Gail Collins, "The Luck of the Pontiff": Israel Not Lucky Enough to Merit Another Obama Visit

In her latest New York Times op-ed entitled "The Luck of the Pontiff" (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/23/opinion/collins-the-luck-of-the-pontiff.html?_r=0), Gail Collins discusses the upcoming visit of Obama with the pope and the decision to move America's Vatican Embassy. Collins writes:

"President Obama is going to visit the pope! He’s been to the Vatican before, but not with this pope, who is perhaps the only person in the world almost everybody likes.

. . . .

The president’s visit, which is scheduled for March, comes at an interesting intersection in the two men’s careers. Pope Francis can currently do no wrong, and Barack Obama can do no right. Recently, his administration decided to move its Vatican Embassy into a more secure building, and the outcry was so intense that you’d think Obama had ordered a re-creation of the Sack of Rome."

"The outcry was so intense that you’d think Obama had ordered a re-creation of the Sack of Rome"? You want a real outcry? See what would happen if the US were to move its embassy in Tel Aviv to Israel's capital, Jerusalem. But of course, that would indeed require a miracle.

However, at a time when Obama is busy dismantling sanctions against Iran in exchange for "concessions" from Tehran that can be reversed in one day (see: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/16/iran-top-nuke-negotiator-deal-reversible-in-one-day.html), and when US Secretary of State Kerry is now telling us that "Everybody is happy to have Iran be helpful” with regard to the upcoming Geneva talks on the civil war in Syria (see: http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Kerry-says-Iran-could-help-with-Syria-peace-talks-337111), only 22% of Israelis trust Obama "to ensure that Iran does not achieve a nuclear weapon" (see: http://www.timesofisrael.com/only-one-in-five-israelis-trusts-obama-on-iran/).

A visit from Obama to assuage Israeli concerns about their survival in the face of ongoing Iranian threats to annihilate their country? No way! Obama is too busy courting Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei and creating a new Middle East order.

[See also: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.co.il/2014/01/washington-post-editorial-on-syria.html]

Gail Collins, "Meet Dilly and Dither": Collins Emerges as a Useful Idiot

Characteristically unable to make a decision, Obama consulted on August 29 with editorial and op-ed staffers from The New York Times regarding his meandering Syria policy (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.co.il/2013/09/gail-collins-knowing-when-to-worry-did.html). It would appear that as a result of this "off-the-record" meeting, Obama suddenly opted to seek congressional approval for a "limited" strike against the Assad regime. Participating in the meeting was Gail Collins, who knows absolutely nothing about the Middle East.

Apparently relishing her new stature as a presidential foreign policy adviser, Collins has this to say in her latest New York Times op-ed entitled "Meet Dilly and Dither" (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/26/opinion/collins-meet-dilly-and-dither.html):

"This month, the pope made some sensible remarks about sex, and the president of Iran made some reasonable comments about nuclear weapons. Also, the Russians proved to be extremely helpful during an international crisis. Meanwhile, on the home front, our Congress appears too crazed by internal conflict to keep the lights on.

Our elected officials are loonier than Iran. Than the pope on sex. Less useful than Vladimir Putin."

Well, anxious to avoid eternal damnation at this late stage of the game, I will refrain from comment concerning Pope Francis's recent declarations concerning abortion, gay marriage and contraception, other than to observe that I favor all three.

But "reasonable comments" from Iran's new president, Hassan Rouhani, about nuclear weapons? Gail is probably unaware that in a pre-election interview, Rouhani, all smiles, bragged how he had lulled the West into complacency while radically expanding Iran's nuclear weapons development program (see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjbrqPK-BBg). Of course, there's not a chance that he would try to deceive the West again.

The Russians proved "extremely helpful during an international crisis"? Yes, former KGB man Putin certainly helped Obama climb down from his tree and expunge a "red line" involving Assad's use of chemical weapons, drawn by America's president with washable crayon. And as a result, America's overseas stature, commitment to any semblance of morality (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.co.il/2013/09/new-york-times-editorial-president_25.html), and power of deterrence have never been lower.

"Less useful that Vladimir Putin"?

Collins has now emerged as a "useful idiot."