For Obama in Israel, the issues are all in the neighborhood
Jerusalem (CNN) – The United States is Israel's closest and most important ally, and when there are tensions – over issues like Iran, for example, the Israeli complaint is usually something to the effect of "Washington is too far away to fully understand."
Whether or not you agree, it's worth noting Israel's place in an always complicated neighborhood that is especially uncertain at the moment.
President Obama's flight on Air Force One, for example, was just shy of 6,000 miles.
As the bird flies, here is the distance from Jerusalem to other places likely to come up frequently in the Obama-Netanyahu conversations:
- Ramallah, the HQ of the Palestinian Authority: 8 miles.
- Gaza: the Palestinian territory run by Hamas: 48 miles.
- The Syrian capital of Damascus: 135 miles.
- Egypt's capital, Cairo: 265 miles.
- Tehran, Iran: 970 miles.
- Washington, D.C.: 5,912 miles.
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We're not too far away to see that Israel is provoking by violence by continuing to build settlements. Unlike Sarah Palin who can see Moscow from her front porch, the middle east is in the news everyday. We know what's going on in that neck of the woods.
The Right Wing's Universe – Using their alternate "Time and Relative Dimension in Space", and allowing for growtth, nowhere.
THE BIGEST PROBLEM facing israel is the current prime minister, as long as this guy is in charge there will be no progress.
Obama has set the entire neighborhood on fire and then leads from behind. More middle east countries are now in the hands of islamic radicals than ever before and it is all because of Obama's failed policies. This is an undeniable FACT.
So will Obama pay a visit to Libya and see how all that tracking down of the AQ terrorists that killed 4 Americans is going? Yeah... right. Another massive Obama FAILURE.
Obama has made the middle east a far more dangerous area than it was. That is a FACT.
Donna. You really have no idea what you are talking about do you. The middle east has been in flames long before the president and will be long after he is out of office. If is so easy to fix then why have not past presidents republican or democrat fixed it by now? Grow up would you please.
Just another Obama photo-op and an attempt to make it look like Obama is reaching out to Israel. Good luck with this one, Israel, you have the con man for a few hours.
Donna
Obama has set the entire neighborhood on fire and then leads from behind. More middle east countries are now in the hands of islamic radicals than ever before and it is all because of Obama's failed policies. This is an undeniable FACT.
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Allow me to point out what's obvious to us, so you can let us know how *you* feel about it.
It is a fact that the "Arab Spring" has brought about some changes in government leadershiop in some traditionally Islamic countries. I agree, that's a fact. You seem to be against the groups that have apparently taken over. Here's one last fact that I wish to drop on you. You, and so many other on the right, have argued to provide those groups with arms and weapons.
Donna, you wouldn’t know a FACT if it bit you in the behind. FACT, Bush started the War in Iraq and Afghanistan. FACT, under Obama Ben laded is DEAD. FACT, the US did not start the Civil Wars in either Libya or Syria. FACT, Obama, is getting us out of Iraq and Afghanistan. FACT, Obama has not put boots on the ground in either Libya or Syria.