"Israel's last chance to assume automatic diplomatic support from Washington" from Gaurdian article

[applejuice]

Interesting article in The Gaurdian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/29/israel-attack-hamas-preparations-repercussions

The three weeks before Barack Obama's inauguration were Israel's last chance to assume automatic diplomatic support from Washington, as it got from George Bush over both West Bank settlements and the Lebanon war.

It is hard to imagine an Israeli government testing Obama, whom it views with foreboding because of a sense he has more sympathy for the Palestinians, with a crisis of these dimensions during his first days or weeks in office.

Speaking to family in the US it has been interesting to see how differently this has all been framed by the media in the US as compared to the media outside the US.

[StudsT]

1. If Obama adopts the status quo, then I will be surprised but still not shocked.

and so it goes...

StudsT

[IndianaGreen]

2. Bet you a beer that Obama will not change a thing when it comes to Palestinians

We LGBTs have to put up with the Rick Warren insult and the broken campaign promise on DADT. Palestinians have to put up with American bombs dropped on them by Israel's air force. So much for change!

[peacetalksforall]

3. I say he will opt for peace.

I tend to believe that war is only profitable for a small circle of people compared to the population.

Are profits from death the way to stand this country upright?

Please - no.

I protest all Israel-US alliances that led to this massacre.

[bemildred]

4. Well, it's an interesting point, but I'm not ready to buy it yet.

Or to reject it. It seems to me that what is going on is consistent enough with the past that one does not need to introduce the sort of motivation by fear of Obama that is suggested here to explain it. And yet, I wonder about the Bush administration's role in this, part of the legacy project, one last try at shock and awe, or one last try at something else? And it does seem reasonable to think that Obama will be different, even much different. So: who can say at this point?