Da Fook

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu addressed the United Nations today with one of the lamest demonstrations I have ever seen, a graphic of an Iranian bomb getting close to the 90% red line of no return. The demo seemed pathetic to me, patronizing and stupid, like he was lecturing a class of five year olds.

I think that he is under some illusion that people care what happens to his country. I got news for you, short of a smattering of heartland evangelicals, they really don't. Even a huge number of young jews can't stand him or his country, if what I read and sense is correct. They view him as a nasty bully and jailer, especially in Gaza.

Seventy years ago the world stood by and idly watched as six million people died and I for one, don't think a hell of a lot has changed. Israel gets taken out and the world will barely stifle a yawn.

Much of this is the Prime Minister's own fault of course. He has not been an honest participant in the process of finding a solution for the legitimate grievances of the Palestinian people and has played fast and loose with his promises on both settlement policy and what constitutes a safe and feasible buffer zone for Israel.

"No settlements" somehow gets parsed into "organic growth of existing settlements" leading to the inevitable conclusion that he is if not an outright liar, certainly an untrustworthy game player. Wait long enough and there is nothing left to talk about, certainly not a contiguous state.

If I was a Palestinian I would be declaring statehood yesterday, seeking U.N. recognition, doing anything and everything I can, because they will wait forever if they think that there is a solution coming from this Likud government. After all, all people deserve to live in dignity.

Bibi is trying to win a slow war of attrition that his country will not be able to sustain in the long run. He can't win the numbers game and Israel is surrounded by an enemy on every side that views them as an oppresive neighborhood bully. Enemies that will eventually have the same nasty weapons that Israel won't admit to having.  In many ways the current state of affairs is his fault. Netanyahu has antagonized even the moderates in the West Bank and lost any opportunity for a workable deal with his constant overplaying of the strength of his hand. Water is a critical part of the calculus.

People are tired of it. Barack Obama is not going to come riding up on his white horse to save you. He doesn't like you personally and has no affinity for your country, having listened to twenty years of speeches at the knee of Reverend Wright. Wars are easy to start and hard to finish and people are exhausted from the two that we are already in. Israel will have to take matters into its own hands. The way it has always done.

Commitment, to overuse my most tired metaphor, it's like bacon and eggs. The chicken gives a little but the pig is all in. I know that it doesn't sound kosher, but Israel is the pig in this one , it's the way it is. Deal with it the best way you can and don't expect any help from your pals because all the pluses for them are on the other side of the equation. Of course after Iran lobs a nuke on Israel, the U.S. will probably retaliate and turn Persia into a parking lot but by then it will be too late, there will be nothing left of anything. Anywhere. Masada all over again. Our part in the movie. It will always be Masada. Good luck.