Why do I support Israel? Why do Americans support Israel? Better yet whydon’t some Americans support Israel? Since 1948 Israelis and Americans alike have been searching for answers to these questions. I support Israel for multiple reasons. However, I am saddened to tell you I am one of the few. I’m one of the few who stand with my Jewish brothers and sisters by reaching out a hand and helping to carry the load that has been placed on their backs throughout history. From the horrors of the Holocaust to blatant betrayal from our very own President Obama, it seems like Israel doesn’t have many friends, but I can assure you I am one of them!

Founded on May 15, 1948, Israel was a tiny nation no bigger than the state of New Jersey. It was established as the “Jewish Homeland,” a state for the most persecuted people in the history of the world. From the moment of its inception Israel was attacked, demonized, and delegitimized by its neighbors. Why? What has Israel done to deserve such a reputation in the world’s eyes? A trip through the history books reveals a multitude of accusations of “War Crimes” brought before the UN – an organization which has proven to be one of Israel’s biggest detractors. All people are entitled to a homeland, peace, liberty, and acceptance. So why has Israel struggled for these fundamental rights?

The battle for recognition is the battle the Israelis have been fighting ever since their state’s creation. This fight doesn’t just play out at the UN General Assembly or on the Gaza strip, but also in college campuses across the United States. Antisemitism has recently come back into style (kind of like Britney Spears). It is now commonplace to walk onto a university campus and witness a “Die-In” or an “Israeli Apartheid Wall.” Campuses such as UC Berkley, UNLV, Columbia, UC Irvine, and countless others all harbor the anti-Israel or anti-Zionist attitudes working to penetrate and indoctrinate the youth of today.

Whether it is staged Die-Ins, anti-Israel speakers, spray painted swastikas, protesting, or actual physical violence, antisemitism is very real on college campuses across the nation. The Muslim Student Association, funded by the Muslim Brotherhood – an organization with a very questionable and controversial past, is a prominent voice for this attitude. This war the Jews are fighting is not a physical war, it is an ideological war. Israel is battling an enemy that denies their entire existence and right to exist. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has openly vowed on countless occasions to “wipe Jews off the map, and cast them in the Mediterranean.” Muslim extremists have also stated (when referring to people they want to eliminate), “it’s the Saturday people first and the Sunday people second.” Israel is seen as the “Little Satan” while America is viewed as the “Great Satan.”

Not only is this a growing problem within the colleges of America, support for Israel is waning in Washington DC. This past Friday, US Ambassador to Belgium Howard Gutman accused Israel of generating a spate of antisemitism due to their inability to reach a two-state solution with the Palestinian people. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was treated very poorly when he visited the United States earlier this year, days after President Obama called for a return to 1967 borers in negotiations with the Palestinian Authority. Better yet, French President Nicolas Sarkozy called Netanyahu a “liar” only to be outdone by President Obama who said, “You are sick of him, but I have to work with him every day. ” The US-Israel relationship has remained intact and strong ever since Israel’s founding in 1948, however our current administration is rapidly turning its back on one of our nation’s strongest allies.

Do I have your attention yet?  Our support for the nation of Israel and the Jewish people is vital to our nation’s future success as well as the future success of Israel. It starts with us – college students! Abraham Lincoln once said, “The philosophy of the classroom today will be the philosophy of the government tomorrow.” We have to take a stand on campus and show our professors and fellow students we will not back down from the fight.

Now that we know what is going on, how can we make a difference? Many outlets for pro-Israel advocacy exist on campus and are waiting for students who are ready and willing to take a stand and defend the Jewish people and the land of Israel against on campus antisemitism. Organizations such as Christians United for Israel bring Christian students together in support. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)  takes a more political stance. There is also StandWithUs, Zionists of America, Hillel; there are plenty of ways to make your voice heard. It is our responsibility as young conservatives to ensure our nation’s relationship with Israel remains strong. If you find instances of antisemitism on your campus be it students or professors, say something. Together we can help ensure our generation does our part and preserves this special relationship for generations to come.

Jacob Harmon // University of California at San Diego // @jacobsonlv

When Threats Become a Reality: The Story Behind Iran

It’s the year most of the country has been waiting for. Ever since it realized it had elected a monster president and a ravenous horde of Marxists intent on institutionalizing European style (or worse) socialism in this country. It’s highly probable that 2012 will be one of those ‘pivotal’ years that historians glory over… after the fact. Problem with that is that we are the facts. And 2012 is a slate yet to be written on.

The world is an increasingly dangerous place and, under President Barack Hussein Obama, even more so for America. This is a man who identifies more with the stated enemies of this Republic than with American citizens.

Those who read my columns will remember that in my business one can put in an outrageous number of hours, which can result in precluding my writing. No, it’s not because I can’t write when I’m dog tired. It’s more because I don’t have time to do the requisite research.

Dee, the very efficient editor of this little shooting match, can’t do it for me. She is just about maxed out too… which would explain why we haven’t seen an article from her in a while. She’s a pretty good writer in her own right.

Regular readers will remember my (former) IDF buddy, Jackie. He just returned from a couple of weeks in Israel. We both work for the same company and I was talking to him out of earshot of any staff. We were talking about Israel. So, you say, what’s the big deal? You’ve talked to him before. Prying information out of Jackie is like trying to open a giant clam with a pair of chopsticks. We’ve both watched the Iran/Middle East crisis develop with not a little trepidation. He, because Israel is his home of origin (he has family there). Me, because I’ve been fascinated by history and the events that shaped history. A life-long avocation that has taught me that history, in many ways, does repeat itself.

As Iran wraps up ten days of military exercises, Israel launches a surprise naval exercise off Haifa.

During our various conversations, one overriding theme developed. As a matter of policy, Israel does not wish to be the first to start a conflict. It’s also a stated policy that it will not permit the destruction of the State of Israel. Jackie told me that the stuff can hit the fan any time now. But he’s worried. There are, he said, tens of tens of thousands of missiles, rockets and mortars that, if all-out war erupts in the Middle East which now seems inevitable, will blast Israel, taxing her defenses to the limit. It could make the London blitz look like a Sunday School picnic.

Jackie says it’s going to be very nasty. This, coming from a bona fide combat veteran of two of Israel’s wars. He cites advanced electronics, training and weaponry being supplied to Iran, Syria and others by China, Russia and North Korea. War in the Middle East will be a game changer. America has had three years to observe and judge Barack Hussein’s hatred of Jews and his obvious antisemitism. He’s certainly flaunted it enough over the last three years. The hitch there is that a very aware America has been watching, and waiting, for 2012. America is on the move.

The new media is attracting new viewers, listeners and readers in droves. The Lame Stream Press is reeling from numbers that should be an embarrassment if it were not infected by blindness, caused by ideological fervor on behalf of its leftist masters.
It’s 2012 and America is on the march.

Semper Vigilans, Semper Fidelis

© Skip MacLure 2012

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On today’s edition of Coffee and Markets, Pejman Yousefzadeh and Kevin Holtsberry are joined by Michael Totten, to discuss his book The Road to Fatima Gate: The Beirut Spring, the Rise of Hezbollah, and the Iranian War Against Israel, Iranian, Syrian, and Hezbollah efforts to control Lebanon, and Totten’s own personal encounters with Hezbollah.

We’re brought to you as always by BigGovernment and Stephen Clouse and Associates. If you’d like to email us, you can do so at coffee[at]newledger.com. We hope you enjoy the show.

Related Links:

Buy The Road to Fatima Gate: The Beirut Spring, the Rise of Hezbollah, and the Iranian War Against Israel on Amazon
Winners of the 2011 Washington Institute Book Prize
Michael Totten

Follow Pej on Twitter
Follow Kevin on Twitter

The hosts and guests of Coffee and Markets speak only for ourselves, not any clients or employers.

Download audio here

Download Podcast | iTunes | Podcast Feed

On today’s edition of Coffee and Markets, Pejman Yousefzadeh and Kevin Holtsberry are joined by Michael Totten, to discuss his book The Road to Fatima Gate: The Beirut Spring, the Rise of Hezbollah, and the Iranian War Against Israel, Iranian, Syrian, and Hezbollah efforts to control Lebanon, and Totten’s own personal encounters with Hezbollah.

We’re brought to you as always by BigGovernment and Stephen Clouse and Associates. If you’d like to email us, you can do so at coffee[at]newledger.com. We hope you enjoy the show.

Related Links:

Buy The Road to Fatima Gate: The Beirut Spring, the Rise of Hezbollah, and the Iranian War Against Israel on Amazon
Winners of the 2011 Washington Institute Book Prize
Michael Totten

Follow Pej on Twitter
Follow Kevin on Twitter

The hosts and guests of Coffee and Markets speak only for ourselves, not any clients or employers.

This the 4th in a series of articles on the pearls of wisdom that come forth from Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Chairman of the DNC and the perm-challenged Congressman from Florida’s gerrymandered 20th Congressional District.  This could be called the Wacky World of Wasserman.  On June 5th, she had an editorial in the Sun-Sentinel regarding Obama’s Middle East speech at the State Department.  It starts off good enough: “Unwavering support for Israel…,” “As the first Jewish woman elected to Congress from Florida…” blah blah blah.

She then states that under Obama’sleadership, Israel is more secure than they have ever been.  For example, it is Obama who has enacted the strongest sanctions against Iran which begs the question: to what ends?  Have they given up their nuclear aspirations?  Do they still possess missiles that can reach Israel?  Have they ceased support for terrorism?  Obama, she claims, has provided Israel withadvanced anti-missile technology which is kind of ironic considering he left the Czech Republic and Poland twisting in the wind by cancellation of a missile defense system to protect Europe based in those countries.  That was done to “reset” relations with Russia.  While allies twist in the wind, Russia laughs.  But, I digress.  And of course she touts Obama’s support of Israel in international forums.

But then she starts to get in trouble.  Regarding his proposals for a two-state solution, she states: “That is why it is so disappointing to see the deliberate distortions of President Obama’srecord on Israel in the wake of the president’s speech…  These comments are bothharmful to Israel and false.  False because they misrepresent, distort and even lie about the president’s strong pro-Israel conviction; harmful because in doing so, they undermine the very thing they claim to support, the strength and security of Israel.”  So, in Wasserman’sworld, if one disagrees with President Obama on Middle East policy, particularly the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and a possible solution, they are liars and they threaten Israel’s security.  Of course, being the “first Jewish woman” elected to Congress from Florida makes her words carry any greater moral or strategic weight.

Among the lies she attributes to the opponents of Obama’s stated solution, she stated, “The President reiterated longstanding American foreign policy that Israel will not return to the 1967 borders and that changes to the borders need to be negotiated between Israelis and Palestinians taking into account Israel’s security requirements and the demographic changes of the past 44 years.”   Wasserman Schultz’s interpretation does not square with the exact words of Barack Obama at the State Department.  There, he stated: “The United States believes that negotiations should result in two states with permanent Palestinian borders wit Israel, Jordan and Egypt, and permanent Israeli borders with Palestine. The borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states. The Palestinian people must have the right to govern themselves, and reach their potential, in a sovereign and contiguous state.”  I don’t know what Wasserman is talking about, but Obama’s words are fairly specific here- that the borders of this new state would be based on the 1967 lines.  Also, in order to make this new sovereign state “contiguous,” as a look at any map will reveal, would  necessarily result in the 1967 borders which today would prove indefensible despite the presence of advanced missile technology or not.

And in classic WassermanSchultz style, she did not let me down and provided us with this over-the-top incendiary comment: “Whether it is for political gain or other motives, the distortion of President Obama’s record and position on Israel only plays into the hands of the enemies of Israel by falsely suggesting that there is a softening of U.S. policy.”  It may be only me, but “playing into the hands of the enemies of Israel” of whom we are a close ally militarily infers a certain sense of treason.  So according to WassermanSchultz, I, by virtue of being a Republican and opposing practically all of the Obama agenda- domestic and diplomatic- am “at war with women,” a racist, trying to re-establish Jim Crow laws because I support voter ID laws, AND NOW A TRAITOR.    Because I oppose, or anyone else opposes Barack Obama, the Democratic Messiah, we “play into the hands” of Israel’s enemies.  I submit that it is Barack Obama who is delivering Israelinto the hands of its enemies and it is people like Debbie WassermanSchultz who are equally guilty in their complicity.  She brings dishonor upon her faith and her ethnicity in her support of this suicidal plan.  Seeing how the United States has treated its allies under Barack Obama, when he isn’t bowing to foreign leaders, giving insulting gifts, flubbing toasts and kissing the backside of socialist two-bit South American dictators, Israel is correct in their summary dismissal of the Obama proposal.  Maybe they can learn from the Obama errors in realtionships with staunch allies like Poland, Australia, the Czech Republic and Great Britain.  The Democrats like to deride the foreign policy of George W. Bush, but given his and Wasserman’s alternative policy, it looks pretty damn good and certainly more principled than anything this President has done.  And it defies logic that after the black vote, the next group of lemming-like followers is the Jewish vote for the Democratic Party.

Articles you might find interesting:

1. New York Post - How the Israelis protect their airports
2. Five indicted in federal investigation of multi-million dollar KU ticket fraud
3. Ray Merrick likely to be elected Senator on Monday
4. Independent Women’s Forum - Foreclosures are a necessary part of economic adjustment
5. World Magazine - All 50 states investigate concerns that mortgage companies illegally foreclosed on hundreds of thousands of properties
6. Flight attendants reject unionization
7. Utah Taxpayers Association challenges food tax in state court
8. Chicago Tribune - GM bill to taxpayers will keep growing
9. Denver Post - Jay Rockefeller vs. 1st Amendment
10. Newsweek - Virginia Democrat Jim Webb hasn’t decided whether he’ll run for re-election
11. Senator Jim Webb - Terrorists don’t belong in civilian courts
12. Washington Post - Terrorist verdict a setback for proponents of civilian courts
13. Americans favor earmark ban by a 48-36% margin
14. Tim Pawlenty calls for Eric Holder to resign
15. CNET - Windows at 25
16. Andrew McCarthy at National Review - No winners in Ghailani terrorism verdict
17. David Paul Kuhn - Washington, DC, is disconnected from the American economy

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