Obama’s Most Important Battle with Congress — Part 1
Published in Al-Hayat
(Pan Arab) on 15 January 2015
by Jihad Al-Khazan (link to original)
According to the latest survey, Barack Obama's popularity has reached its highest point since 2013. Forty-eight percent of Americans support him, up three points since the previous survey.
One of the reasons for this is the improved economy, which frightens Republicans who want to wage the battle for the 2016 presidency on the basis of Obama's record of failure. When it comes to the economic boom, this [opinion] just isn't rational, according to New York Times commentator Paul Krugman. Latin American support for Obama has increased as well due to his stance on immigration and his efforts to normalize relations with Cuba after half a century of estrangement, sanctions and embargoes.
Barack Obama stopped the American economy in its tracks after George Bush, the son, dragged the United States, and then the rest of the world, into a severe crisis because of failed wars. But the president left his Democratic party to lose the Senate after the House of Representatives in last November's election, and he is still dealing with Republican opposition with a cautiousness approaching cowardice, instead of confronting his political opponents. All the while, he has nothing to lose since this is the last two years of his second term.
The issues to be brought before the new Congress in the coming weeks are contentious ones for the Republicans and the president, as well as for his administration. While Obama is able to veto legislation he opposes or issue administrative and executive orders for matters he cares about, he does this within quite a limited scope. I say to him that his attempt to win over the Republicans has failed before it's even begun, and that if he doesn't face his opponents he is bound to lose — just like they want.
What has Obama done in the face of Congress? He called the war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu to tell him that the United States opposes the state of Palestine's efforts to join the International Criminal Court (ICC), and that the U.S. wants a complete agreement with Iran preventing [the country] from possessing a nuclear weapon.
Palestine did join and will begin [collaborations] with the ICC in April. And I support Iran's possession of a nuclear weapon and call for [other] Arab nations to begin military nuclear programs. Iran occupies three islands of the United Arab Emirates and the issue could be resolved tomorrow if the leader so wanted.
The American policy on Iran is totally an Israeli policy. The United States and Israel want to join Iran to themselves in an open or secret alliance against the Arab nations. I've said it before and I'll say it again: The United States loves us perforce (or falsely and hypocritically) and hates Iran perforce because it wants an ally in the Middle East to subdue the Arab nations.
I say that Obama will pay the price, and we may pay a greater price if we don't separate from the regional Arab policy on America and the Israeli interests hidden behind it.
The new Congress is faced with many issues that will never be agreed upon by the president and Republicans. I say to him that if he doesn't fight, he will suffer a humiliating defeat and will leave the White House with the worst account of any American president. I will conclude tomorrow.
One of the reasons for this is the improved economy, which frightens Republicans who want to wage the battle for the 2016 presidency on the basis of Obama's record of failure. When it comes to the economic boom, this [opinion] just isn't rational, according to New York Times commentator Paul Krugman. Latin American support for Obama has increased as well due to his stance on immigration and his efforts to normalize relations with Cuba after half a century of estrangement, sanctions and embargoes.
Barack Obama stopped the American economy in its tracks after George Bush, the son, dragged the United States, and then the rest of the world, into a severe crisis because of failed wars. But the president left his Democratic party to lose the Senate after the House of Representatives in last November's election, and he is still dealing with Republican opposition with a cautiousness approaching cowardice, instead of confronting his political opponents. All the while, he has nothing to lose since this is the last two years of his second term.
The issues to be brought before the new Congress in the coming weeks are contentious ones for the Republicans and the president, as well as for his administration. While Obama is able to veto legislation he opposes or issue administrative and executive orders for matters he cares about, he does this within quite a limited scope. I say to him that his attempt to win over the Republicans has failed before it's even begun, and that if he doesn't face his opponents he is bound to lose — just like they want.
What has Obama done in the face of Congress? He called the war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu to tell him that the United States opposes the state of Palestine's efforts to join the International Criminal Court (ICC), and that the U.S. wants a complete agreement with Iran preventing [the country] from possessing a nuclear weapon.
Palestine did join and will begin [collaborations] with the ICC in April. And I support Iran's possession of a nuclear weapon and call for [other] Arab nations to begin military nuclear programs. Iran occupies three islands of the United Arab Emirates and the issue could be resolved tomorrow if the leader so wanted.
The American policy on Iran is totally an Israeli policy. The United States and Israel want to join Iran to themselves in an open or secret alliance against the Arab nations. I've said it before and I'll say it again: The United States loves us perforce (or falsely and hypocritically) and hates Iran perforce because it wants an ally in the Middle East to subdue the Arab nations.
I say that Obama will pay the price, and we may pay a greater price if we don't separate from the regional Arab policy on America and the Israeli interests hidden behind it.
The new Congress is faced with many issues that will never be agreed upon by the president and Republicans. I say to him that if he doesn't fight, he will suffer a humiliating defeat and will leave the White House with the worst account of any American president. I will conclude tomorrow.