News Brief – June 4, 2008
Forget the media's waffle about Barack Obama’s nomination for presidency being a “mile stone” in U.S. politics. He’s like all the other players in U.S. politics and it showed in his first foreign policy speech since winning the nomination.
All the talk of him being the “first black” U.S. presidential contender is just a ruse. In fact he’s not even “black” but like this writer mixed race. There is a difference.
The idea that Obama is America’s first “black presidential contender” is no more than a selling point. A sales pitch used to ignite the interest of a disenchanted U.S. electorate who have grown increasingly cynical about those in the running for the White House.
In essence Obama is no different from any of the other front-runners in U.S. politics recently. When it comes to the crunch he will do what all the others would do.
He will put Israel’s interests first and foremost: alongside the wishes of America's hidden rulers.
This was evident in his speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) Thursday.
Israel’s security he told them was “sacrosanct” and “non-negotiable”.
Moreover, he assured members of the powerful Jewish lobby group that he would do “everything” in his power to stop Iran getting nuclear weapons.
This must have sounded like music to their ears as Israel has grown increasingly agitated over the prospect of a nuclear armed Iran.
He criticised the Bush administration over its conduct of the war in Iraq, which he said had emboldened Iran. So much so, he said, that it posed a real danger.
“My goal will be to eliminate this threat”, he told listeners.
However, he didn’t say exactly how he would achieve this.
Unlike McCain, who has spoken belligerently about dealing with the threat posed by Iran, Obama is thought to favour diplomacy and negotiations to persuade Iran to relinquish what Israel maintains is a nuclear weapons program.
If diplomacy and negotiations fail however, Obama has not said how he would respond. He has not spoken of a military option but given that he considers Israel’s security “sacrosanct” and “non-negotiable” it’s not something that can be entirely ruled out either.
In his speech Obama also paid tribute to his rival, Hilary Clinton, and hinted that she could play a role in his administration.
For her part, Hilary Clinton has said she would be “open” to being Obama’s vice presidential running mate.
And that, as far as this writer is concerned, would be a presidential combination made in hell. Little better indeed than if McCain wins the presidency.
In essence American voters have no real alternative. The notion that they have any “democratic choice” is an illusion: the candidates themselves are no more than puppets, lackeys for all-powerful interest groups who really call the shots.
Last updated 06/06/2008
Homepage