Michael Rubin points out a news piece from June 2008 in which a former spokesman for the Khatami government (1997-2005) acknowledges that the goal of "reform" in Iran was to lull the West while Iran pursued illicit nuclear activities. Take a look for yourself.

permalink    Posted By: Shari Hillman

Lopez: What is Israel looking for in an American president?

Glick: We’re looking for someone whose policies reflect an understanding of the real security threats facing Israel and the United States. We’re looking for a president who understands that Israel is the frontline state in the global jihad and as a consequence, it has to have support as it defends itself and acts as the frontline of the U.S. defense perimeter. That is, we’re looking for a president who understands that Israel is a valuable ally and that America’s national security is directly linked to Israel’s because our enemies are the same...

Lopez: Does Obama have it?

Glick: No, Obama doesn’t have it... he fundamentally refuses to acknowledge that there is a global jihad raging, that Israel is a frontline state in the jihad and that the U.S. cannot allow jihadists to gain control of any territory and particularly territory as strategically vital as Iraq or Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Obama is a quintessential leftist who thinks that war can be wished away by blaming the U.S. for its enemies’ hatred and malicious designs....

permalink    Posted By: Shari Hillman

permalink    Posted By: Shari Hillman

Obama's remarks in Israel may provide a clue.

Rubin writes: "These concerns stem directly from Obama’s world view and a fundamental concern, that in the race for international popularity, Israel will get lost in the shuffle. And more personally, it comes from the perception that Obama is simply not savvy enough to spot, or tough enough to combat, the enemies of Israel and the U.S."

permalink    Posted By: Shari Hillman

The one thing that all Israelis can agree on is that whoever sits in the Oval Office must understand what a difficult and dangerous corner of the globe this nation finds itself in, one that would be so even if the Jewish State had never been founded.

Thus we need a US president wise enough to understand the need for diplomacy, yes - but equally so, one strong and courageous enough to utilize America's incomparable might when diplomacy fails.

In short, we need a president who won't be bulldozed by those who hold in contempt the values that both the US and Israel stand for. That, Senator Obama, is the message you can send back home from Jerusalem, on the day after the blood spilled by Ghassan Abu Tir practically on your doorstep ran down King David Street.

permalink    Posted By: Shari Hillman