Op-Ed: Defense Minister Ya'alon Gives Them Hell

He only said out loud what everyone is thinking.

Att'y Steven M. Goldberg

 

The writer is National Vice Chairman of the Zionist Organization of America, member of the Executive Board of the World Likud, member of Ariel University's International Board of Governors and Vice President of Children of Jewish Holocaust Survivors, Los Angeles. He practices law in Los Angeles.

It is the Obama Administration that owes an apology to the American people...

"I never did give them hell.  I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell." (Harry S. Truman)

The politically correct set in the United States State Department became enraged and almost hysterical when Defense Minister Moshe "Bougie" Ya'alon decided to "give them hell".  

That is, Ya'alon told the truth, and they "thought it was hell".

Specifically, Ya'alon correctly pointed out that, as a result of American passivity, Russia has taken military action against the Ukraine, China has become more aggressive in southeast Asia, and Iran is continuing to march towards obtaining nuclear weapons capability.  

Minister Ya'alon accurately noted that the perception of the international community is that the United States is afflicted with "feebleness," which is jeopardizing the current world order and undermining the security of the democratic nations, including the United States.

Suffering from grievously wounded feelings, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry reacted immediately.  He and others In the Obama Administration telephoned Prime Minister Netanyahu and demanded that Minister Ya'alon be forced to apologize for saying out loud what everyone is thinking.

This is the second time the State Department has taken umbrage at Minister Ya'alon's candid observations.  Several weeks ago they complained bitterly when Minister Ya'alon  rightly noted that Secretary Kerry was "messianic" and "obsessive" in his desperate efforts to force a peace agreement  between Israel and the Palestinian Authority and that the proposed security arrangements in the Jordan Valley were useless.

   

It is understandable that, for political reasons, Minister Ya'alon has chosen to issue quasi-apologies to Secretary Kerry in response to the tantrums of the State Department. In reality, however, Minister Ya'alon owes no apology to anyone for publicly telling the painful truth.  If anything, it is the Obama Administration that owes an apology to the American people for shirking its responsibilities as leader of the free world.  

   

Equally pathetic are the lamentations of the Israelis who quiver at the mere thought of offending the delicate sensibilities of President Obama or Secretary Kerry. Assuming a supine posture of obsequiousness, these Israeli politicians and pundits insist that everyone tell the Obama Administration what it wants to hear, no matter how disconnected from reality it is: 

"How big and strong you are! We are so grateful to you for demanding we appease our enemies! You clearly know better than we what is in our best interests!"  

Minister Ya'alon has had the temerity to tell the unflattering truth about the feckless foreign policy of the United States under the reign of President Obama.  His blunt and insightful statements may not have been politically correct, but it is long past time for someone to have the courage to make them.

       

Both the Israeli and American publics are entitled to have an honest dialogue about the threats to both countries.

The United States public needs to hear that its government has lost the respect of foes and friends alike throughout the world.  

The Israeli people need to understand that they stand alone against the threats from Iran, Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinian Arabs. They must not be deluded into thinking that the United States will be of any assistance.

Minster Ya'alon deserves the gratitude of both Americans and Israelis for telling it like it is, even if it seems like hell.  Harry Truman would have approved.