In the U.S., Obama's choice of Biden as a vice-presidential running mate was seen by some critics as tacit admission that he lacked sufficient experience in the area. Not in the Arab media. This was seen as a shrewd maneuver to woo American Jewish voters and pro-Israeli groups in the U.S. Full Story »
Posted by John Debois
This excellent piece includes two video clips, including one from 2007 where Joe Biden calls himself a Zionist and declares that Israel is the "single greatest strength" of the US in the Middle East. Biden knows the Middle East well enought to know that Israel is as much a millstone as it is a source of strength. In my view, no candidate will be allowed to stand, from either party, unless he or she makes the obligatory noises about Israel. The Arab media think this has to do with Jewish voters in the US, but in fact it has much more to do with the financial backing Jewish individuals and organizations provide to candidates for public office, not to mention the Evangelical Christians who often are fervent Zionists for religious reasons related to their wish for the coming of Armageddon. Jimmy Carter was prevented from addressing the Democratic convention, no doubt as a reaction to Jewish discontent with his excellent book on the Israel/Palestine problem.
