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10 November 2012 By Stephen
Lendman Haaretz used most of its November
7 issue covering it. Doing so reflects the importance
of America to Israeli interests. Netanyahu and Obama don't like
each other. Nonetheless, the Israeli prime minister
extended congratulatory best wishes, saying: "The strategic alliance between
Israel the U.S. is stronger than ever. I will continue
to work with President Obama to protect the security
interests of Israeli citizens." Expect both leaders to continue
working with each other normally. Personal likes and
dislikes won't interfere. Even when doing so harms US
interests, American presidents and Congress yield to
Israeli Lobby pressure. In September, a nonbinding sense
of the Senate resolution reminded Obama in case he
forgot. At issue was open friction with Netanyahu. Senators voted 90 - 1 for action
against Iran to prevent it developing nuclear weapons.
It was a thinly veiled pro-Netanyahu motion. Senators
supported him over their own president. It shows the
power of Israeli influence in America. Netanyahu accepted Obama's
victory. He expressed certainty of continued US
support. It's forthcoming no matter who governs both
countries. Defense Minister Ehud Barak
congratulated Obama first, saying: "I have no doubt that the Obama
administration will continue with its policy of
supporting Israel's security, and with its effort to
confront the obstacles facing all of us in our region,
to help advance the political process." "I believe that in the tradition
of the deep friendship we have formed with President
Obama, we will be able to overcome the difference of
positions as much as possible. I wish Obama success in
all the tasks before him." Other Israeli Knesset members and
US ambassador Michael Oren extended their own best
wishes. Relations between both countries won't
change. Exit polls showed Obama won 69%
of America's Jewish vote. Gallup estimated he'd win
from 65 - 70%. In 2008, he got nearly 75%. Haaretz contributor Amos Harel
said "Iran to take center state again on" Obama's
agenda. He never "threw Israel under the bus." He
prioritizes what's important to both countries.
They're in lockstep on most issues. Very much so on
Iran. Longstanding policies pursue
regime change. At times, tactics and timing
differences surface. Obama "is the first American
president to back up the tough public line against
Iran with even tougher sanctions, and it was he who
more than any previous president contributed toward
the strengthening of defense aid to Israel, as Defense
Minister Ehud Barak stated in a line that was widely
quoted by the Democrats in their effort to court the
Jewish vote." Americans vote their pocketbook
and other domestic issues. Foreign policy is secondary
except in times of war when sentiment is strongly pro
or con. It doesn't happen often. Harel said expect Obama to focus
heavily on Iran. Robert Satloff, executive director
for the pro-Israeli Washington Institute for Near East
Policy (WINEP), said he'll soon present Tehran with a
"big program." "Big" for Washington won't likely
please Iran. US policy is all take and no give.
Whatever's offered won't change regime change plans.
Tehran justifiably is wary. Satloff claims a comprehensive
deal will be proposed in exchange for Iran abandoning
its legal nuclear program. Expect it to fall flat. If
so, says Satloff, military measures may follow. Netanyahu's "red line" will get
more headlines. His electoral campaign will prioritize
it. Fear is a powerful motivator. Western media will
support him. Expect a bogus Iranian threat to take
center stage. Obama has lots more on his plate at home
and abroad. Reza Kahlili is a pseudonym. He
formerly worked for CIA. Currently he serves on the
Task Force on National and Homeland Security. It's a
congressional advisory board. On November 3, he
headlined "It's official! Iran Fulfills Obama
Surprise," saying: In secret negotiations with
Washington, Iran agreed "to suspend uranium enrichment
to the 20 percent level for its nuclear program." Iran's Mohammad Hassan Asfari, a
National Security and Foreign Policy Commission
parliamentary member, said in return Tehran wants all
sanctions ended. Iran's halt was a goodwill
gesture. It requires Washington responding in kind. "In order to build trust, the
Islamic regime has set aside the 20 percent enrichment
process. It is expected that the 5+1 will remove the
sanctions. If such action does not take place, Iran
will continue with its process of reaching peaceful
nuclear energy," said Asfari. Iran's Fars News Agency denied
the report. Enrichment continues, it said. Asfari
reworded his original statement from Tehran halted
enrichment to suspending it will occur to show good
will. Obama likely wanted something
concluded pre-election. It's not clear if he got it.
US media reports didn't say so. An unnamed source
claimed Washington passed on a message intended for
Ayatollah Khamenei. Allegedly it requested Tehran
announce a deal pre-election. Nothing official was
forthcoming. Iranian officials dismissed reports.
General Mohammad Reza Naghdi denounced it, saying: "It is delusional to think that
any contacts with America will reduce threats because
America itself is the threat." According to the Revolutionary
Guards' Javan Online publication, Naghdi added: "America must close all its
military bases in fifty countries of the world and
remove all its naval assets from the Persian Gulf and
the Mediterranean Sea, taking them to its own shores."
"America must also dismantle the
CIA…and must officially announce that it will not
support the (Israeli) Zionist regime." "America must also close down its
prisons at Guantanamo and across the world and only
then will it be worthy of talks with Iran." Expect US/Iranian relations to be
no different now than pre-election. Tehran's nuclear
program is red herring cover for regime change. Iran knows it and will do
whatever it takes to defend its national security and
right to produce peaceful nuclear energy. It should do
no less and won't. Washington has no right to
dictate Iranian policy. It does it all the time, of
course, globally. Growing numbers of nations aren't
pleased. Expect more ahead to express displeasure.
Obama hasn't learned that lesson so far. He's unlikely
to change. Haaretz contributor Carlo Stenger
knows less about America than he thinks. He headlined
"Obama's victory and the American social contract:
Lessons for Israel," saying: Obama's victory suggests the
"resilience of the US social contract, which commits
all citizens to respect differences and to create a
culture of tolerance." Perhaps he meant Venezuela and
said America by mistake. Obama's committed to
destroying social America. He's been doing it for four
years. He plans much more ahead. Perhaps he'll end it entirely on
his watch. Both parties are in lockstep on
prioritizing militarism, corporate favoritism, and
neoliberal harshness. "What can Israel learn from the
success of the American social contract," asked
Stenger? It learned plenty already. It
replicated it since the 1980s. Israelis are plagued by
the same dynamic harming America. Their political leaders don't
give a damn about ordinary people. They target, abuse
and neglect those most vulnerable. What best can be learned from
America is go another way. Social, political, and
economic reactionary policies define both countries. Stenger is right saying "as long
as one group is treated as second-class, all Israelis
will continue to feel threatened in their honor and
integrity." Too bad Israeli leaders don't
feel the same way. It goes double for US ones.
Humanity waited much too long to exhale. Doing so depends on ending the
real existential threat humanity faces. Prioritizing
it rises above all other issues. Stephen Lendman lives in
Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book is titled "How Wall Street Fleeces
America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion and
Class War"
http://www.claritypress.com/Lendman.html Visit his
blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to
cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on
the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive
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