Arabic News Site Questions Obama's Silence on Gaza

The Arabic News Site, Al Jezzera’s, article on president-elect Obama’s silence on the situation in the Gaza strip is nothing short of naive. There are several facts that the “Muslim world” has failed to consider, chief among them is that Obama was elected to be the President of the United States, not the “President of the World”.

In the article, Mark Perry of the Conflicts Forum, a pro-Muslim group, noted:

"Obama has said that Israel has the right to defend itself from rocket attacks but my question to him is 'does he believe that Palestinians also have the right of self-defense?'"

Although the group claims that they do not support Hamas, Mr. Perry‘s question regarding the Palestinians right of “self-defense” is plain hogwash. The situation in the Gaza was started by Hamas, an Islamic Terrorist group that was elected by the Palestinian people. In short, "the people" knew what they were getting into.

The article, in its attempt to condemn the President-Elect, goes on to point out that Obama spoke out in support of Israel during the Campaign. This should come as no surprise given the fact that Israel is a staunch ally of the United States, whereas the Palestinians are not. Indeed,the Palestinian Leadership, Hamas, has gone so far as to threaten the the US for the crime of “supporting Israel”. If Obama were to speak out against any particular "side" in this instance, when he officially takes office, one would think should be against "terrorists" (Hamas). That said, with no crystal ball in hand, no-one is in a position to know what the President Elect will or will not say.

The fact remains that Israel is a sovereign nation unto its own, taking no direction from the United States, and needing no “permission” from the United Nations or Europe in order to protect itself. With the Hamas leadership cowardly hiding in mosques, homes in highly populated urban areas, and hospitals, is it no wonder that there will be Civilian casualties? Palestinian civilians are taught from an early age to hate Israel and the U.S. and career focus in mainly on becoming suicide bombers. (You tube videos below)

One would think, think that instead of “condemning Obama’s silence”, these pro-Palestinian protesters would condemn Hamas tactics against their own people! That thought process can also be applied to the European Press (see Article Guardian UK here, CNN, CBS and the entire anti-Semitic American and International Press.

Hero of the week goes to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg who has traveled to Ideal to show solidarity and support for Israel’s self-defense New York City suffered one attack on September 11, 2001; the Israeli’s suffer daily at the behest of “world opinion”. It is indeed, time for change, however, the change should come in the form of outrage against groups like Hamas and the “innocent civilians” who support them.

Federal Commission Proposes Higher Fuel Tax – New Punishment for Consumers – The cause and effect on Congressional power

In 2007, gasoline prices soared, hitting consumers hard – forcing most to cut back on spending in order to afford, not only the drive to work, but the rising costs of food and other goods affected by transportation costs. During the 2008 presidential campaign, John McCain and Hillary Clinton proposed a “Gas Tax Holiday” to ease consumer woes – this was shut down by the Democrat controlled congress based on fears that the loss of Federal Gas tax income which is earmarked for federal highway projects, would result in road construction layoffs.

The Federal Tax Rebate issued in early 2008, was intended to stimulate the economy, however, many used the funds to pay down debt associated with the rising cost of fuel. On the campaign trail, Obama urged consumers to invest in Hybrid’s, in order to cut dependence on foreign oil , and allow the US to become energy independent by 2015. The logic of hybrids – conserve energy and lower fuel costs being the main theme.

In May, 2008, oil prices were at climbed to $124 per barrel - the rise blamed on speculators and the Bush Administration. Consumer habits changed, and in part, resulted in a lowering of oil prices to the current level of $42.54, or the lowest level since 2004
The subsequent result of a drop in consumer spending as well as lower oil prices has resulted in a drop in tax revenues which are used to fund infrastructure projects. As a result, consumers can anticipate an increase at the pumps – and it is consumer habits that are, somehow, to blame.

In order to the infrastructure to be maintained (and include the increased “Big New Deal” infrastructure project by Mr. Obama to “stimulate the economy”), The National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission, has suggested an increase in the Federal Fuel Tax or “fee”. Those who live in the Bay State, understand that taxes being unpopular are often referred to as “fees”, (or another word for “tax”).

Logic follows that should the federal gas tax rise to meet the demands of current and projected projects, consumers would be forced to make further cuts in their spending habits at a time when the nation’s retailers are are facing bankruptcy and looking to the Federal government’s Bailout program as an option.

One obvious suggestion to increase government income would be to further reduce government waste,something likely not to occur given the increase in the size of government programs (new “state owned” industry), and the Democrat controlled House and Senate. It may serve those currently in power to recall 1994, when the GOP swept into Congress and enacted popular tax cuts - this occurred due to a President Bill Clinton and the Democrat controlled Congress suggesting a rise in the gas tax. Should the incoming administration and in-concert legislature consider further rises in consumer taxes or “fees”, one can bet the house that there will be a change in leadership in 2012.

Iran – Supplying Hardware and Now Software to Hammas to Attack Isreal - Where’s the outrage?

It is a fact that Iran has, in the past, supplied Hamas with
rockets and “militants” that were trained in Iran. Some analysts refer to this “supply” of weapons to Hamas as a “proxy” war being waged by Iran and Syria. The world view, is that somehow, Israel must be to blame, regardless of the rhetoric from Iran’s leader, which suggests that Israel should not exist and apparently Iran will do anything possible to see that happen.

Understanding that the economic crisis is global, it is no wonder then, that Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is now seeking, suicide bombers, to get the job done? The Boston Globe picked up this intel from the AP. From the AP report, it appears that the Top Theologian has influenced student groups to call for suicide assists in Gaza. Iran’s quirky President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has not issued a statement on this revelation, no doubt, preferring the use of more accurate weaponry to that of unreliable, but non-the-less, terrifying “human bombs”.

It continues to boggle the mind that these types of incidents are either ignored or excused by many in defense of those living in “Palestine”. If those pundits and world leaders were truly concerned about the “Palestinian’s”, they would move mountains in order to protect them from these types of “assists”, instead, offering education (a career as a suicide bomber is not desirable, for instance), and possibly some old fashioned “shop” or “cooking” classes, while blasting and condemning those who would use innocents from another “nation” in order to pull off a hare-brained military objective (Iran). Instead, the world continues to “protest” against Israel . Is it possible for so many to be collectively ignorant? Or, are they merely misinformed by anti-Semitic sentiment rising from the world press, the United Nations and bodies of that ilk?