Like the nation of Israel, the Tygrrrr Express will be moving rightward today.
The Tygrrrr Express is Chicago bound for some business meetings. For those of you who have never been to Chicago in February, be thankful.
We could talk about why the stock market crashed yesterday, but the fact is the day to day machinations of the market only lead to madness. I am waiting and seeing like the rest of “experts.”
Anyway, today is about Israel. It is time for some election dissection.
For fantastic coverage, scroll down to the bottom of the link below.
http://www.realclearworld.com/blog/2009/02/israel_election_live_blog_livni_netanyahu.html
This next link is a guy who detests Benjamin Netanyahu. I included the column only because the guy lists the very reasons I love Bibi. When detractors prove my case, it saves me time.
This was a right wing shellacking of the left. Forget Kadima. They are not even the true leftists, although they are far from the strong party forge by Ariel Sharon. The true leftist party in Israel is Labor (not counting fringe parties like Meretz), and they are on the verge of joining the fringe.
While Kadima candidate Tzipi Livni was slightly ahead, this was a clear victory for the right. They picked up 64-65 seats in the Knesset, more than enough for a majority. Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu claimed victory, and he may even pull ahead of Livni on a stand alone basis. The military ballots have not been counted yet. Like democrats in America, Kadima is delusional if they think the military will support them based on recent history. Military people vote for republicans in America and Likud in Israel by overwhelming margins.
The thing about Israel is that nobody ever gets a majority because of the multi-party system. This means there will be plenty of horse trading and jockeying. Let’s be honest. There will be bribery. Perhaps Tzipi Livni should consult democrats in America, since she will have to steal this election to become Prime Minister. In Israel, even leftists would not dare try to throw out military ballots.
The right won, and they won big. The message is simple. Israelis want security first, and only when there is security, can peace be achieved.
Bibi will need to erase the ghosts of his past term as Prime Minister from 1996 to 1999. He got elected as a hard liner and governed as a pragmatist dealmaker. Perhaps he has learned. After all, people are usually screwed more in politics by their friends than by their enemies.
The bottom line is that with George W. Bush no longer in the White House, Israel will not be able to depend on the United States. There is no evidence that President Obama is anti-Israel, but he is a completely blank slate. Also, given the current climate in America, Israel may have to take unilateral actions with at most tacit support.
There is always a chance that back door machinations could deny Bibi the Premiership, but any government not led by him would collapse in short order. The numbers for stability are not there.
Lastly, from a public relations standpoint, Bibi is the only person to lead. He speaks perfect English. Americans, fairly or not, do not like hearing “Heblish.” They want crisp diction. They don’t want to hear people like Shimon Peres talk about the “p*ss process.” Bibi is an effective communicator.
The election process will support itself out, but Avi Lieberman (far right candidate) will quickly fall in line the same way losers in primaires rally around their nominee in America.
Congratulations Mr. Netanyahu.
Make that Prime Minister Netanyahu.
The world just became a safer place already.
Well done Israel.
eric
Eric
Imus had on Tom Rose who used to write for the Jerusalem Post. I don’t see the podcast up yet. He was discussing this election.
Michael Graham and Camille Paglia agree the first few weeks of this new Obama administration has been awful.
http://youhavetobethistalltogoonthisride.blogspot.com/2009/02/michael-graham-969-wttk-
Reading the Los Angeles Palestina Times today, I wonder where this newspaper, now on the skids, charging 40% more per edition to keep from bankruptcy (it’s owned by a mogul in Chicago), having reduced it’s editors and op-eds these past 2 years, and seeing a continuing decline in advertising revenue,
it (understandibly) writes it’s columns and allows op-eds to appear to it’s Hipanic, Jewish, black and Arab purchasers (minorities now make up
over 75% of Los Angeles Country.
I read today that one of Obama’s more important appointees has gone
before Congress fostering detention, without a time frame, for release, of enemy combatants.
Duh, I thought Obama campaigned on three pillars: closing down GITMO ASAP and trying detainees in civilian courts, giving tax credits to the middle class, lower class (even those people who don’t pay taxes/get the Earned Income credit and other breaks), downsizing and completely pulling our troops out of Iraq within 16 months (from the beginning of his presential term, not from the date he started campaigning-how could he?).
Well, so far he has picked Clinton people (from the center and right of the Democratic Party/Republicans such as Mr. Gates from the middle Republican Party. His idea of CHANGE means rewinding back to Bill Clinton.
Former General Zinni, the guy who said we (USA) should completely disregard Israelis who believe in holding onto so-called Palestinian territory taken (back) in 1967, according to Divine Law, to dismiss G-d in all this.
But you know, even w/o G-d’s intervention, I was led to believe that
under the Balfour Declaration which allowed for a Jewish homeland in
all of the British Mandate of Palestine (land taken by Britain in WW1 from
the Turks) certainly all of Israel was to be for a Jewish state. Britian
reneged and lopped off most of Palestine to satisfy a branch of Islam.
In fact, the Arabs are occupying the Jewish land, not the reverse, my
Arab-Muslim and their supporter friends.
Zunni has gotten upset over Obama’s offering him the ambassadorship
to Saudi Arabia. He wants more power and influence over M.E. US
policy. Here we go again. The last time, Zunni wrote a book on his
dismay at the US pro-Israel lobby’s influence…as if Saudi Arabia
doesn’t have influence. Oh me oh my. I guess Arabia isn’t rich enough
for him, with it’s 350 billion dollar petro dollars yearly. (While it doesn’t allow Christians to be Christians on it’s shores).
So now Bibi Netanyahu may become Israel’s next Prime Minister, with
a backing he never had the first time around.
BTW, Bibi, does speak perfect English, even better than our President Bush, and on a par with Hillary and Obama..and has lots more experience.
I mean when did Obama lead a group of soldiers..ever was a commando, had a brother who died at Entebbe, did anything but serve as a community
organizer in a safe neighborhood? Hmmm. Obama’s half brother is a criminal in Kenya, while Bibi’s brother was his idol, killed, rescuing his fellow Jews in Israel from that African moron.
For those who don’t know, Bibi did negotiate the Wye Agreement, which would have given the Palis land for reciprocity..we give, you don’t, we give, you make war. He even for awhile positioned Jews and Arabs on joint patrols, that is until the Arabs used their weapons on, guess who, their Jewish partners.
The mistake Bibi did make however was to remove Israeli troops from
Jericho, a city in the West Bank, still having faith in his negotiating partners.
Looking back, in my opinion, that was pre-mature and foolish..showing
Bibi’s naivety about Arab intentions..land for peace with Israel, then more land, then more land, then war.
For Netanyahu to make a coalition it would have to be with the fringe Right and that would bring a very unstable government. For the sake of stability, Livni and Kadmina would make for a much better coalition leader. Likud will seriously regret it if tey get in bed wit the fringe rightist nationalists.
JMJ
Eric
I can’t find the podcast but here is the synopsis of Tom Rose interview this morning.
http://www.imus.com/article/tom_rose_feb_11_09.html
Bibi has a game plan for sure. Forget the two-state crap and fix the Palestenian economy. That should shake-off the illusions that have bubbled up with Obamania. Stir the pot, Bibi. Go for it.