Thursday, June 04, 2009

Misrepresentation is surpassed only by style

GS Don Morris, Ph.D.

The much-awaited speech to the Muslim world is over and once again Mr. Obama’s delivery was equal to the task. For those in his Cairo audience who had obviously never heard him speak, his delivery was superb-multiple ovations and they all were the result of words praising Islam in some form or another. This was to be expected and Mr. Obama played well to his audience.

I watched the speech on three different networks: Al Jazeera, BBC and Fox. After the speech the analyses were astounding. For the most part factual analysis was nowhere to be heard and style of “message” was most often discussed. The truth is nothing new was presented and those who expected some revelation came away a bit disappointed. However, the tone of his speech was interesting to note. Clearly, Mr. Obama’s intention was to demonstrate a substantive change in behavior to the world of Islam and his simplistic but powerful images resonated across the hall. Once again, the President subjugated America in the presence of all Islam and he only threw a few gratuitous bones to Judaism and Christianity.

Those supporting the creation of another Arab state are celebrating while those of us in Israel can only shake our heads. Mr. Obama says he loves history and actually is a student of same-my question is where did he go to school to “learn” about the “Palestinian people and land”? Not only did he make up information earlier in his speech about the “major contributions” Islam made to the formation of the USA (absolutely untrue); he demonstrated that he has bought into the myth of a land belonging to a people aka “Palestinians”. With all due respect Mr. Obama for you to perpetuate as fact that mean Israel has, for 60 plus years, occupied Palestinian land and that they are humiliated every day is so beyond the pale your credibility is lost. Today’s speech included “talking points” right out of the apologists’ playbook. Your audience today of course accepted your statements, even though many knew you were incorrect-however, your words served your greater intention. I really found interesting how in less than 48 hours the number of Muslims in the USA doubled-less than two days ago Mr. President you mention 3.5 million American Muslims, and today you offered 7 million. Hmmm, this is THE number CAIR uses in its propaganda and the number has been effectively dismissed as grossly inaccurate.

Mr. Obama drew the line in the sand-it is all about the settlements. This of course drew a wild round of applause. The difficulty is that once again our President misrepresented the truth. For someone who professes he knows history, he is woefully inept with these facts. Yes, the mantra across the Arab world and in mainstream media is the Israelis have occupied Palestinian land since 1948, and that Israel has trampled upon international law by daring to build illegally homes on Arab land. The difficulty is of course, it is untrue but it is precisely what the Arabs have been taught over the decades and they do believe it to be true; all the more is the pity. As I have written it is only for political reasons that the term settlement is still used today. For those of us who travel in Judea and Samaria once could argue that the Arab villages and towns are settlements. The truth is that between 1948-1967 this so-called land was under the daily working control of Jordan. During this time there was never a movement toward the creation of a “Palestinian” state. As a matter of fact, the King of Jordan actually threw out tens of thousands of “Palestinians” and ultimately washed his hands of them in 1988. Using international legal documents, such as UN 242, everyone knows that Judea and Samaria are disputed territories. All these years, from 1967 to present, no solution has been agreed upon by Arabs and Israelis alike. For Mr. Obama to suggest that the problem is the settlements is to say to Obama the problem in Iraq is the non-discovery of WMD-both are absurd statements and Obama and most of the Arab world knows this.

What was learned today from the President’s speech is nothing new. He reminds me of a sophisticated “flower child” who has a gift of speech. With regards to Israel and the Arabs in Judea and Samaria his knowledge and thus his vision is myopic at best and this is dangerous for all who live here. You have given the enemy an inch, watch what happens, no, watch what is now expected and demanded of you. I do not believe you understand the end result of unintended consequences about to foment before your eyes.

We know where the line is now and we shall respond accordingly.


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