Lynn made a cogent observation when she said Obama received a Nobel Peace prize for talking about Middle East peace whereas Trump actually accomplished it.
I must dwell on the U.A.E and Israeli agreement because I believe it is so instrumental of how Trump's "unorthodox" methods are actually based on simple, rational reasoning that allow him to untie Gordian Knots.
When Trump became president he had the ability to solve problems he only dreamed of doing as a real estate tycoon. He must have looked at the failures of all his predecessors and asked himself why they could not get a deal accomplished.
From my perspective, he began to do things that others only talked about, promised and then ignored. As these "things" began to mount up so did the pressure. First, the re-location of the American Embassy and nothing happened as predicted and as I always knew would be the case.
Working through his Jewish son -in-law and other tough, dedicated Jewish appointees he laid out a somewhat distasteful plan which the Palestinians rejected so he continued to move forward by encouraging other Arab nations, in the region, to realize Obama had screwed them with his Iran deal and he was not Obama. As Russia entered the picture and their influence spread and as Iran loomed larger as a threat to their sovereignty this gave Trump and Israel increasing leverage.
Finally, Trump had to have pointed out and reinforced something the Saudi's and others knew, ie. funding the Palestinians was costing them millions for which they not only got "bubkus" but it kept them from coming into the 21st century because they were keeping themselves boxed in the corner from which they wanted to leave.
The Saudis responded by giving Israel's IDF air space in the event Bibi needed/wanted to attack Iran's nuclear facilities. Israel responded by breaking the ice and meeting with the Saudis regarding lowering barriers of understanding on easier issues . Continued Palestinian intransigence became a larger and costlier thorn and impediment to what the Saudi needed ie., security and peace to develop their nation and move away from energy dependence - Ipso facto, an agreement with the U.A.E.
Had Obama done this, the mass media would be screaming what a "fabulous" accomplishment and his Nobel Prize was finally earned by action, blah, blah, blah.. Trump's "unorthodox" style is only viewed that way because "orthodoxy" to the typical politician usually leads to failure because it lacks boldness whereas, Trump is wiling to think outside the box and that is why NewYork sought his help when they wanted to build an ice rink. He went to seek the help of Canadians - DUH!
Finally, Trump's victory over the anointed queen of the hypocritical elitists combined with his threat to drain the "pus" out of D.C and the egg left on the mass media's faces has become central to why Trump is the hated "accomplisher."
Yes, Trump has made his own contributions to his problems but you often get "bonuses" that are accompanied by lemons.
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So, this is as I see it:
JOKE:
Want less police, want open borders, want you to wear masks but have little to say about violence in the streets as cities burn etc. They want to raise taxes when uncertainty abounds in the mistaken belief it will stimulate growth. They oppose energy development and do not have a clue regarding an effective foreign policy strategy. The former VP has a trail of corrupt involvements that he has yet to explain and is watched like a hawk for fear of making a fool of himself and exposing his declining mental state.
Trump:
Accomplished amazing things on domestic and foreign fronts and then pandemic and police episode knocked the wind out of the economy. Made strides in responding to the pandemic, followed the advice of his medical advisors and that probably reduced deaths but blew a big hole in the economy. Has withstood a vicious press throughout his first term as well as hatred from the opposition leaders who did everything possible to make accomplishments difficult. Was spied on by a team of his predecessor and current opponent as they stood idle and silent during the investigation they knew about, fostered.
Unorthodox in his style but gets things done unlike most politicians who talk but seldom walk.
The republic:
Being destroyed by radicals who benefit from chaos and this is being tolerated because a) it makes Trump look bad, b) it is in sync with their desire to bring America to its knees because they know our freedoms and constitution are barriers to their goals c) as long as Trump is in the driver's seat they are mostly powerless and can only play a disruptive role and finally d) they understand how fragile our constitutional republic is and the more they cause loss of faith in government's ability to solve problems and the more our society becomes crippled by racial disunity the weaker we are as a functioning nation.
Result:
No change in my voting preference. Trump the better choice, warts and all.
Finally:
VIDEO: BLM Protester Pulls Gun On Innocent Driver During Road Blockade
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I prefer JOKE but this was sent by a dear friend and fellow memo reader:
Biden HarriS
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Obama and Biden knew about the spying on Trump because they were passively, if not actively, involved.
https://pjmedia.com/news-and-p
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ New York is experiencing a crippling exodus for three serious reasons:
1) The Mayor is a dangerous buffoon and the living conditions and schools are unsafe.
2) The Pandemic and rioting have exposed the failure of both the Mayor and Governor that the Big Apple is rotten in many ways when it comes to safety, cost of living and ability to earn a livelihood.
3) The city's economics are totally out of control and will result in oppressive, higher taxes. The pandemic has exposed urban living to a lot of questions and the answers are not favorable. Progressive theories have failed once again. Liberals don't get it because what is good for them means failure for everyone else.
And soon it will impact other cities run by Democrats.
New York City Experiencing A ‘Mass Exodus’ After Coronavirus, May Never Recover
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If this proves correct it would, indeed, be very tragic because it would reconfirm laws are applied unequally.
John Brennan betrayed the trust of the American people by allegedly abusing his power as director of the CIA and illegally targeting President Donald Trump with a hoax investigation. But despite Brennan’s deplorable behavior, it looks like he’s going to get away with it.
According to a report from NPR, US Attorney John Durham is not expected to go after Brennan or pursue criminal charges against him. The news comes as a big disappointment for Americans who believe that Durham illegally targeted Donald Trump in the politically-motivated Russia witch hunt.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Past presidents gave the Palestinians opportunity after opportunity to have peace and prosper and they chose terrorism instead. Trump said "you are fired."
While Trump Haters are chasing claims about ties to Putin, rogue dossiers, seeking illegal warrants and spying; while Trump Haters are making life difficult for America, while Trump detractors and mass media "pimps" are smearing him with lies and fake news reports and twisting facts; he is working 24/7,and making progress where others have failed.
https://pjmedia.com/news-and-p
And:
Trump Announces Peace Deal Between Israel, UAE; ‘Full Normalization’
How to create a small problem to solve a big problem is the lesson from the art of the deal:
Israel, UAE Deal Leaves the Left a Bit Flummoxed
By BENNY AVNI, Special to the Sun
To facilitate Thursday’s dramatic announcement of an agreement to normalize ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump played — whether intentionally or not — the old Jewish gambit of the rabbi and the goat.
The gist of the gambit is that to resolve domestic disputes among a large family in a small house, the rabbi advises letting a goat share the dwelling for a week. Once the goat is finally let out, everybody is thrilled at how roomy their house had been.
Mr. Netanyahu’s goat is his announcement a few months back that he intends to apply full Israeli law to parts of the West Bank. He never actually disclosed which parts, merely hinting about the strategic Jordan Valley and major settlement blocs that are widely assumed by the vast majority of Israelis to be part of the Jewish state in any future arrangement.
That goat inserted a brand new element to Mideast politics. Boos were heard from Arab capitals and, even more so, from the increasingly bitter Europeans and professional peace processors in Washington. The Israeli Left complained, too, and some within the Israel’s security establishment warned of dire consequences. Only the Trump administration kept its cool.
Meantime, the worst kept Mideast secret is Israel’s growing ties with Gulf States. Jerusalem shares intelligence, trade relations, and development tips — and has a host of ties — with the UAE, as well as Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and even with their neighboring Sunni enemy, Qatar. With Israel’s tacit approval, Doha transfers cash to Gaza to appease Hamas each time its cross-border attacks get unbearable.
Yet, until this week, Arab states vowed not to join Egypt and Jordan in cutting a formal peace deal. They were, supposedly, going to hold out for the vision of two states, a Palestinian Arab one next to Israel, to become a reality. As a result, the ever-deepening relations between Israel, the UAE and other Gulf states had to remain semi-clandestine.
Even as Israeli officials popped up in Arab capitals, no formal relations were possible before — at least — negotiations between Jerusalem and Ramallah began in earnest. Never mind that the aging Palestinian Authority chief, Mahmoud Abbas, refused to negotiate. The impasse seemed to be unbridgeable. In went the gambit of the goat — Bibi’s much maligned annexation threat.
That festered for a while, and then he agreed to remove the goat. Suddenly, Israelis and their newly beloved Mideast cousins could overcome the seemingly unsolvable domestic dispute. Late Thursday, regional sources were suggesting that Bahrain and Oman would be following suit.
A few words of caution are important. According to a joint statement issued at Washington, America, Israel, and the UAE “agreed to the full normalization of relations” between the two Mideastern countries. “HUGE breakthrough today!” President Trump tweeted. “Historic Peace Agreement between our two GREAT friends, Israel and the United Arab Emirates.”
Dubai, though, was decidedly more cautious. It stressed Israel’s agreement to put on ice the annexation plan, and underplayed the immediacy of formal relations. As the Emirates’ de-facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zaid, tweeted, “During a call with President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, an agreement was reached to stop further Israeli annexation of Palestinian territories. The UAE and Israel also agreed to cooperation and setting a roadmap towards establishing a bilateral relationship.”
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Biden, was bragging Thursday that the day’s breakthrough was facilitated by President Obama’s diplomacy. He was partially right, albeit in a backhanded way. Their Iran deal, hated by the Sunni Gulf states, pushed them closer to Israel. Undermining Iran’s advancement after the 2015 deal became a top goal for Gulf capitals and Jerusalem alike.
Now it looks like a trilateral meeting in the Rose Garden between Messrs. Trump, Netanyahu and the crown prince known as MBZ is in the works. As Ramallah officials stew in anger, veteran self-styled peace experts, who have long predicted that no self-respecting Arab would ever formalize ties with Israel without movement on the Palestinian front, might have to recalculate — or find their own goat.
And:
An op ed from a friend and fellow memo reader:
An op ed from a friend and fellow memo reader:
No Offense, But It Really is “About the Benjamin’s”
By Sherwin Pomerantz
Two years ago US Representative Ilhan Omar responded to a tweet from journalist Glenn Greenwald, who posted about House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy threatening to punish Omar and another congressional Representative for being critical of Israel. Omar wrote back, "It's all about the Benjamin’s baby," a line about $100 bills (that carry the picture of Benjamin Franklin) from a Puff Daddy song. Critics jumped on the tweet and said Omar was calling up a negative and harmful stereotype of Jewish Americans.
I will not re-enter the fray as to whether she did or did not mean it as an anti-Semitic slur. However, independent of the intent, the fact is that much of what all of us experience daily in our lives really is “all about the Benjamin’s.”
I was reminded of this when the good news broke on Thursday that a deal had been worked out for diplomatic ties to be established between Israel and the UAE, accomplished with the active involvement of the US government, for which all of us living here in Israel are appreciative.
There already has been a great deal of commentary about what prompted this about face after 72 years of no official contact between Israel and the UAE. However, bottom line, when it comes to such diplomatic achievements two standards always come into play. First, governments will always do (and should do) what is in their own best interests and, secondly, that business (i.e. “the Benjamin’s”) often represent a significant determinant in defining what is or is not in a government’s best interests.
For example, when former US President Richard Nixon reached out to Communist China with a landmark visit there in 1972 his motivation was a clear example of both principles. It was in the best diplomatic interests of the US to open communication with the world’s most populous country. (n.b. Even in 1972 China, with 1.439 billion people had already surpassed India, with 1.38 billion people, as the world’s most populous country.) As for GDP, China in 1972 was already the world’s seventh largest economy and growing. Clearly, the motivation to reach out and breakdown the diplomatic barriers were significant. There are, of course, a sufficient number of other examples since then as well.
Therefore, the move by the US to facilitate the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and the US is simply the current example that proves the point. US President Trump decided that it was in the best interests of the US (as well as clearly in his own best political interests as well in an election year), to work on this process. The US and the UAE have a relatively (in diplomatic terms) long history of cooperation, the UAE is a huge customer of US defense industry output, and opening up relations with Israel creates a three country pathway for mutual defense and other commercial cooperation. There is, of course, no need to go further into the financial benefit involved where “the Benjamin’s” come to the surface once more. In this case, whatever the motivation, the benefit to Israel will be significant on both the commercial and diplomatic levels. I have no doubt that we will shortly see Emirati tourists in Israel and, for sure, as soon as the skies open up the Israelis will flock to Dubai by the tens of thousands…not even a question about that.
Nevertheless it is important to add that while official recognition is a good thing and will be extremely valuable to both Israel and the UAE, it is not as if there has been no previous activity and “under the radar” cooperation between the two countries. For those of us living in Israel with multiple passports, travel to the UAE is not anything new. I was in Dubai for the first time 10 years ago using my US passport. While travel there non-stop was not possible, it has been possible to travel there from Tel Aviv to Amman, Jordan and then transfer to a flight to Dubai or to go Tel Aviv to Istanbul and then on to Dubai.
For me, the most amazing thing was checking in at Dubai International Airport for the return flight and having the baggage agent tag my bag to Tel Aviv without batting an eyelash. I also recall standing on the front steps of the Renaissance Hotel in Dubai and speaking with another businessperson from Saudi Arabia. We exchanged cards and, when he saw I was from Jerusalem, again without skipping a beat, said: “Jerusalem? Very nice city and am sure you enjoy living there. I hope to be able to visit one day.” In our corporate role as commercial representatives here in the region for a number of US states, our people are in Dubai every year, working with US companies in our client states who exhibit at trade shows there.
To be sure, I would not walk the streets of Dubai wearing a kippah as I do here. But, then again, I don’t walk the streets of the US dressed like that either, sad to say.
At this moment, I cannot help but recall the famous 1967 Khartoum Arab League Summit convened in the wake of the Six-Day War. The summit lasted from August 29th to September 1st. Participating were eight Arab heads of state representing Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Algeria, Kuwait and Sudan. At that summit, the group passed a resolution calling for a continued state of belligerency with Israel and was famous for what became known as the “Three Nos”: no peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel and no negotiations with it.
43 years later, we have diplomatic relations with both Egypt and Jordan, two of the participants in the conference as well as, shortly, with the United Arab Emirates. Say what you will but none of this would have come about had not the leadership of those three countries understood that it was (a) in their country’s best interests to move in this direction and (b) that it would benefit them financially as well. As a citizen of Israel, I can only hope that this process of positive political engagement continues to develop further.
After all, it was Benjamin Franklin, well before his face appeared on US currency, who said, “There never was a good war or a bad peace.” Indeed!
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