Letter to the editor

To the Editor:

It is tiring to read the right wing drivel that is Jeff Dunetz's weekly column.  This week's column is another example of partisan whining that ignores reality. 

The President's record of supporting Israel is solid.  When the Palestinians attempted to force a vote for Palestinian statehood, the President and his ambassador, Susan Rice, could not have been more steadfast in opposing it at the UN.  Neither could the President have done much more than refuse to attend Durban III, a marked improvement over the Bush Administration, who attended the original 2001 conference (Durban I), only leaving in middle when the anti-Semitic rhetoric became unbearable.  The Bush Administration did nothing to combat the plethora of anti-Israel resolutions that resulted from the planning meetings for that conference.  If Jeff Dunetz knew anything about these planning conferences, he would know that the United States has no power to influence the resolutions passed at them.  Perhaps Jeff can educate us on what he expected of the administration, particularly since he seems to have no criticism of the Republican administrations before this one. 

Jeff also criticizes Susan Rice for noting that the US opposed Israeli settlement policy after vetoing a Security Counsel resolution condemning that activity in February 2011.    Rather than criticizing her for stating what has been US policy for over four decades, we should be praising her for continuing to insist, as she did just last week at AIPAC, that settlements were a final status issue that must be resolved by direct negotiation. http://usun.state.gov/briefing/statements/185239.htm  That's what important, and it is no different from Bush administration policy in any way, shape or form. 

Finally, in what can only be described as a display of Jeff's marked refusal to say anything good about Obama, he blames the President for committing the United States to support an Israeli attack should an Iranian nuclear weapon become imminent.  Much as Israel may have wanted the Obama administration to stay out of its way, the idea that it would is folly.  Iran is not just Israel's problem.  It is a strategic problem for the United States.  Thus, it is perfectly reasonable for the President to say that all options are on the table and that he would use force if necessary.  There is nothing especially unusual about that kind of commitment from an American President under these circumstances, except that the President uttering it is a Democrat instead of a Republican, so he has earned Jeff's approbation. 

Why is it that so many on the right can find nothing good to say about this President, to the point of presenting a wholly distorted picture of his record and placing Israel on the altar of domestic partisan politics?  Such irresponsibility helps no one, and only encourages the President, should he be re-elected to a second term, to be less receptive to pro-Israel concerns.

Michael Brenner

Woodmere