It's possible. But at this point, he's still far less beholden to Israel - and, importantly, far more committed to listening to the Muslim world - than the others.

My hope is that when he gets into the White House and begins to listen to the voices of the Middle East in person (and it has been a long time since an American President has done that seriously) he will come down on the side of fairness. Call me naive, but I do believe the largest difference between Obama and Clinton is his eagerness to hear people out - and in our Middle-East relations, that could be world shaking.

You are certainly right that being President does not usually make people better. Let us hope that transparenc...

It's possible. But at this point, he's still far less beholden to Israel - and, importantly, far more committed to listening to the Muslim world - than the others.

My hope is that when he gets into the White House and begins to listen to the voices of the Middle East in person (and it has been a long time since an American President has done that seriously) he will come down on the side of fairness. Call me naive, but I do believe the largest difference between Obama and Clinton is his eagerness to hear people out - and in our Middle-East relations, that could be world shaking.

You are certainly right that being President does not usually make people better. Let us hope that transparency will be a weight on the pressure toward corruption and blindness that nails most. And let's stay in his mailbox about it.

Masbury "...My hope is that when he gets into the White House and begins to listen to the voices of the Middle East ...." and Blueridge, I agree entirely. I avoid this exact topic usually as I get a sick feeling each time that I read the candidates views on Israel. What you stated so so close to my hopes, but if things remain as is I don't see any US president able to change much in the Middle East, at least on his own initiative.

Yet I do have hope. I see it as the storm before the calm. I believe that Israel may implode! At least to the extent of becoming close to true democracy in reality and not the shame at present. If the power of the IDF and the Orthodox religious was reformed then i...

Masbury "...My hope is that when he gets into the White House and begins to listen to the voices of the Middle East ...." and Blueridge, I agree entirely. I avoid this exact topic usually as I get a sick feeling each time that I read the candidates views on Israel. What you stated so so close to my hopes, but if things remain as is I don't see any US president able to change much in the Middle East, at least on his own initiative.

Yet I do have hope. I see it as the storm before the calm. I believe that Israel may implode! At least to the extent of becoming close to true democracy in reality and not the shame at present. If the power of the IDF and the Orthodox religious was reformed then it could become a real democracy. Sharing real citizenship with non-Jews might be tougher.

Why am I hopeful or mad? I believe that the vast silent majority of good Jews are ASHAMED of the Zionist state! Some of the UK's most prominent Jews even chose the 60th bash to express this. If enough could find their backbone then the 'conflict' could be solved quickly. The Saudi leaked document that I've posted gives me even greater hope. Here's hoping.

There have been no attacks in America by these so-called radical jihadist thugs in 7 years, and the official story of 9/11 is incredulous and without proof. If this propaganda were true about 'sleeper cells" of "Islamo fascists that want to kill us every day" (per the neoconservative catechism), there would have been multiple and wide spread terrorist events immediately after 9/11 up to the present. Instead Americans have more need to defend themselves against each other on the roads, against crime, and lunatic shootings entirely unrelated.

Homeland Security is nothing, nor would airport screening prevent anything, beyond its mirage of fake protection. Nor would suicidal maniacs be afrai...

There have been no attacks in America by these so-called radical jihadist thugs in 7 years, and the official story of 9/11 is incredulous and without proof. If this propaganda were true about 'sleeper cells" of "Islamo fascists that want to kill us every day" (per the neoconservative catechism), there would have been multiple and wide spread terrorist events immediately after 9/11 up to the present. Instead Americans have more need to defend themselves against each other on the roads, against crime, and lunatic shootings entirely unrelated.

Homeland Security is nothing, nor would airport screening prevent anything, beyond its mirage of fake protection. Nor would suicidal maniacs be afraid of the Bush administration which has left the ports wide open and the borders porous. Any group of teenagers could create more terrorism, havoc, chaos and destruction if determined than the alleged conspiracy theory and propaganda about Islamo-fascism. One single individual, today, could cause more damage, while millions of radical Islamists have attempted nothing, while the Federal government has erected real fascism.

The fact that nothing has occurred is proof that there is no real terrorism threat, or it is overblown, even with provocatory foreign wars in their countries, from pretended Islamic terrorists, and the propaganda is a lie. The War on Terrorism is a fiction, and excuse to carryout neocon plans for regime change and a "new middle east", and to conform every country to UN governance or US subjegation to "democracy" by force. There is no real justification then for a war if there is no genuine threat against the U.S..

masbury hit the nail on the head for me: "But at this point, [Obama} is still far less beholden to Israel - and, importantly, far more committed to listening to the Muslim world - than the others."

This fact is why a significant majority of Jews (according to polls and the TV talk)...why the majority of Jews are against him.

Without doubt McCain and Hillary Clinton would be far more committed pro-Israel presidents.

It is quite natural, BTW, for any group to support a candidate who appeals to their interests.

Of course, it's another question whether the unquestioned support for Israel is a good policy for America to blindly continue. The way to change this course, BTW, is to do what the ...

masbury hit the nail on the head for me: "But at this point, [Obama} is still far less beholden to Israel - and, importantly, far more committed to listening to the Muslim world - than the others."

This fact is why a significant majority of Jews (according to polls and the TV talk)...why the majority of Jews are against him.

Without doubt McCain and Hillary Clinton would be far more committed pro-Israel presidents.

It is quite natural, BTW, for any group to support a candidate who appeals to their interests.

Of course, it's another question whether the unquestioned support for Israel is a good policy for America to blindly continue. The way to change this course, BTW, is to do what the Jews do for the candidates they like: vote for them, send them cash to help their campaign, organize for them, talk in favor of them, talk trash about their oppenents.

Part of the problem in the question of blind support for Israel is the Jews are far more united and active on the focus of Israel and supporting Israel and for a lot of time, esp. when all this was not so much in the headlines, before 9/11, the average America just didn't care that much -- but now when we can see the cost in "blood and treasure," more criticism is forthcoming.

sillysam, I disagree with; I think zionist extremist, extreme right-wing Christian evangelist and the Oil companies are far more evil than Muslims.

Israel right now is starving over a million and a half people to death in the Gaza Strip; that's genocide to me and I think it's disgusting.