and Israel.

In the event of a conflict with Iran, and if Israel decided to involve its three Dolphin-class submarines - which according to foreign reports can fire nuclear-tipped cruise missiles and serve as a second-strike platform - the quickest route would be to send them through the Suez Canal.

The only way to get to the Gulf of Oman without refueling would be to go through the canal. With their reported 4,500 nautical mile range, taking the long way, around Africa, would require the Dolphins to make at least two stops for refueling at a friendly port, or for fuel to be replenished at sea.

Iranian Expert: Obama Leading to Calamity
Jul 3rd, 2009
Daily NewsArutz Sheva - Hillel Fendel
Categories: One World Church;Warning

 
Uri Lubrani, a former Israeli Ambassador to Iran and considered one of Israel’s top experts on Iran, says United States policies are leading inexorably to a tragedy.

Speaking with the Makor Rishon newspaper, Lubrani said, “Obama says he wants to reach an arrangement with the Iranians regarding a halt to the enrichment of uranium. In my best judgment, there is no chance of this happening. Iran of today is not the Iran of a month ago, before the riots, and the conditions in which the Americans had prepared for talks after the elections are no longer the same.”

“I fear that the Americans don’t know what to do,” Lubrani said, “but have don’t yet realize that they don’t know what to do. A tragedy is unfolding in front of our eyes. The tragedy is that the American administration actually will come to the conclusion, at the end, that negotiations have no chance – but they will reach this conclusion a year or two too late, and in the meanwhile, the nuclear clock is ticking.”

Obama to AP

Obama himself has noted that the situation in Iran has changed in recent weeks, but he has not mentioned any changes in his own policy. In response to a question from an Associated Press interviewer on Thursday, he said his is “not reconciled with [having to live with a nuclear-armed Ira, and I don't think the international community is reconciled with that. Now, how we get from what we know is required for international security — which is a nuclear-free Iran — how we get from here to there is a big challenge. And it's gotten more difficult in light of what's happened post-election in Iran.”

Battle for EU president post commences
Jul 3rd, 2009
Daily NewsAFP
Categories: Today's Headlines;Peace Process;World Government

While Jose Manuel Barroso seeks to secure a second term as head of the European Commission, a new battle has broken out for a post that doesn't even exist yet -- that of EU president.

The question of who will secure the prize of Europe's top job will be one of the main issues of Sweden's six-months at the EU helm which got underway Wednesday.

The post of President of the European Council is enshrined in the EU's reforming Lisbon Treaty, which can't come into force until all 27 member states have ratified it. So far only 23 nations have completed that process.

Whoever is picked for the job would serve a two-and-a-half-year term, renewable once.

The new top job is also aimed at finally answering former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's famous 1970 question: "Who do I call if I want to call Europe?"

If the Lisbon Treaty does get the greenlight, notably at a second Irish referendum on the subject due in October, it will be up to the member states to pick the first EU president.

One of the leading, if undeclared, candidates so far is ex-British prime minister Tony Blair, the perfect choice for those seeking a high-profile former national head.

'We're in the Middle of a Crash': Black Swan
Jul 3rd, 2009
Daily Newscnbc
Categories: Today's Headlines;Warning

The financial system is crashing and action must be taken by the US government to convert debt into equity to produce a more stable environment, Nassim Taleb, author of "The Black Swan," told CNBC Thursday.

"You may have green shoots, whatever you want to call them, you may have temporary relief, but you are still in a world that's breaking," Taleb said on "Squawk Box."

Anything that's fragile like the financial system will eventually crash, he said.

"We're in the middle of a crash," Taleb said. "So if I'm going to forecast something, it is that it's going to get worse, not better."

The government needs to deleverage debt and not try stimulus packages that will inflate assets, he said.

"What makes me very pessimistic in not seeing any leadership or awareness on parts of government on what has to be done, which is deleverage $40-to-$70 trillion," Taleb said.

"The monkey on our back is debt," he added.

As an example, Taleb said banks should not be sending demands for larger and larger sums from homeowner in arrears on their mortgage. Instead the bank should offer to lower the monthly payments in return for part-ownership of the property.

"People would be able to start from scratch on a healthy basis. You don't want to wait for foreclosure," he said.