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Will Obama Become a “Lame Duck” President?

The outcome of the US midterm November 4, 2014 elections – for all 435 House seats, 36 (of the 100) Senate seats, 36 (of the 50) Governors and 87 (of the 99) State Chambers – will significantly impact the maneuverability of President Obama domestically and internationally: a “lame duck”, or a “bullish,” transformational president.  It will, also, impact US-Israel strategic cooperation, particularly the effectiveness of President Obama’s pressure on Israel.  

The US midterm elections represent a unique electoral system, which highlights the centrality of the constituent, the concept of limited government, the total independence of the Legislature, and the co-determining and co-equal status of the three branches of government.  Unlike the European and Israeli political systems, the US Executive is heavily constrained by the world’s most powerful Legislature (Congress), especially during the second presidential term; even more so if the president’s party does not control both chambers of Congress.  Historically, midterm elections do not bode well for the president and his party.  Historically, the American constituent and Congress – on both sides of the aisle – have been systematic supporters of the Jewish State; frequently in defiance of US presidents.

The thundering potential of the6th year itch” elections was recently demonstrated in 1994 (the GOP revolution: 54 House and 8 Senate seats), 2006 (a DEM sweep: 31 House and 5 Senate seats) and 2010 (a DEM crush: 63 House and 6 Senate seats).  The core cause of these tidal waves was the plunge of presidential approval ratings, which nationalized the elections, triggering a ripple effect into House and Senate elections.

If there is a decisive outcome in the November 2014 midterm election, it will be a direct result of President Obama’s plummeting approval ratings, which has become the most critical issue of the upcoming election.  Obama has been transformed into an “anchor-chained” – and not a “coattail” – president, significantly undermining Democratic candidates. According to Time Magazine, “after President Bush had similar poor approval ratings in 2006, Democrats enjoyed a wave election that gave them control of Congress….”  

A perceived presidential responsibility for a Democratic defeat in the Senate races would further undermine Obama’s clout among Capitol Hill Democrats, who forced him to oppose Israel’s condemnation by UN Security Council resolution in 2011, and to release committed funds for the “Iron Dome” (missile defense) during the recent war in Gaza. 

The November 2014 elections are increasingly nationalized – in contrast to Tip O’Neil’s “all politics is local” – as a vote on Obama’s record, potentially punishing Democratic candidates. The anti-Obama/Democrat mood is intensified by a general sense of pessimism and economic insecurity; criticism of Obama’s handling of the Ebola panic; the dissatisfaction over ObamaCare; and the disapproval of Obama’s foreign and national security policies, including the war on terrorism and policy on Israel. In fact, the intensified threat of Islamic terrorism has enhanced the public and Congressional identification with Israel, highlighting Israel’s unique contribution to America’s national security.

As a result of Obama’s sinking popularity, an increasing number of Democratic Senate candidates – playing defense in hostile territory – are distancing themselves from the President.  For example, West Virginia’s Senate candidate Natalie Tennant’s commercial features her cutting off the electricity to the White House “to make sure President Obama gets the message.”  In Kentucky, Alison Lundergan-Grimes disagrees with Obama on guns, coal and the EPA.  Senator Mark Pryor (Arkansas) criticizes Obama’s gun control policy and the handling of the Ebola crisis.  Senator Mark Begich (Alaska) wants “to bang Obama over the head” with the oil issue.  Senator Mary Landrieu (Louisiana) missed President Obama’s speech in New Orleans due to a prior commitment in Lake Charles ….  Senator Mark Udall (Colorado) brags: “The last person the White House wants to see coming is me.”  Senator Kay Hagan (No. Carolina) criticizes Obama’s policies on Syria, immigration and the environment. 

The uphill battle of the Senate Democratic candidates is highlighted by the seven Senators who were elected in 2008 on Obama’s coattail and are currently running in states won by Romney in 2012, compared to one Republican running in a state won by Obama in 2012.  Moreover, Democrats defend a majority (21) of the (36) Senate seats which are on the ballot, attempting to salvage the current Senate Democratic majority of 55:45 (House Republican majority is 233:199 with 3 vacancies).

The fate of many Democratic candidates – especially in Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Arkansas and Kentucky – depends on the turnout of Afro-American voters, whose high expectations of Obama have not been met.  Therefore, according to the New York Times, “The president is waging an under-the-radar campaign, targeting his loyal African-American base….”

Midterm elections tend to attract angry voters; hence, the supposed edge for the anti-Obama Republican voters, who may be joined by disenchanted independents.

The Hill notes that “historically, young people, minorities and single women are more likely to skip midterm elections…. Core groups in the liberal base are more likely to stay home than are people in the demographic segments that lean Republican…. Voters are less engaged in this year’s midterms than they were in 2010 and 2006…. However, Democrats are continuing to try hard to get their base to turn out….”

Turning out the vote was a game-changer in the 2012 presidential election. It could make a dramatic difference in 2014.  Therefore, it ain’t over until it’s over.

However, irrespective of the outcome of the November 4, 2014 elections, and while the GOP-DEM balance of power has been transient, the public and the bipartisan Congressional solid support of the Jewish State has been permanently unwavering.

 




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Open letter to Prime Minister Bennett ahead of visit to USA

(Hebrew edition in “Israel Hayom,” Israel’s largest circulation daily)

During your first official visit to Washington, DC, you’ll have to choose between two options:

*Blurring your deeply-rooted, assertive Israeli positions on the future of Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), which would be welcome by the Biden Administration, yielding to short-term political convenience and popularity inside the beltway;

or

*Tenaciously advocating your deeply-rooted, principle-driven positions, which would underscore a profound disagreement with the Biden Administration and the “elite” US media, while granting you and Israel long-term strategic respect, as demonstrated by some of your predecessors.

For example, the late Prime Minister Shamir honed the second option, bluntly introduced his assertive Israeli positions on Judea and Samaria, rebuffed heavy US pressure – including a mudslinging campaign by President Bush and Secretary of State Baker – suffered a popularity setback, but produced unprecedented expansion of US-Israel strategic cooperation. When it comes to facing the intensified threats of rogue regimes and Islamic terrorism, the US prefers principle-driven, reliable, patriotic, pressure-defying partners, irrespective of disagreements on the Palestinian issue.

Assuming that you shall not budge on the historical and national security centrality of Judea and Samaria, it behooves you to highlight the following matters during your meetings with President Biden, Secretary of State Blinken, National Security Advisor Sullivan, Secretary of Defense Austin and Congressional leaders (especially the members of the Appropriations Committees):

  1. The 1,400-year-old track record of the stormy, unpredictable, violent and anti-“infidel” Middle East, which has yet to experience intra-Arab peaceful-coexistence, along with the 100-year-old Palestinian track record (including the systematic collaboration with anti-US entities, hate-education and anti-Arab and anti-Jewish terrorism) demonstrates that the proposed Palestinian state would be a Mini-Afghanistan or a Mega-Gaza on the mountain ridges of Judea and Samaria.

It would dominate 80% of Israel’s population and infrastructures in the 9-15-mile sliver between Judea and Samaria and the Mediterranean, which is shorter than the distance between RFK Stadium and the Kennedy Center.

Thus, a Palestinian state would pose a clear and present existential threat to Israel; and therefore, Israel’s control of the mountain ridges of Judea and Samaria is a prerequisite for its survival.

  1. The proposed Palestinian state would undermine US interests, as concluded from the Palestinian intra-Arab track record, which has transformed the Palestinians into a role-model of intra-Arab subversion, terrorism and ingratitude. Arabs are aware that a Palestinian state would add fuel to the Middle East fire, teaming up with their enemies (e.g., Iran’s Ayatollahs, the Muslim Brotherhood and Turkey’s Erdogan) and providing a strategic foothold to Russia and China. Consequently, Arabs shower Palestinians with favorable talk, but with cold and negative walk.

Hence, during the October, 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty ceremony, Jordan’s military leaders asserted to their Israeli colleagues that a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River would doom the pro-US Hashemite regime east of the River, and lead, subsequently, to the toppling of all pro-US Arab Peninsula regimes.

  1. There is no foundation for the contention that Israel’s retreat from the mountain ridges of Judea and Samaria – which are the cradle of Jewish history, religion and culture – is required in order to sustain Israel’s Jewish majority. In reality, there is unprecedented Jewish demographic momentum, while Arab demography – throughout the Middle East – has Westernized dramatically. The Jewish majority in the combined area of Judea, Samaria and pre-1967 Israel benefits from a robust tailwind of fertility and migration.
  2. Israel’s control of the mountain ridges of Judea and Samaria and the Golan Heights, bolsters its posture of deterrence, which has daunted rogue regimes, reduced regional instability, enhanced the national security of all pro-US Arab regimes, and has advanced Israel’s role as a unique force-multiplier for the US. An Israeli retreat from Judea and Samaria would transform Israel from a strategic asset – to a strategic liability – for the US.
  3. As the US reduces its military presence in the Middle East – which is a global epicenter of oil production, global trade (Asia-Africa), international Islamic terrorism and proliferation of non-conventional military technologies – Israel’s posture of deterrence becomes increasingly critical for the pro-US Arab countries (e.g., Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan), who consider Israel to be the most reliable “life insurance agent” in the region.

Contrary to NATO, South Korea and Japan, Israel’s defense does not require the presence of US troops on its soil.

  1. Sustaining Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge is a mutual interest for the US and Israel, which serves as the most cost-effective battle-tested laboratory for the US defense industries and armed forces. Thus, Israel’s use of hundreds of US military systems has yielded thousands of lessons (operation, maintenance and repairs), which have been integrated, by the US manufacturers, into the next generation of the military systems, saving the US many years of research and development, increasing US exports and expanding the US employment base – a mega billion dollar bonanza for the US. At the same time, the US armed forces have benefitted from Israel’s military intelligence and battle experience, as well as joint training maneuvers with Israel’s defense forces, which has improved the US formulation of battle tactics.

Prime Minister Bennett, your visit to Washington, is an opportunity to demonstrate your adherence to your deeply-rooted strong Israeli positions, rejecting the ill-advised appeals and temptations to sacrifice Israel’s national security on the altar of convenience and popularity.

Yours truly,

Yoram Ettinger, expert on US-Israel relations and Middle East affairs

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