Enjoy your sugar high, evangelicals, but the region just became more unstable, for decades. I'm sure you will all pray for (some) of the people who die because of this.
1
Fascist Trump always love to throw a dangerous bone to his right-wing base.
Let's put Trump aside for a moment. Americans need to stop humoring themselves. They do not have a solution to "Mideast peace", America isn't some wise neutral party, but a participant on one side of the issue. The only differences between Trump and a "normal" American president is Trump has no subtlety, and he is perhaps a lot more corrupt.
The solution, if any, to a negotiated mideast peace is actually with the Arabs. This is because parties who sit down at a table to negotiate do so on the basis of strength on both sides. The Israelis are strong, the Americans are strong. The Palestinians have no strength, and in order to sit down with Israel/America, they need those who have potential strength on the Arab side to actually care, so the parties needed for the negotiation are something like Israel/America vs. Palestanians/Arabs, to make it a bit more balanced, with maybe Europeans, Russia & China mediating. The current framework where America pretends to be the mediator is itself a symptom of the problem. And that main problem is the Arabs aren't in a position to negotiate. Their potential strength is not actualized because their politics are out of whack, their (unelected) leaders are operating under foreign depandancy. Many of them depend on the very power that is really on the other side of the table, but often pretending to mediate. It's and has been for decades, a kabuki of the highest.
15
Trump has never been one to choose the diplomatic solution.
6
Please do not flatter Trump by referring to "his own peace initiative." Are you joking? Asking your slumlord son-in-law to go talk to Bibi about his wish list is not a peace initiative. Trump himself has probably never heard of the Balfour Declaration or or Theodore Herzl or George Habash or Hanan Ashwari, who penned an excellent op-ed on the likely outcomes of our reality star-in chief's ignorant action. Hint: it will lead to more insecurity not less for Americans. But, Trump isn't really our president, is he? He is the water boy for Bibi and Vlad.
11
Not his right, he can move to another apartment but not to others apartment..shame on him..
2
While Trump's decision to relocate the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem is (a) dumb, (b) pointless, and (c) vindictive (vis-a-vis Obama), the repercussions will be few. The Republicans in Congress will sit on their hands. The Palestinians will not start another Intifada because they were big losers in the prior Intifadas. The Jordanians, Egyptians, and other neighboring countries can't do anything to stop the move. The same is true for Saudi Arabia, every other Arab country, and Iran. The Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations are moribund, so Trump's move won't derail it, since there's nothing to derail.
Perhaps we should ask Kim Jong-Un what he thinks of this. He's no doubt as puzzled by what the Dotard-in-Chief is up to as the rest of the planet.
6
Another prime example of Trump's art of the deal - give away our strongest bargaining tool with Israel and get nothing in return. Just another Trump bankruptcy in a long line of failures. When will America get tired of losing with Trump?
7
Make America great again - at the expense of Mr Adelson!
2
It was a play for a pay
- remember Sheldon A.
7
The ignorance is so sad. If Hamas had control of Jerusalem it would be destroyed. Israel will always allow all people to come and pray there as they have been doing for decades. Why would people support Hamas and the PLO, they are just terrorists? Seems most people don't have a clue what's going on over there.
6
A strong ethnonationalist Israel. Open societies everywhere else. This must be the defining example of saving one's cake and eating it too. All very clever if you get away with it, and I think you will. Incredible.
1
Whoever inherits this mess in 2020 (please don't let it be 2024!), and can at least keep things from getting any worse, is a candidate for a Nobel prize.
3
I feel oddly at peace with this. All my doubts, all my questions have been answered at last.
There is no greater threat to peace and civility than the criminal rogue state that is Israel under Netanyahu.
There is no more nefarious enabler than Don Trump, albeit he did it semi-consciously, for unrelated reasons.
And we now have a new axis of evil.
On the other hand, one the great delights of this wonderful Christmas season will be memories of watching our President play Mortimer Snerd to a bunch of criminals and tyrants playing the holiday version of "Pass the Dummy".
7
Stop with all the criticism. Don’t you people realize this decision is part of Jared Kushner’s master plan for peace in the Middle East? How dare you question the thought process of a thirty six year old failed real estate developer with zero diplomatic experience who would likely be working in a cubicle were it not for daddy’s money.
8
Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital wasn’t unilateral. Congress passed the Recognition of Jerusalem as the Capital of the State of Israel Act in 1999. The bill provided that the United States should recognize the sovereign status of an undivided Jerusalem as Israel's capital and transfer the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv by January 1, 2019. President Obama allowed the bill to pass into law without his signature.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/257
4
He supports and encourages the most radical impulses of his base.
Will he take any credit for the blow back to this foreign poiicy driven by a narrow portion of the U.S. electorate and some of his key donors?
2
The Apprentice may be taking care of his donors by moving Israel’s capital to Jerusalem. He is corrupting 70 years of prior US policy. All the ‘know it all’s’ suggest that Armageddon is upon us from all sides in the ME. The decision makers suggest that ME peace is forever lost.
What ME Peace? We have never had “ME” peace. I would NEVER give credit to our odious Misfit in the WH! What if this shifting of Israel’s capital makes no difference in the non-existent peace talks? Let us find out.
2
Interesting how Trump blew up the Mideast peace process simply to satisfy one major donor, the Las Vegas casino magnet Adelson.
7
Today's Op-ed in NYT by Steven Simon, is the one honest piece I've read about the subject to date. If don't want to read the entire piece, start reading from "The obstacles are structural. "
"Can Trump Bring Peace to the Middle East?
After a half-century of failed peace initiatives, his administration seems to believe the stars have finally aligned."
1
Now American foreign policy is bought and paid for by a casino billionaire bigot.
This stupid, reckless, grandstanding move by Trump will get people killed. Lots of them. Israeli, Palestinian, American and who knows who else. But as long as Trump himself remains unhurt and his hand stays deep in Adelson's pockets, he is unconcerned about dead Little People.
If Trump wants to start bragging about fulfilling campaign promises, how about starting with his promises for better, cheaper health care for all, closing the hedge fund and carried interest loopholes, releasing his tax returns, breaking the pharmaceutical monopoly, "draining the swamp' and increasing taxes on the wealthy to give 'the little guy' a break.
Nah, those are personally inconvenient. Let's just rabble rouse and let other people die.
7
Republicans had already put our nation for sale to the highest dollar bidder! Trump has added a requirement that he or Russia gets a very large cut!
3
Trump did not bow to pressure from “pro Israel” supporters. The language here is important. He bowed to pressures from fringe right wing zealots that believe that by stoking war they help Israel. These zealots are not pro Israel but pro-war.
5
Trump The Destroyer continues. How far will this pernicious rotter go in ruining everything America has stood for in the last 100 years? Our better angels have deserted us in the face of foul demons. Not enuf effort went into educating our people who have become ignorant and self serving, and wiiling to vote for a trump.
2
I happen to think this is a terrible idea. If I am looking to be optimistic, however, there is at least some chance that this will encourage the Palestinians to come to the table and agree to a two-state solution, with East Jerusalem as their capital. The Israeli's now have West Jerusalem as theirs, after all.
2
Rather than refer to "pro-Israel supporters" as a bloc, it would be more accurate to list the top ten pro-Israel donors to Trump's campaign by amount. Trump is merely fulfilling his part of the bargain. At least the NRA has millions of supporters behind its support of absurd policies.
6
I believe Israel has a historical case in claiming Jerusalem as its capital. And since possession is 90% of the law, voila - Jerusalem is its capital.
But now, regarding president Trump's decision; this should have been done as a quasi administrative measure, without fanfare and days of announcements: "The Israeli government is in Jerusalem so we'll put our embassy close by" - that sort of thing.
It is not up to the US to declare or recognize other nations' capitals. Each nation's choice for administrative center is a sovereign choice: We can put our embassy in it or not.
As it occurred, it seems as if the President aimed to get as many people crossed as possible. That seems to be his modus operandi; take North Korea - an abhorrent regime - but do we really have to carry out military maneuvers near it every month?
I just hope he does not get crossed somebody who can do real harm to our country. He should take lessons from former Emperor Franz Josef.
1
It's a way to get the tax plan off the front pages of America's newspapers. And it's working. Thanks to the Great Distractor.
5
Trump hasn’t got a diplomatic bone in his body.
The real question: why now? Let’s see, less focus on Russia, Tillerson, taxes, etc.
4
And what better time to do this than the beginning of the Christmas season when so many visitors will be going to Jerusalem from all over the world to celebrate and now the violence and fear starts once again. Negotiation between the parties involved should have been who decides on Jerusalem's future as they will have to live side by side.
4
I'm not sure I buy the analysis that this hurts Trump's alleged peace making efforts. Please show me the evidence that (1) there is such an effort and that (2) not acknowledging that Israel's government is in fact based in Jerusalem has helped achieve peace any time in the last 70 years.
1
When has diplomacy and politics been neatly differenciated? Rarely, if ever!
I'm not unaware of the long confused history of Israel, and of Palestinian claims on part of Jerusalem, but Israel considers it to be their capital, and Congress did pass a law 22 years ago affirming this. If Congress showed no will to change that law, then I think we must follow Israel's lead. A nation should be able to choose its own capital.
1
Has any part of U.S. policy toward Israel ever been any less focused on the politics, rather than on policy, at any time since the state of Israel was being established.
Finally, I have to say that, in this, Trump is no more craven than our entire government has been for almost 70 years.
Trump has actually "risen," from his own base level, to our collective base level.
1
Hope Mueller wraps things up soon and that the Republicans in Congress are finally forced to get this man out of office. Hoping Pence is implicated, too. I don’t relish Paul Ryan as President, but I don’t think he’ll be quite this stupid.
1
Trump did not come up with moving the embassy to Jerusalem. This has been planned for decades, has it not? At least the last two Presidents had it on the books. I do not agree with it but Trump did not invent this policy. And he has not done it yet.
1
It doesn't make any sense to assume the diplomatic and political are dichotomous when that is almost never the case. Sure it's political; and we might say that Trump's "diplomacy" is characterized by his obnoxiousness and a foul odor. But that doesn't mean there are no policy reasons for the Jerusalem announcement. And maybe it's not a bad idea as a negotiating strategy, letting the Palestinians know that the current reality on the ground in Israel (and in the West Bank as well) will carry a lot of weight. The Arabs' starting three wars (at least), issuing genocidal death threats, engaging in terrorism and then being totally recalcitrant in peace negotiations isn't going to win any friends in Israel (and why should it?)
1
Today people died as a direct result of what did not need to be said yesterday.
No prevarication - Trumps egotistical declaration killed people.
I hope it was worth it.
1
Good, anything done by this Admin, or its main character that undermines his absurd claims of making bigly, unprecedented deals, is a-okay with me. All the better that he makes another mis-step in an attempt to pander to various factions in his fan club.
Love it. He owns every outcome, every consequence. All the more dirt to pile on their early grave.
1
I was particularly struck by this part of Trump's speech (which I have to admit was IMO well-written):
In his remarks at the White House, Mr. Trump did not dwell on how his decision might play out in the region. Rather, he cast it as a bold break with decades of failed policy on Jerusalem... “It would be folly to assume that repeating the exact same formula would now produce a different or better result,” Mr. Trump said.
What is striking is that one could imagine that 45 thinks himself a brilliant scientist, methodically "experimenting" with the Middle East by altering a single variable, as if everything else but US recognition of Jerusalem had been held fixed over the past 70 years.
But of course the ME is not a laboratory, and what was put into effect by the speech was not a controlled laboratory experiment. And thus Trump having us believe that it's the _opposite_ of folly to not continue to waive moving the Embassy is galling. What's more, this is not a 'controlled experiment' in that I severely doubt this administration has any effort in defining the criteria for whether the 'experiment' is a success.
Maybe we'll look back and conclude that this "doing something else," instead of doing the same thing once again, was ultimately the right thing to do. If so, it will _not_ be because Trump was prescient, but because he made a self-serving, dangerous, ill-advised, YUGE gamble with millions of people's lives.
1
I'm knowing this on the state department. They thought they could be partisan, lost the confidence of the President and consequently cannot advise him.
The Trump administration is surely shoring up its base ahead of whatever might come from the Russia investigation and the special counsel's foray into the Trump family's business dealings. If the Jerusalem announcement wasn't enough, the White House press briefing today with Sarah Sanders beginning with an inspirational Christmas tale and a reference to the greatest gift of all "our saviour" is disturbing evidence of the administration's effort to remind evangelical voters that he's their man--no matter what evidence is produced indicating otherwise!
3
Political move, yes. Diplomacy -- not at all. Trump has no understanding of international relations or diplomacy. Nothing but contempt for the process and the people working for international relations.
Let just hope this wasn't for financial gain. Did his benefactors and cronies give him or his son in law incentive to do this? That seems to be his primary motivation in life.
1
Why is noone taking Trump's slurred speech during this announcement seriously? I know 1st graders who would recognize that someone with changes in speech needs to immediately be seen in an emergency room to be assessed for a stroke or other serious neurological disease. I know Trump fans have ignored his empty soul, his lies, etc. but even they need the person with the nuclear codes to have an intact, functioning brain. A physical early next year doesn't cut it, he and by extension, all of us, may be dead by then.
1
WHY TRUMP IS RIGHT IN RECOGNIZING JERUSALEM AS ISRAEL’S CAPITAL
President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is a perfect response to President Obama’s benighted decision to change American policy by engineering the United Nations Security Council Resolution declaring Judaism’s holiest places in Jerusalem to be occupied territory and a “flagrant violation under international law.” It was President Obama who changed the status quo and made peace more difficult, by handing the Palestinians enormous leverage in future negotiations and disincentivizing them from making a compromised peace. Alan Desshowitz
4
Of course it’s political. Everything this man does is the result of political cost vs pain analysis.
He doesn’t have a noble bone in his body, nor is he capable of personal sacrifice for national honor.
It’s particularly egregious when his decisions involve the international arena, not domestic policies, as they have the potential to create great unrest, violence and bloodshed.
When the entire world is lined up against you, chances are your decision is wrong.
12
Not content with assaulting and damaging the lives of tens of millions of his "fellow" Americans, President Flim-flam reignites mutual suspicion, hatred and violence in the Middle East. What a guy!
11
Yet another powder-keg that the clueless dummkopf is about to blow up.
10
Today in the market there was a toddler riding in a cart, screaming at the top of his lungs because he couldn't have everything on the shelves that he pointed to. His mother very calmly ignored him and wheeled him along. You can forgive a toddler for behaving this way, but the president now reminds me of nothing so much as this toddler, greedy for everything he sees and angry because he can't have it.
17
Making Jerusalem the capital of Israel was done to please Evangelicals, a minority religious group who have involved themselves in politics under the guise of true religious fervor. I used to be one and I know that underneath they are a cruel punishing narrow-minded lot that Christ himself would throw out of the temple.They are pretty scary and some are vicious.
24
Thanks mr. trump - like they really needed and excuse to riot. But at least it keeps the Russia investigation off of the front page, so you get what you need.
12
Funny how the majority of the commenters put the blame for this incredibly stupid and unjust act in turn on Russia, on Sheldon Adelson, on the one percenters, on populism, on the evangelical Christians, basically on anybody except the only obvious beneficiary, Israel. Wake up, people. The US Congress, shielded from the consequences of its acts, bent to the pressure and declared Jerusalem capital 22 years ago. The same Congress tributed 26 standing ovations to Netanyahu when he came *uninvited* to speak for himself and against the US president. Wake up. The middle east peace process never went anywhere because it was always a joke. Come on, how can it be more obvious than this?
9
Full of sound and fury signifying nothing ... In the Arab world Jerusalem is yesterday's news.
North Korea's threats are small fry compared to this one: there are enough Islamic states with nuclear weapons who will now escalate the nukeing of America on their bucket list. Trump's Jerusalem stupidity is playing into the hands of the Chinese and Russians who are in alliance against America: they will divide up the world between themselves if America is nuked by one of their client states. God save America and the rest of us.
8
Mr Trump has his children ensconced in the White House surrounded by secret service agents. Although American, I have a son serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on the front lines of Mr Trump's paying off his debt to a Las Vegas billionaire. Thanks Donald.
18
President Trump 's decision to move the U. S. Embassy to Jerusalem , Israel is just a strategy to divert of some in the big Media Houses 's particularly the electronic media 's focus on covering Muller 's investigation into Russia 's meddling in 2016 presidential elections . Then think of who in Trump 's supporters did care about Israeli - Palestinian dispute, and hardships faced by Palestinians ever during the last seventy years . If President 's supporters follow him , also do not read about almost any thing as far the Middle East peace process is cicerned ? What do you think ?
3
This is neither a diplomatic or political decision--it was a sleight of hand. If the past is indeed prologue, then this is just the latest attempt by Trump to shift attention, dialogue and news coverage on a topic as a diversionary tactic from the ever-increasing evidence of collusion with Russia. It occurs every few days with little, if ever, effectiveness. The more he tries to deny the myriad facts, the more concrete they become.
3
In the big picture this does not make any difference. As it is Jerusalem has been Israel's de facto capital since 1948 and people who have done business with Israel's government have been trekking to Jerusalem to do it.
In under a week no one will be talking about this.
5
I recently spent time in Jerusalem, discussed its status with residents there. I visited both Jewish and Palestinian sectors and tried to educate myself as much as I could.
The issue is highly complex, and does not render itself to simple, quick reactions, and particularly reactions based upon incomplete or biased information, from either side.
Some of the comments I read seem to be based primarily on partisanship, and not on a dispassionate, objective analysis of this very difficult situation. I urge readers to cast aside reflexive reactions. Do not automatically have one just because you oppose or support President Trump, and really take the time to delve into this matter. I suspect you will see, as did I, that any resolution must be painfully sensitive and take careful consideration of all consequences on all sides. You may or may not agree with the Presidents action, but please don't base your opinion solely on politics.
5
Well said, and I agree. But its hard with this guy.
Like many who are the dustbin of history, Trump made a cynical decision that it is easier to foment an uprising than to make peace.
Hopefully, not too many of us end up in the dustbin with him.
5
Whether the Israeli capital is in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem is a decision about which the United States can voice an opinion, but it remains Israel’s decision, and once made be “in effect,” all nations must recognize it, because to do otherwise denies reality on the basis of disagreements which have already been voiced and rejected and which will not change—a rare circumstance where Trump’s justification for his action is not “fake” and/or ill-informed: It is time for America to base its diplomacy upon reality rather than objections—American embassies should be where capitals are.
Despite solitary Israeli recognition, Jerusalem can be a multi-capital city and be joint-administered, as well, its administrating body composed of equally-empowered representatives from the Islamic, Jewish, and Christian faiths, its chairperson rotated from among them on a calendar basis, which would provide an excellent venue for inter-faith cooperation, which has been rare in the region, leading to greater understanding, tolerance and more significant moves toward permanent, regional peace. There, would beat the multi-lateral essence of Jerusalem’s daily life, any capital only being the buildings which house the workings of a designated nation’s government. Jerusalem has the capacity for far greater flexibility in its existence than has been demonstrated by the nations and faiths which lay claim to it, and this joint venture should be the “deal” Trump focuses upon in his remaining days in office.
3
Party above country. At least tRump is consistent in that regard.
6
"Thank you President Trump" for starting the next Intifada. Oh, you say you never heard of a Intifada, here is its meaning:
"The Palestinian uprising against Israel occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip which began in 1987". Many innocent people on both sides were killed.
There have been two Intifada's, by you making the decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem it will surely start the third Intifada.
7
[“People are waking up to the fact that the president doesn’t see grays and doesn’t like pastels,” said Christopher Ruddy, a conservative news media executive and friend of Mr. Trump’s.]
Well if in a few weeks we see Americans dying in large numbers abroad due to inflamed passions in the Middle East. Trump will be waking up to a world of red as in wanton bloodshed due to his reckless decision to placate a vocal minority among his base.
7
Moving the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, as the writers point out, was not a strategic or tactical move, but a political one. In a compulsion to appeal to his base, Trump ignores the probability of unintended consequences - mainly ISIS using this as a recruiting tool. In making decisions based solely on their appeal to his base, Trump is much like a captain steering a ship by looking at the waves behind him. We would be better off rudderless.
See: RevolutionOfReason.com
TheRogueRevolutionist.com
5
“His base” is at least as delusional as he is. No matter. As soon as they stop hearing or seeing what appeals to (and enrages) them, the old saw of down-home marginalization will play, so they’ll never know or even care that what hit them was nothing like what they claim to deserve, because the actual base that Trump is so fraudulently a patsy to is of corporate America, by corporate America, and for corporate America...of course with at least five SCJs (maybe six if you count a dead man) thrown in.
5
So many countries including the US are paying a big price for Trump's narcissism.
There are 323+ million people in the US and Trump caters to his big Donors like Adelson and his small base; one group are religious zealots who make decisions based on the bible.
Trump is not an intelligent caring leader who thinks deeply and weighs all the consequences before making serious decisions. He's an impulsive bootlicker of only those who validate, applaud him and those who pony up large quid pro quo campaign donations. Consequences be damned!
Two things that drive Trump, money and adulation. Empathy for other people whose lives he's effecting all over the world with his decisions have no bearing on his conscious because he doesn't have one.
10
Religious extremists are evil. Regardless of religion.
6
Another day of rage against Mr. Netanyahu for calling Jerusalem the capital city of his country and other assorted grievances?
Why was there never a day of rage against Hitler or the Mufti of Jerusalem or Yassir Arafat or Ayatollah Khomeini or the leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah for their assorted crimes against the Arab people?
Tragically for the Arab people, because they were taken in by them and because they allowed themselves to be taken in by them, and still do.
8
Can't help but think that Adelson's behavior/participation plays right into the racist caricatures perpetuated by very anti-semites he judges to be on his side. Strange bedfellows...
5
This from the idiot-in-chief. Remember when he proudly proclaimed in TelAviv after his trip to Saudi-Arabia that he "...just came back from the Middle East" ?? Even Israeli staff of "Bibi" shook their heads at the blatent stupidity of our ogre....
He willfully puts every American abroad in harms way by his idiotic actions....he should be held personally accountable for each and every incident from now on....
10
Now it'official the : US is proclaimed by Trump as an enemy to muslims.
Good work Trump.
4
The same man who was apologetic for Nazis is doing this for the good of the Jewish people, American interests, and the world. Who could possibly believe this?
8
Oh, the irony!The hypocrisy! Russia "meddles" in your election , everyone on earth , outside the liberal cities think its a psychosis, but Israel really does influence your elections, every four years and your nice goys are too subservient to say a word. An idiotic nation. You own Trump, he is your Shadow, your Dark Side inside every American. A tool of Zionists.
7
I agree with Trump. But in today's world, I'd never trust a Russian.
As Tom Friedman wrote in his column, Trump does not see himself as president of the United States, but as leader of a base made up of single issue rich guys (like Adelson) and people who, like the president himself, are profoundly ignorant. It's all part of the bizarre and inexplicable plan in this new millennium for the GOP to destroy the country. And it is working.
10
I would be more comfortable with the decision had it been made b a president who was thoughtful and informed instead of one who is impulsive and erratic.
I anticipate an announcement from the Trump Organization of a new hotel to be built in Jerusalem.
2
ok So Please somone explain to me How does this move bring the Palestinians. to the negotiating table? Now how does America play the Impartial role in brokering a Peace deal?
2
Ok so explain to me when have the Palestinians ever negotiated in good faith? Possible now when they have every thing to lose if they do not come to the table, they will come
1
Maybe there needs to be a special investigation to see if Trump was blackmailed into doing this.
1
Question for Mark Landler . . . what is a Christian Zionist? I'm Jewish and know very well what a Zionist is, but isn't a Christian Zionist an oxymoron?
4
JERUSALEM IS PART OF PALESTINE AND US HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO GIFT JERUSALEM TO ISRAEL! UN AND EU ALREADY IN PROCESS OF INTERNATIONAL CASES! BUT MOST STRANGE PART IS THAT WHY US PRESIDENT TRUMP BEING CHRISTIAN PRESIDENT OF THE CHRISTIAN MAJORITY COUNTRY HANDED OVER JERUSALEM TO JEWS IN THE MONTH OF CHRISTMAS??? DIDN'T JEWS OF THE PAST NOT CRUCIFIED CHRISTIAN PROPHET JESUS CHRISTS AND THIS IS THE MONTH OF JESUS CHRIST'S BIRTH DAY? IS HE HYPOCRITE TO CHRISTIANITY? OR AIMED TO TARGET GLOBAL MUSLIMS BUT IN FACT HE INSULTED CHRISTIANS OF THE WORLD! I WAS WATCHING AN ARABIC COMMENT ON TV, A PALESTINIAN COFFEE MAKER SAID. " TRUMP'S GRAND FATHER WAS ILLEGAL AND ENTERED IN USA SO HE WANT ILLEGALS TO ENTER IN JERUSALEM OF PALESTINE!"
Jewish-Americans are a small minority in this country, and the younger ones are fed up with Israel. It is his evangelical base that Trump is bowing to: "anti-Semites for Israel", as Congressman Barney Frank accurately called them
3
In every Jew's heart, Jerusalem will always be the capital of Israel. Unfortunately, Jerusalem became Trump's latest 'shiny object' and the controversial means to distract from his ineptitude and troubles. The bigger the controversy, the better, to switch the topic of conversation away from Russia and the predatory Tax Bill just passed by Congress. The US got nothing, no concession, to further the cause of peace in the Middle East from the intransigent Netanyahu in return for this diplomatic Crown Jewel -- the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Trump is looking to start a war somewhere as a CYA ploy, as we all watch helplessly from the sidelines.
2
What is the matter with these people? Jesus never renounced Judaism, and what is called "Christianity" today is a negotiated set of fables to calm a slavery-based empire 300 years after the time of Jesus.
3
Do you actually believe that "The Prince of Darkness" has a peace initiative?? Don't make me laugh. The man is a reptilian creature who despises peace and harmony.
6
It is possible to “support Israel” and be disappointed (alarmed) by this foolish decision. Trump is the worst deal maker in modern history. He gives it away. No wonder “The Art of the Deal” was ghostwritten!
I see a casino on the first floor.
1
Need any more examples of unacknowledged dementia?
the decision was not political, nor diplomatic, only stupid ! Endangering people, and put at risk the life of citizens of all countries including Americans leaving and traveling in the world, can only be qualified as a stupid decisions with no appeal.
And where is the US Embassy in Palestine?
1
Perhaps the U.S. capital could be moved to Jerusalem instead where Trump can pal around with his buddies and hide from Mueller at the same time.
If there is a more odious creep in American politics than Adelson, oh wait, the president... Not by accident are those two in synch.
What's next? Is Trump going to make Toronto the new capital of the U.S.? Is that OK with you Canadians out there?
1
Hamas should take a much more hard-core approach to this.
1
Who knows what the death toll will be from this. But one thing is certain, Trump couldn't care less. After all, it's not his life, right?
7
Pecunia Loquitur.
An astute observance by our Roman predecessors regarding money and politics. Some things just never change.
Realistically, West Bank Palestinians are never going to get a state, nor should they. From a practical point of view, the region is not large enough to support two states for two Peoples. Maybe at one time but no more. That ship has sailed.
That this was ever conceived of in 1948 was not realistic. You cannot viably fit 8.5 million people of the nation of Jews within 1948 boundaries.
The best the West Bank Palestinians can hope for is some sort of autonomy within greater Israel that would would be akin to what exists in Canada in regard to Quebec.
That said, you cannot take peoples property for no money and not expect 69 years of war. Palestinians who lost land or property as a result of the creation of the State of Israel should receive Just Compensation as under the legal Doctrine of Eminent Domain. Take the money and buy your old place back, bank it, or do what you want with it. The compensation money should come from UN sources because the UN created this problem in the first place to make recompense to Jews for what the Germans did. If the Germans had not done what they did there would probably be no State of Israel today, though Jews would have continued to live in the region as they had for millennium.
Gaza can and should be a state of its own. Israel and Egypt, former occupiers of Gaza, have no claim on Gaza. There is no good reason why the UN should not declare and recognize Gaza as an independent state immediately.
Gaza. There's your Palestinian state. Enjoy!
1
I have never understood the alliance of ultranationalist Jews like Adelson and Christian Zionists like Tony Perkins, Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. One of the central tenets of Christian Zionism is the wholesale conversion of Jews to Christianity, either before or after the coming of Christ. Is this just political cynicism by Adelson and Netanyahu or willful fantasism by evangelicals, or both? In either case, this alliance with Trump in the vanguard will destroy the Middle East and possibly the world.
1
If you wondered whether he'd create a war in order to satisfy his base....
1
This decision to please supporters of Israel and Israel could have unexpected consequences like our illegal invasion of Iraq which was made exactly for the same purpose.
Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was a personal one, one to benefit him. If you heard his announcement, he said the word "I" had come to the conclusion. Yes, he is trying to placate his paymasters, both Adelson and his evangelical "Christian" base. Both these groups live in a world of fantasy re the fate of Israel, fantasies which are maintained so that they can continue to bully and disregard the rights of the people who had lived in that lands for 2000 or more years. An advert in the hardcopy of today's NYT by the Republican Jewish Coalition, changes the facts of the Torah to make it sound as though King David "3000" years ago established the divine right for today's Jewish state. One, King Saul was the first king of Israel, not David, and the temple was not built by David, but by his son Solomon. RJC doesn't want to claim Saul as the founder as he was sort of a flop. This is the type of revisionist mea culpa that justifies our nation's legacy of stealing Native American lands by force, our myth of manifest destiny.
And the evangel Xian support of Israel is based off a weird mix of Scripture from selected portions of Scripture, one being the Revelation. It's clearly a hallucinating vision of ONE guy banished to a small Greek island. Early 20th century evangels took the words and forced a historical sequence of events on to them. In their view, the establishment of Israel is the end times, the Apocalypse. They may get their wish. Hallelujah.
2
Great idea from 1995-2016. The MOST DESTRUCTIVE ACTION EVER TAKEN in 2017. Sounds about right.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/07/us/politics/07obama.html
“The point is Jerusalem is undivided,” he said. “Jerusalem is the capital.”
“And,” he added, “we should move our embassy to Jerusalem,” from Tel Aviv, “before anything else happens. The subject of Jerusalem itself will be addressed in negotiations by the Israeli government and people.”
-BARRY
This is a President who does not believe in representing all Americans or furthering America's interests. He serves only himself, his supporters in the top .01%, corporate America, and the Kremlin, by poking others in the eye...constantly. He is intent on causing the most damage to our country in the shortest time possible. Hopefully, Ryan, McConnell, Gardner and his other GOP enablers will pay for their support of this nut case.
1
The Trump Jerusalem decision appears to be more a Kusher success in using Trump as his poodle rather than a diplomatic solution to a long-standing problem. Kushner plus; Trump minus.
70 years ago, a plain speaking president recognized the Modern Jewish State of Israel after 3000 years of continued Jewish life in their 'Capital', despite a majority of worldwide advice which cited expected violence in the region. There was violence, all the nations surrounding Israel attacked Israel, and the end result was a vibrant Democratic State surrounded by basic Islamic dictatorships and despots which have repeatedly failed to annihilate the Jewish State.
Yesterday, a plain speaking president recognized a capital in the Jewish State of Israel despite a majority of worldwide advice which cited expected violence in the region in response to the recognition.
4
This is politics? What did Trump get in return for Israel? Anything? Where's the "Great Negotiator?"
The standard Republican motto:
Party before country
1
!. Sheldon Adelson (one of the "self-funding" candidate's major donors)
2. Jared
3. Christian evangelicals
4. To defy everyone else
5. He doesn't know anything about anything
Loves to fulfill his campaign promises, does he?
Then when's he going to sue all of the lying women that accused him of sexual harassment and assault? Testify in open court? Prove they are lying? Waiting...
Pays his bills is more like it. The issue is just who he owes what. There's the Kochs, Adelson, so many others, and, oh yeah, Russia. All paid in full.
1
Mr, Klein and Mr. Adelson do not speak for the majority of American supporters of the State of Israel.
I am a supporter of Israel who finds Trump's decision to be reckless, irresponsible and dangerous to the those in Israel, which include American Tourists, Americans resulting in Israel,and a number of young Americans who spend a year or two in Israel following high school graduation, prior to commencing their college educations.
The elderly. parents ,two sisters, and nieces and nephews of one of my best friends reside in Israel at this time. My friend's parents and sister are American Citizens. My friend's American friends' son and daughter -in-law were knifed to death by Palestinians right in front of their four young children.
I have other friends who are American Citizens who are now living in Israel, and I have relatives in Israel. I fear for their safety, and for that of all those who dwell in Israel presently.
I support the State of Israel's right to exist, and to do so in peace,
I do not suport Trump's reckless decision to move the embassy from
Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which was certain to invoke violence, which will result in the deaths of innocents.
While history has borne out it does not required provocation for Palestinian
terrorists to engage in acts of terrorism against Israelis, Trumps's decision. is a provocative one.
Trump might as well have thrown a lit match into a dry area in Arizona or California.
Who will stop this madman ?
4
@DJS - "While history has borne out it does not required provocation for Palestinian terrorists to engage in acts of terrorism against Israelis ... "
I think you may have a very narrow view of what constitutes provocation.
Israel's total population of 8 million is 21% Arab-Israeli. If Trump's rash, domestic-driven, politically motivated decision results in another, much more widespread and violent reaction by Palestinians in the West Bank and within the country proper, how will Israeli security forces deal with this possible "mother" of all intifadas?
I'm no conspiracy theorist, but in this Administration's obvious consideration of the resultant outrage such an unprecedented, explosive decision would cause, did Trump secretly, perhaps through his "emissary" Kushner, reassure Netanyahu that if the level of violence started getting out of Israeli control, he would unilaterally commit American ground forces to the effort? Or is this dire scenario covered by any existing treaty with Israel?
For the impulsive, narcissist that he is, this personal pledge of "his" soldiers and Marines in such a circumstance can easily be imagined. Time for some more deep, investigative probing NYT.
So let me get this straight. A billionaire who made his money in the casino business - is accused of money laundering, bribes, organized crime ties in Las Vegas, Macau, Israel, who has millions in fines, who has run into the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, his man in Israel, Netanyahu, is facing serious corruption charges - met with Trump, the man who went bankrupt multiple times with casinos, who created a money laundering haven in Trump Panama (actually closely developed by Ivanka, to whom NYC/US banks stopped lending money, so he had to go to Russian and other sources. Adelson have Trump millions in donations last year - remember when Trump claimed he would only use his own money. This is not foreign policy vs. domestic politics about his base. It’s one criminal billionaire paying off another criminal billionaire. The prize happened to be Jerusalem. There is nothing Trump will not sell - our greatest assets as a nation - to enrich himself. Jared Kushner, whose father is a felon, probably got his cut also. Trump doesn’t care about Israel, or Orthodox Jews, or Evangelical Christians, or anything other than making money. Cash from Adelson that Trump pocketed for Jerusalem. Simple transaction. Everything else is a distraction to cover up the crime.
10
This is indeed a decision driven by politics, but it's much more than following through on a promise Trump made to his supporters. Trump wants a war with Islam, in the Middle East and/or within the United States. I would even go so far as to say that Trump wants a major terrorist attack on american soil in the hope of rallying more Americans to support him in any sort of fight back - through additional political measures at home and significantly more US military actions in the Middle East.
2
I guess people did not read so far into the article to get to the part where it says that it is a 1995 law that requires the president to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. Bill Clinton signed that law. And the assumption in Bill Clinton's law is that the embassy will be moved unless the president signs a waiver. Maybe people don't like the law signed by a Democrat, and maybe people should just say they don't like the law signed by Bill Clinton.
2
The headline is naive (being kind here) as if diplomacy is divorced from politics? I am not sure this has ever been, nor will it ever be, the case. If I am correct, this essay is premised on assumption that is simply wrong. Interestingly the article actually makes the point that the interpenetration of politics and diplomacy is tightly coupled to make a distinction is between politics and diplomacy is unwise at best. I am not sure this essay should have been titled as such. My two cents (it not bad article in its analysis either).
The issue is not about a president or a donor. It is about any real future for the next Palestinian generation and beyond. Israel and all Israelis of all faiths will be fine. While significant luxury exists in the West Bank, Palestinians remain trapped in refugee camps in Lebanon, Jordan, and the West Bank, guarded by other Palestinians and paid for through the UN. In addition, the Palestinians right now have no sovereign state to call their own, and no one capable of running one if they did. Young Palestinians gladly give their lives because they are told to do so and grow up in a glorification of hate, and a promise of money to their families after killing Israelis. The movement of the US embassy is a bold and courageous step that says " Israel is a sovereign free Jewish state that can choose their own capital" and brings Palestinians one step closer to having to accept the real reality, rather than the fantasy of a destroyed Israel and its elimination. It is a very hard reality for the Arab world to accept, as Jews were supposed to have been shuffled off to the dust bin of history long ago. I am hopeful that the Palestinians will one day say " We accept you Israel as a sovereign Jewish state, and we want the same thing. We will share the land with you." At that point, outside "brokering" and influence and "bargaining chips" won't be needed or have meaning. An honesty and willingness to share and accept is all that is needed. Moving the embassy brings us one step closer. .
1
President Truman was very proud to be The President who (re)created Israel. He did this against the wishes of his Secretary of State General Marshall and "The striped pants boys in the State Dept." A war ensued with many deaths. But it was the right thing to do.
President Trump, unlike his predecessors for the past two decades, kept his word and recognized that Jerusalem, including the part of Jerusalem with the holiest part of Judaism -- The Kotel or Western Wall--, is the capital of Israel.
Trump should be very proud to be The President who recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel a fact that was first true over 3,000 years ago.
No doubt, like the (re)creation of Israel by Truman went against US "interests" and with the knowledge that deaths would result. But it is the right thing to do.
As a builder of many buildings, Trump must be a realist and he recognizes the obvious which after 70 years The Palestinians have are not interested in negotiating a peace after they turned down their own state in 1948 by attacking Israel along with Arab Nations.
To be against terrorism, it is very, very important to demonstrate that the threat of terror does not change decisions such as recognizing that Jerusalem is *again* the capital of Israel. To do otherwise simply encourages more terror.
2
All Trump did was bring the U.S. out of it's
'we support anything Israel does' closet.
The question we could be asking is whether the U.S. will bear any responsibility for any subsequent bloodletting on either/both sides as a result of Trump's action.
2
When has Trump ever done ANYTHING that wasn't purely playing to his base, or trumpeting his latest impulse? Cry, the beloved country.
2
This move is a good one. It has been policy since 1995. But due to the lack of guts on the presidents serving during the interim, the policy hasn't been put into effect--despite campaigning for the American embassy to be in Jerusalem. Finally it is done. Perhaps Trump's best day.
1
Lining up the ongoing political donation slot machine. Adelson already bought and paid for this move. Republican Party will benefit going forward - follow the money. Blood shed over this issue insignificant in the eyes of the supporters.
BiBi ecstatic - has removed an uncomfortable bargaining chip that stymied his plans to further expand settlements - solidified the political support of Israeli right wing. Coalition government no longer threatened. Tweets from Trump will be unbearable. Expect a new hotel in Jerusalem. Maybe Adelson will finance it, and also take over Trump organization debts to Deutsche Bank.
1
Here's a different take, equally speculative. With Abbas rejecting out-of-hand the most recent Saudi peace plan, as reported by The NY Times, the Sunni states hav given the US the go-ahead to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. This, of course, was one of the points in the new Saudi plan.
What's the message to the kleptocratic Palesitnian Arab leadership: get real or de-funding the "refugees" kept refugees by UNWRA (and to the financial detriment of the millions of real refugees) will be next, in keeping with another point in the Saudi plan dispensing with the made-up "right" of return.
The Sunni Arab regimes have always known but now pulblicly recognize that Israel was never their enemy and had no imperial pretensions in the Middle East. That distinction goes to Iran and its several proxy terrror groups. Palestinian "steadfastness" in seeking Israel's destruction and refusal to negotiate a real end-of-conflict treaty, a goal (wittingly or not) still subsidized by the West and to a far lesser extent by oil-rich Arab countries, is now an impediment to the security of the Sunni world. It's not surprising then that the Palestinian Arab "cause" no longer resonates, as the small "rent-a-mobs" protesting the US decision illustrate.
A significant re-alignment is currently under way in the Middle East, and the question is: on which side will the Palestinian Arabs place themselves. Only time will tell.
5
Sounds like he did the same as previous Presidents - signed the waiver.
Except he did it with fan-fare and more promises. As we’ve learned, Trump’s promises are worthless - where is the Health care bill that would cover MORE and cost LESS; where is a tax bill that would help the middle class, not mostly the wealthy, like himself; when will the Mexicans begin paying for that Wall; when will he release his tax returns; when will he start ‘acting Presidential and lastly WHEN WILL HE STOP LYING!
First, is it better to make cynical promises or follow through?Successive Presidential candidates promised to do this for obvious political reasons but once elected, reneged, for ostensibly good reasons.The fact that for fifty years no one has been able to get a Middle East Peace deal should make us think not cling to orthodoxies that have gotten us nowhere.The symbolic move in Jerusalem is as likely to take a major chip off the table and help negotiations as no movement is to facilitate them.Idiocy is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome.
1
Trump did not "jeopardize" American-led peace prospects. He killed them. The silver lining is that the field now open for the Europeans to take the lead. Tillerson is emasculated. His State Department is empty. The President is completely disqualified. Perhaps some leadership can come from saner, wiser leaders abroad. Or, perhaps, the Middle East will descend even further into the abyss of pointless violence and killing. This is a tragedy.
2
President Trump is one the toughest Presidents I have ever heard about throughout history. A billionaire who put everything on the line for the nation. Like founding fathers. The ridicule that is heaped upon him everyday is like some kind of prophet. Similar hatred followed MLK. King David, Moses and Jesus Christ. Just an incredible intellect. He goes on a Asian trip and returns to attack the Press immediately. He has the hide of turtle. Nothing seems to turn him from his 'appointed' task. He did something no President was willing to do or Western civilization leader for that matter. He did the unthinkable. He placed Israel in their proper location. The most sold book in the history of the world declares their sovereignty over that land. You think Trump is doing this? Madness. This is way larger than mortals. This is Biblical. And Who is the author of that Book?
5
Definitely Biblical. In this case, it's the Beast from Revelation that in the poet Yeats's words "slouches toward Bethlehem to be born."
1
This is satire, isn't it?
Either this is grandiose sarcasm at its finest or the absolute incapsulation of traditional Texas-style lunacy. Either way, the comment was an interesting read.
I guess people forget that Jerusalem was the capitol of Israel while the first temple and second temples stood over 1000 years before the birth of the prophet Mohammed. It was and always should be the capitol of Israel. The US embassy being located in Tel Aviv was the political decision.
8
It was called Palestine for over 1,000 years before the West stepped in. Nice try.
I accidentally pressed the wrong button and said that I agreed with your comment. Sorry about that.
Palestine was a name imposed by the Romans, over an area that included modern Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and West Bank.
It has nothing to do with just modern West Bank people.
Get your history correct.
1
The President cares more about catering to his political and financial supporters' desires than he does for the lives of the men, women and children that will be lost, not to mention the foreign policy objectives of his own administration in the Middle East. What a selfish, thoughtless, despicable human being.
12
Your headline should have been: For Trump , the decision to have an Embassy in Jerusalem is based on money! That is much closer to the truth.
11
Supporting Israel is important, but not so much that we should create more animosity for Palestinians. We should also strive to find a peaceful reconciliation for a Palestiniin State. But we have a President who seems to have no historical background and who wants to have his name in the news, even if it's bad news.
5
Crooked lying Trumps thrives in demagogue country; always has; this is just another distraction from his misrule, a dangerous one given that he is unwilling to measure the dangerous consequences of his capricious move. All it does is strengthen his credulous and thoughtless 'base' into blind acceptance of 'graft'. Too bad the rest is left holding the bag...and being part of world's laughingstock.
1
So who is running our country it is not the politicians and it certainly is not T(rump). What powerful and as yet unknown force is in the drivers seat racing America to its destruction and obliteration.
3
"What powerful and as yet unknown force"
Not difficult to guess, I suppose.
Trump doesn't care about having sensible US foreign & domestic policy. He only cares about his base &, especially, his donors.
5
Another generation of no peace. A Christmas present to Middle East Jews and Muslims from Donny.
3
Don thought that being president would be like The Apprentice. He would judge others, tell those at the bottom of the heap 'You're fired'. But somehow it's not working this way. So it must be the fault of those traitorous Dems.
2
Surely this must be wrong. Trump "said" that he is not a politician. HAHAHAHAHA
1
President Ratings is throwing away our nation because he's too cheap to foot the bill for himself.
Some billionaire, he's a mooch.
3
At the end of 2017 and the world's big religions are controlled by corrupt politicians and billionaires of all stripes. These people are not spiritually motivated, they ALL seek material and political gain for their "causes". It is the blind fools following the blind fools.
3
Donny Do Little unfortunately has the intellectually capability of a sack of dried milk.
That's his calling card, plain and simple. Hey, ill begotten is a win, right?
2
A small point which speaks to a large issue: the Times needs to stop calling people like Adelson "pro-Israel," for at least two reasons. First, far-right Zionists like Adelson and his crowd represent only one version of being "pro-Israel" (imagine saying "Republican" and "Pro-America" interchangeably). Second, it is at least arguable that Adelson's views and influence will in fact hasten danger and destruction in Israel, for Jews and Arabs.
7
It is very reassuring to know that Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire slot machine magnate, is running America's foreign policy in the tinderbox that is the mid-east. ( I was concerned that Jared, the 36 year billionaire old NJ slum lord, might be just a was a tad out of his depth.)
And I am so glad that our deliberate, inquisitive, brilliant president, who is a demonstrated expert on geo-politics, and who has devoted much of his life to understanding the facts behind plight of the indigenous and disenfranchised Palenstian Israelis, has assembled such a stellar team of mid-east experts. (I mean, how hard was that ?) ?
And thank heavens not of them or will be in any personal danger if and when the mid-east erupts in protest.
18
Trump made a poor decision when he made this campaign promise, then made another one when he followed through on it. This won't lead to anything positive anywhere in the Middle East or in America, and will likely have negative effects that spread to other parts of the world.
This businessman of yours isn't POTUS material. He has too much power and influence given his ignorance and abject lack of moral character. It's looking like you handed an angry toddler a loaded machine gun with the instructions 'Do whatever you want'.
8
Was it a poor decision for Bill Clinton to sign the 1995 law that required the US embassy to be moved to Jerusalem?
Mixing God, billionaires, and politics sure makes for a fun afternoon. One thing you can say about America today is that it is no longer a special nation. Much like the Russian and Chinese oligarchies (at least they are OK with it), the rich and wealthy can exercise a great level of influence on events and destabilize the lives of the many. In a way, Trump is more real than most. His action only emboldens everyone else than Israel to look the other way when the US is concerned. Irrelevancy is what will kill your empire... No money or weapons can change that as nobody will believe in you and what you represent!
5
Once again, Trump's commitment to truth seems to be lacking. There is already a consulate building in Jerusalem. https://jru.usconsulate.gov/
Changing the signage oughtn't take that long. But at least we have the best president money can buy.
3
The Jerusalem decision was based upon the desires of mega-donor Sheldon Adelson. Money talks.
6
More tough guy ego than anything else.
2
The problem with one country (in this case the U.S.) having an outsized influence on world events is that eventually our internal conflicts become externalized. Zionists have been fighting a proxy war in our government for decades, and will continue to do so. Perhaps it’s a good thing to finally call Congress’s bluff and confront the world with the sad reality that we are not in support of Palestinian autonomy—if only because there is no Palestinian equivalent to AIPAC (or its deep-pocketed friends) pressuring our elected officials and every turn. The rabble is in charge now; we just didn’t fully appreciate that “rabble” in modern democracies is, quite simply, super-rich individuals with solipsistic agendas.
4
Sadly there is no Palestinian entity with which to negotiate and never has been. Zionists are among the special interest groups lobbying the Congress. It’s how it works. Making it sound somehow cancerous or sinister damages rather than enhances your point just as having a point man in Shelly Adelson damages Zionist interests
Can we now expect Jared will be getting a billion dollar offer or loan for his disasterous 666 5th Ave NYC property?
5
I hope that the US won't be so foolish as to locate this embassy in East Jerusalem, the area the Palestinians hope to have eventually as their capitol. In fact, the US could mitigate the damage the current move will cause by promising now to build the embassy to the eventual Palestinian state in East Jerusalem.
3
From John F. Kennedy's last speech, never given, November 22, 1963:
"Our duty as a Party is not to our Party alone but to the nation and indeed to all mankind. Our duty is not only the preservation of political power but the preservation of peace and freedom. So let us not be petty when our cause is so great. Let us not quarrel when our nation's future is at stake.
Let us stand together with renewed confidence in our cause - united in the heritage of our past and our hopes for the future - and determine that this land we love shall lead all mankind to new frontiers of peace and abundance."
posted by historian Michael Beschloss, @BeschlossDC
5
If Sheldon Adelson believes that moving the embassy to Jerusalem is so important for this country then perhaps Sheldon Adelson can pay for it!
4
Palestinians should consider other options other than Jerusalem for homeland. Palestinians should consider to return to Kuwait from where they previously wrongly evicted and take it as new homeland.
Are there other countries who want someone else to decide what their capital city should be? Shouldn't Israel, and only Israel, decide where their capital city is?
1
They already have - long ago. That declaration not recognized as legal by the U.N. Look up Jerusalem on Wikipedia. An interesting and informative read. I'm quite sure that Trump has read it - in a re-write written by Barron - dumbed down to the Cat in the Hat level.
This is not just Trump fulfilling a campaign promise....this is diversion from the Russia investigation...He would like nothing more than a conflict to arise in the middle east where we would willingly get ourselves drawn in and thereby draw attention away from Mueller closing in on him and those around him....Getting involved in a conflict with North Korea would be too great a risk, but a tidy middle east conflict will do just fine to keep Trump looking presidential and reduce attention from his involvement with Russia. It's getting too close for comfort and Trump will do anything to save his and his families necks..Dangerous time.
2
I am sure it is cold comfort for Palestinians to know that the majority of the world, as well as many, many Americans, do not agree with Mr. Trump's decision.
Mr. Trump has no regard for anyone but himself and he has no regard for anything other than his family's holdings and businesses. This decision is a blatant "follow the money" decision and it leads directly to Sheldon Adelson, which leads back to Mr. Trump's pockets.
Good luck, Jared, in negotiating a mid-east peace. By the way, what's up with that now that your father-in-law has thrown you under the bus?
3
President Trump doesn't care about peace in the middle east. His calculus has only two factors. "Can I monetize this" or "Does this increase my political power."
Nothing else matters to him.
2
Diplomacy has been a miserable failure in this dispute. Trump is not the kind of guy to back a failure. Let's all hope this change will bring a settlement.
You cannot derail a peace plan that is not on track. In fact, this decision may very well kickstart the process. There is no American "boots on the ground" military involvement whatever in Israel - and there never has been. Contrast that with Kuwait, Iraq, and places that have gotten us nothing.
Every other country in the world gets to designate as its capital any place it wants. Why should Israel alone be denied this right?
Let us note that Jerusalem, like pretty much other metropolitan areas around the world, has experienced urban sprawl and that the section of Jerusalem where Israeli government activities takes place, like its parliament, is in the westward section of an expanded Jerusalem that is undeniably in Israel-proper and not the least bit in dispute.
As far as moving our embassy to Jerusalem goes? I don't think so. Everyone else is in Tel Aviv, that is where diplomatic business and activities take place. Leave our embassy there until other countries join the trek to Jerusalem.
Jerusalem has been the de facto capital of Israel since 1948, even in Arab minds. They'll get over it.
1
Mike - think your correct. Nothing will actually change going forward. Just shoring up Republican donation base.
The ontological/existential lies with the deepest pockets win. Those are The [only] Rules.
1
"The president sided with his base" rather than with the rest of the world, the voice on the video here says.
But WHERE are the polls showing that the vast majority of those who voted for Trump, absolutely wanted him to move the Embassy BEFORE obtaining any peace deal ... ? How many even UNDERSTOOD that that's what he was talking about, and what the concrete consequences would be?
I never saw them, and suppose they don't exist.
Trump's loyalty has indeed been defined, by Trump himself, as being loyal to his base rather than the world, contrary to the "globalist" DC elites of both parties, and his base believed this narrative and made it his own. But that doesn't mean that journalists should blindly taking it over, as the NYT is doing here, rather than taking a critical distance!
Until now, each and every move that Trump has made in DC betrayed his major campaign promises and was rewarding his wealthiest donors instead.
As this article shows, he's doing the exact same thing here.
All this has absolutely NOTHING to do with siding with his base, and everything with siding with his wealthiest donors!
If the media want to allow citizens to be able to make up their own minds and don't want to reinforce political narratives, they should urgently stop taking over Trump's own marketing rhetoric and replace it with a much more objective description of the facts.
Because it's often those who win the framing battle who then go on to win at the decision-making table too!
1
This article may be deficient. At no point does it mention the influence of Mike Pence. I guess we'll have to wait for a future issue of the New Yorker to learn about that as part of their ongoing series.
2
Politics of those in power rules once again. This is no way to run a nation, better these guys were hired as stagehands.
I'm sorry, but I'm confused about politics in the US. Based on this article, and others like it, this is how it seems to work:
1. rich person gives politician money to pass laws or decisions that rich person wants (much like Adelson here, the lobbyists for the tax bill, NRA and many others).
2. Politicians then pass the law, regardless of what the population or international community thinks.
How is this a "democracy"? Why bother having politicians if the lobbyists run the country?
2
I wish the President would also acknowledge that Taipei is the capital of the Republic of China. This is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality. The "American Institute in Taiwan" should be upgraded to the "American Embassy."
He should urge China and Taiwan to rededicate themselves to a path of mutual understanding and respect. Let them rethink old assumptions and open their hearts and minds to possible and possibilities.
1
This is an economic boon to the region if they want to take advantage of it. All people interested in the back to back religions will benefit. jobs for the region can benefit all if they want to work.
I don’t think there is a difference between diplomacy and politics. Partisan grandstanding should not be equated with either.
While I do believe that the capital of Israel is Jerusalem, I don’t believe that this is helpful in any way. It doesn’t accomplish anything useful for anyone, including Israel, and it could ratchet up tensions.
I’m Jewish, and I’m a great admirer of Israel, but that also means recognizing outstanding issues. If you aren’t willing to acknowledge someone’s problems, it shows you don’t really respect them at all. If Trump really wants to move the embassy, he should negotiate widespread recognition of Israel’s claim to it. Pressure Netanyahu to enforce prohibitions on construction, perhaps try to redraw city limits so everyone can agree. If he isn’t successful, at least he’ll have made progress.
I don’t actually think Trump is willing to tackle issues like an adult, but I’d love for him to prove me wrong.
2
Americans putting the interests of another country ahead of their own. What's new?
So the president kept a campaign promise to Sheldon Adelson and paid off a debt of $25 million dollar campaign debt as justification for his decision to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Who else is the president beholden to besides Adelson and Vladimir Putin? Again, the president responds to the demands of his base rather than the American people. What the president did was not diplomacy but quid pro quo for special interest groups. Right wing money does it again.
1
President Trump can't even create peace in America, with his constant divisive speech and insulting tweets.
He's alienated our allies, but wants us to believe he can create peace in the Middle East?
As an example, confidence in him to do the right thing in world affairs was only 11% in Germany, 14% in France, 17% in South Korea.
And probably even lower as the Middle East continues to erupt.
4
Cash and carry policy. -Was that wrong? Because that's why we elected a businessman, remember? To bring that unerring business sense to the white house. Run the government like a business. So, success!
So tired of winning...
2
"For Trump,an Embassy in Jerusalem Is a Political Decision, Not a Diplomatic One."
The author has stated the obvious.
Mr. Trump has demonstrated ,time and time again, that he is incapable of diplomacy, and has no concerns for the dangers that his reckless behaviors in which he engages, whether the involved goading the leader of North Korea into WWII, or endangering the lives of Israelis by making the decision to move the embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv for political reasons.
2
Politcal? Diplomatic?
Neither, it was a personal decision.
His mindset is still that of being overlord of Trump inc.
1
Adelson bought Trump off on this deal. Trump could care less how it affects the rest of the world. I doubt he even knows what's what, in Jerusalem.
1
Trump calls himself a dealmaker? Laughing. Out. Loud.
He could've parlayed this move (concession) into something substantial in bringing everyone to the table, but he just can't see anything beyond coddling his evangelical/nationalist base.
Yes, he did promise while campaigning that he would make this move. But yes, there are plenty of valid reasons why past Presidents dragged their feet on this move, but past Presidents were intelligent and understood the dynamics of the ME conflict while surrounded by sound advisors.
It's difficult to see how this helps any chance of a peace accord.
The decision appears to be reckless and about appeasing the base in Alabama. There's a chance his candidate, a disgraced judge with credible accusations against him including pedophilia, might lose.
Apparently a good enough reason to set the ME on fire.
37
Make America A Terrorist Target Again
TRUMP 2017
22
What about Israel ? Israelis are in far more danger as a result of this reckless decision that America is.
President Trump is simply as though an ill behaved little boy. He shocks for the sadistic pleasure of rankling supporters and opponents, alike. His strategies have little to do with governing, rather he gets off by exacting wounds, no matter the damage and no matter his mark. A sociopath of the first order. The more we squeal, the more he delights; Palestinians is latest target.
26
But trump isn't just a 5 year old playing with a magnifying glass to roast ants. The man harbors dreams of roasting humans with nuclear bombs.
I hope Trump can explain to the family of the first American killed in the Middle East because of his Jerusalem decision, why their child had to die.
26
If they are a minority, he won't remember the soldier's name and will tell the wife that "your husband knew what he was getting into"
1
What about the Israelis who will die as a result of his decision ?Do their lives not count ? I am an American Citizen.I have American friends who have moved to Israel. I am concerned for the lives of Israelis and Americans in Israel alike.Why
is your concern reserved for that of Americans?Don't the lives of others matter ?
It is all "God's will" to nihilists from Snakebit Holler.
The Republicans LOVE Israel.
However: Scratch a bit....and you will find they don't really care for....Jews.
(Recall that Bannon didn't want his daughters going to a private school in California because thre were :"too many Jews" in attendance.")
52
Don't you know that Jews are the closest people to atheists in their book?
All about himself, as usual, with some dollars involved. Feh.
15
And where is the US Embassy in Palestine?
18
There can not be an American Embassy in a country that does not exist.
There will be blood on the hands of many for this heinous decision, Addelson, the Evangelicals, and the monster Donald Trump. I am ashamed that an American president could be so so despicable, hateful, and willing to spill others blood for his sick political needs.
27
They call death a "better place", and believe they do you a favor by getting you there sooner.
Here's Trump's logic: Are Palestinians and Arabs non-white and non-Christian? Then let's stick it to them! We don't need their oil anymore.
11
What about Israelis, and Americans who reside in Israel ? It's the Israelis whose
lives are in danger .Israel isn't going to attack Palestinians. It is the Paletinians
who will nearly certainly attack Israels as a result of Trump's decision .
The majority of Israelis are white, and of European descent, while the majority may not be Christian.There are white,Christians who reside in Israel as well..
Why would Trump's key supporters want him to do something reckless and self-defeating?
Is our problem in this country that selfish miscreants have amassed great fortunes and are using their wealth to promote unhinged, unqualified, ignorant degenerate candidates, purely for their own self interests and heedless of the harm inflicted upon everyone else?
17
Exactly. Yes.
They pine for the Rapture. They believe that God will separate them from us awful people who understand that we are really animals, by beaming up either them or us to "Heaven" in the Apocalypse prophesied in "Revelations", and also in the Koran.
1
Mr. Adelson and his fellow Jews will rue the day they backed Trump, because Trump's true base HATES them, and so does Bannon. Who will win that war, Mr. Adelson? There are white supremacists who believe that people of Jewish heritage aren't "white." Guess whom Trump has empowered during his 12 months of hate spewing forth from Washington, D.C. - NOT you, Mr. Adelson.
38
Bannon was honored at a recent dinner sponsored by the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA). I think he is a supporter of Israel, but many of his followers do hate Jews if the comments on websites like zerohedge are any indication. If the right of center members of the US Supreme Court had a chance to redo their decision on Citizens United, would their decision be any different? Did they anticipate the possibility of billionaires trying to buy whole elections via campaign contributions?
"his fellow Jews"? Most of us did NOT and do NOT support Trump.
"Mr. Adelson and his fellow Jews will rue the day they backed Trump, because Trump's true base HATES them, and so does Bannon."
What is that has led you to believe that Mr. Adelon's "fellow Jews" backed Trump?
Contrary to your belief, Jews aren't a block of people who think ,act and vote alike.
Your belief that all Jews are alike is troubling, and is a form of anti-semitism. After all, you blame the Jews for Trump's Presidency,
Jews comprise a tiny percentage of the population in the United States,so don't blame Trump's Presidency on the Jews. Even if Jews voted alike, as you believe, which we do not, there would have been an insufficient number of Jewish votes
to vote Trump into office.
It's not Jews who voted Trump into office. It's Christians. Don't blame the Jews.
We've been blamed for everything from the crucifixion to killing Christian children and turning their blood into wine. and everything else in between. Millions of us have been killed in the name of Christ. Apparently, in 2017, the Jews are being blamed.
La Plus Ca Change, La Plus Ce La Meme Chose.
Politics, yes, but not US politics: Israeli politics. Likud party politics. And Trump is its Ebed.
12
Incorrect. Trump is the President of The United States, (God help us all).
Trump's reckless decision endangers the lives of Israelis. Don't presume to speak
for what Israelis want, or blame Trump's reckless behavior on Israel, or Israeli politics, or do you blame Trump's' goading of North Korea, on Israel, and the Likud party's well ?
WHY does this REEK of Bannon? Maybe a late night phone call to Trump? IF you can keep the Middle East destabilized and concurrently malign and distract Israelis and Palestinians in one stroke, you can fulfil the malicious religious stereotypes and ancient Chinese warfare tactics that Bannon clings to. In Bannons warped world, only Christians and whites matter.
9
Bannon is just another apocalyptic death-wishing juvenile who believes his life was pre-ordained in the original planning of the universe..
How hypocritical of Fundamentalist Christians to say they pray for peace while lobbying for moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. An American billionaire who can live in a peaceful America spends millions of dollars making sure people on the other side of the world will go at each others throats. This is one more deed that will encourage Muslims to hate America.
21
Praying is a bad habit invented to reinforce the delusion that nature has a personality to listen to it all and emotions to respond to it by manipulating the laws of physics.
I hope the peoples of the world fully realize that we have a politically blind, deaf, and dumb (in the sense of "stupid") mountebank running the show now. Give us a four-year pass, please. It's halftime in America. The circus is in town, and the clowns have taken over. It can happen to any nation.
11
"It can happen to any nation."
What a relief!
Such a clear case of a neophyte politician simply doing the bidding of whoever gives him the most money. This is where we have arrived after 241 years of democracy?
The folks who voted for this guy either hate living in a democratic republic, or else just don't care whether or not the people have a say in government, as our constitution intends.
Another possibility is that they are plain old stupid. Someone reminded me the other day that half of the country has an IQ under 100. Perhaps an inability to understand what is at stake is indeed the reason why the country tolerates the man currently occupying the Oval Office.
13
No system that discarded 3 million vote to honor dead slavers and restore slavery under the auspices of a failed casino mogul ever was a democracy.
Reading the sub-headline here, "Rather than disappoint his pro-Israel supporters, President Trump made a decision that has alarmed allies and jeopardized his own peace initiative." Now read Tom Friedman's op-ed in today's edition of the Times.
And this is our master deal-maker?
12
Tillerson had it right when he described Trump as an "[expletive] moron" in his dealings with North Korea. Jerusalem He has three motivations:
1) extract cheers from his 30% (of the US voters) base and plutocrat supporters, conservative Jews in this case,
2) antagonize everyone else. In this case it is the Palestinians and Arabs. The angry responses from Arabs will produce more cheers from his base and seems to appeal to the 12-year old bully mentality in Trump. He takes exceptional joy in getting attention for himself by being disruptive. And I may be giving him credit for the 12-year old part since 2-year olds usually have learned that they can obtain full attention from everyone around them by throwing a temper tantrum.
3) make himself and his family richer. Maybe Trump has plans for a Trump Tower in Tel Aviv
And that's it folks, it's all there is to Mr. Trump.
12
Remove and replace.
5
Now we know how to get Trump to take a stand on policy. Any billionaires out there willing to contribute bigly to Trump 2020 and then pressure him to 1) sign the Paris climate agreement; 2) Sign the DACA bill; 3) start negotiations with North Korea: 4) preserve national monuments in Utah and elsewhere; 5) support ACA; and 6) cancel the travel bans? Hold your nose and take one for the good of the world.
5
Trump once again shows that he places self before country.
9
Trump thinks all Americans who love Israel will now refuse to vote against him on any question, because of this largely symbolic and indeed ultimately meaningless gesture.
And in this, too, Trump is wrong.
Liars never prosper. Crime does not pay. In the end, there's no escaping Justice.
3
I am an American who loves Israel.I have never supported Trump, do not
support his decision , and wouldn't vote for him under any circumstance.
More life and death policy set into motion to satisfy those who believe in a book of literature full of myth, and quasi historical figures.
3
" ... [Trump] acted against the counsel of Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who worried about anti-American blowback, not least to diplomats and troops serving overseas ... on behalf of the people who elected him." So keep the base happy, while diplomats and troops are exposed to harm. Mr. Trump has never been and will never be fit to be POTUS.
9
Interesting that the same conservatives who were so concerned about protecting the diplomats lives in Benghazi are silent about the dangers this will open our diplomats and embassies up to now with this feckless move.
1
He should put the new embassy in East Jerusalem. Then, if there should (by some miracle) be a two state peace agreement we just have to change the sign over the door to say "Palestinian Embassy".
I note that some of the commentors believe this decision is insane.
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results”, attributed to Albert Einstein.
The reality is that we have done the same thing over and over again since the fifties, billions of dollars, thousands of Palestinian deaths, poverty, disease, and the stigma of apartheid. To what avail ?
How much worse can this really be. You may not like him but Trump does what he says and this is a promise made by Trump and the US Congress, a 1995 law called the Jerusalem Embassy Act, further Bush and then Clinton reiterated these same points.
Trump has " True Grit ".
3
We could have stopped enabling Israel and pulled US military support. I'm sure a solution would be found pretty quickly in that situation.
Donald Trump is paying a debt to Sheldon Adelson. When government policy is dictated by wealth citizens, this is what we have.
Trump isn’t interested in how our allies (those left, anyway) feel. One must always keep in mind his doctrine, “America First;” it’s only a slogan, like MAGA, but it’s an empty barrel and the day will arrive, sooner than later, when America is going to need friends around the globe.
The real problems will arise when Trump is no longer around. Whoever succeeds him, regardless of party, will require at least a single term to reverse—if that’s st all possible—the corrosive damage to U.S. foreign policy under this complete imbecile. Oh; and Israel will not allow America to return its embassy to Tel Aviv from what will be a divided city, a seething fortress of anger and intrigue and bitter recriminations between countries that , for better or worse, were once staunch allies, even if they weren’t always the best of friends.
The failures of Donald Trump will long outlive him.
6
Trump’s blessing.
Donald Trump's unilateral decision to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem may in fact be a blessing in disguise for the peace process. Firstly, and most importantly, his actions have permanently removed the United States from the peace process. In many ways this unburdens the United States, which hadn't been acting as an honest broker in years and allows for the international community to take up the slack.
The international community can contribute greatly to the peace process by formerly recognizing Palestine as a sovereign state along the 67 borders.
Donald Trump's abject hatred of Muslims just may have been put to good use for once.
1
The Times could save time by noting that every single comment or action by Donald Trump is designed to serve his own interests only----there will never be an action or comment designed to serve the people who elected this sociopath.
4
The one time Trump should have followed Russia's lead and he blew it.
Russia's statement of recognition was unambiguous, it specified "West Jerusalem" as Israel's capital as well as reaffirming Russia's "support for the two-state solution" and acknowledging that "East Jerusalem should be the capital of the future Palestinian state."
35
I've often wondered at the coziness between Conservative Christians and Jews. If the apocalyptic "prophecies" are true, then won't all the Jews disappear?
1
Opinions are divided even on whether the good guys get beamed up or stay here.
Trump and his base thrive on chaos that is their oxygen, without it they wither up and die...
4
Every US President since Clinton has campaigned on a pledge to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem. In 1995 the US Congress passed the Jerusalem Embassy Act. Now Trump actually follows through on what past presidents of both parties have previously promised, as well as Congress.
The horror!
3
Ah, Clinton did it first and now it is good!
God's pet goldfish bore me to death, and I am not even omniscient, omnipotent and immortal.
This is one angle. I'd be interested to see some investigation along these lines:
How many Russians live in Israel?
What kind of relationship does Russia have with Israel?
What is Putin’s position on Israel?
What could the connections be to Trump?
What does Trump personally gain from this decision?
I don’t understand why people continue to pretend that Trump cares about the U.S. when he proves time and time again that he only cares about himself.
6
Trump received millions of dollars in campaign contributions directly from Adelson once he won the Republican nomination and more through PACs supported by him. If Trump chooses to run for re-election in 2020, he will be able to count on tens of millions of dollars in campaign donations from Adelson, who currently ranks #14 on the Forbes 400 wealth list. Trump is well down the list at #251.
In the past two decades, Republicans have effectively used religion to burnish their brand and attract millions of voters. Now many of these voters are paying the price.
Many of Russia's most talented Jews moved to Israel as soon as they could, as the USSR collapsed.
"Evangelicals and Bible-believing Christians see a special relationship with Israel" alrighty.
They believe the second coming will take place in Jerusalem, where Jesus will cast out non-believers, including the Jews.
6
Trump sacrifices our national security to pander to the Israel lobby.
His promise to put America first was just another lie.
8
Trump is in the pocket of Israel Firster Sheldon Adelson. Trump sold out peace for Adelson’s silver. Is this the Trump modus vivendi ? : Peace with Russia in exchange for Trump hotels and golf courses in Moscow . In his world money talks and nobody walks. Sound familiar: it’s an old American political motto.
10
Dangerous and stupid man. This "art of the deal" fraud didn't even try to get anything from the Israelis in return. He may have been able to get Israel to give up some settlements in return, at least. But no, just hand them this gift with no strings attached.
4
Liberals who hate President Trump will find fault with everything he does.
I thank President Trump for this wonderful stock market and this enjoyable year of peace and prosperity that his administration has ensured. He threw the jews a bone. He kept a campaign promise. Thanks, President Trump.
1
Didn't the U.S. Senate vote 90-0 six months ago to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem? Anyone at the New York Times willing to admit that? Hello?
So, Pres. Trump says he'll do it. Suddenly, Trump is evil?
Yeah ... that works if all that ever matters is how loud you scream that you hate the President and the people who elected him.
5
Well, Trump's move will cost lives, but at least he pleased his big donors and evangelical base. Whew! Isn't that the way to govern? Kill people but make the big donors and ignorant evangelists happy? When will this madness end?
It's the timing of the recognition that is the issue. It's about having both sides buy into a peace process with an agreement as to the two state solutions and respective capitals, and then make the announcement. Dipomacy - it's a novel concept, and one that is unacceptable to Trump. It's about entertaining donors and the base, the Country be damned.
So that hateful kid Donnie goes and tosses a goldfish in the punch bowl just 'cause he knows he can and everybody will hate him and nobody will punish him and . . . so THERE!
2
Donald is doing a favor for Bibi. He'd like nothing better than to stoke Palestinians into rioting!
3
"Faced with disappointing evangelical and pro-Israel backers like Mr. Adelson, or alarming allies and Arab leaders while jeopardizing his own peace initiative, the president sided with his key supporters."
Uh ... who exactly do you call his "key supporters"?
Trump promised to replace Obamacare with a plan that covers even more Americans, at lower premiums, he criticized an increasing debt, he promised not to cut Medicare and Medicaid, and at the very moment when he's about to sign a "tax reform" bill into law that on all these major things would do the exact opposite, only to please his wealthiest donors, he tries to hide this MAJOR betrayal of his voter base by doing something that to those same voters has clear symbolical value (NOT standing up for Israel, but most of all standing up against "Muslims") ... and you call that siding with his "key supporters" ... ?
That's, of course, what he wants his voter base to believe. And that's precisely why he needed some very spectacular and seemingly not politically correct move in order to keep them fired up, all while betraying them on almost each and any other promise he made and that they truly cared about.
I would have hoped that the NYT would have accentuated this fact a bit more, in an article about how this is a political decision rather than a diplomatic one.
Yes, it's a political decision, but NOT one that truly helps his voters, this is mere rhetoric, whereas at the same time he's screwing them ... !
Isn't this potentially a similar action to Benghazi, in terms of not caring about American lives? Seems the Right would be howling about this...given the howls they directed at HRC. I guess American lives are only worth caring about if they are lost under a Democrat.
5
Friends with plans to visit Israel are cancelling already.
2
Hadley T. - Of course Mitch McConnell would unleash Trey Gowdy and lead a pitchfork-carrying mob if this action were taken by a Democratic president. For the Republicans, hypocrisy is fundamental to politics and party trumps country.
Obviously it's easy for Adelson and Trump to gamble with the lives of millions of others but they ought to be the ones required to personally sit down and face the crowds of those who see things differently.
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
6
Absolutely correct. Welcome to the Decline and Fall of the American Empire.
1
There is no more predatory strain of human being than casino moguls.
2
My family in Cuba would certainly agree.
It is an attention grabbing gamble being played by a narcissist obsessed with the past real American presidents he wants to best by being called 'great' rather than the most unfit, unqualified presidential horror ever to promote himself into our WH.
Money buys Trump and our GOP and US domestic and foreign policy. Kushner and Clan Trump have hundreds of millions of dollars worth of holdings in Saudi Arabia to protect so Prince Salman is favored. The list of known wealthy donors, Adelson, Koch Brothers, Murdoch et al are the ones setting policy. It is not a country of 'we, the people' or the majority any longer, it is a country of 'we, the wealthy'.
9
So, our foreign policy goes to the highest bidder. Wasn't that one of the biggest arguments against Hillary, the Clinton Foundation and the Washington swamp that trump was going to drain?
I'm hearing Roger Daltry's primal scream at the end of Won't Get Fooled Again: "meet the new boss - the same as the old boss!"
3
Of course it is not a diplomatic decision. Trump wouldn't know diplomacy if it bit him on the nose.
10
As the Middle East heats up (again), and the seven decade long conflict between Israel and Palestine over Jerusalem comes to a head, thanks to Trump's provocative and ill-conceived announcement, the region and the world can thank the US for electing into office a man without the capacity to realize the consequences of his actions. As "Benghazi" was the rallying cry by conservatives against Clinton, "Jerusalem" may well become the rallying cry against Trump. Or not... it seems that nothing he does affects his adoring base - not probable collusion with Russia to become president, not his inane tweets, not his goading of the N. Korean leader with nuclear weapons at his disposal, not his sexual abuse of women, not his constant proven lies... What kind of world do we live in where such a man is given the keys to the Oval Office and in just one year has managed to fan the flames of war in two volatile regions in the world, turned our own allies against us, caused the US to lose the respect of the world, and the list goes on and on?
3
I offer the following from Slate. Perhaps by now you have seen the film "rabin, The Last Day." :
"That tradition of intellectual openness even in times of adversity, of rigorous and (if you’ll forgive the cliché) rabbinical self-scrutiny, is very much under attack. “Those who contributed to the climate of hate that led to the assassination of Rabin today flirt with power,” Gitai told Le Monde. “The danger is that everything that created the original character of Israeli society will finally disappear.” But history, as Gitai and his film both suggest, is a dialectical and paradoxical process that ultimately obeys its own laws. By killing Yitzhak Rabin and the two-state solution, Gitai suggests, the Israeli extreme right has ensured that the only possible outcome, decades or generations from now, will be precisely what it wants to resist: “One state, with equal rights for all its citizens, whatever their religion or their origin.” What lies between then and now? He has no doubt about that, and the pattern is familiar: “Lots of blood will flow, certainly.”"
Bibi and Trump are both egomaniacs who could care less about those who fight and die for THEIR folly. Trump does not surprise me. But, Bibi served his country nobly. As did his brother.
For God's sake, can we acknowledge that needless posturing like the recent "declaration" serves no purpose whatsoever.
3
Mr. Trump does not make decisions based on what is best for America, much less base them on how his actions might affect the world. More and more, he reminds me of Charlie Chaplin's "Dictator", entertaining himself by spinning the world with his feet.
4
We can only hope the CIA does what it enjoys doing. And solves this problem for us.
1
Democracy is circumvented when the System allows donors to intervene and comeback to collect their moolah. Democracy is on life support when people are allowed to leave their comments on these newspapers, but never cared for.
5
Another notch in his belt? When does he start doing things for the American people rather than just his supporters? Adelson paid a lot of money for that notch.
1
Adelson paid $21.5 million dollars to Trump. That is how much American foreign policy is going for now.
For whatever reason President Trump decided to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, it was the right decision. Jerusalem is the historical capital of Israel. With regard to the Palestinian problem, the Palestinians will never agree to peace, so why should America wait? I sport this decision. I support the President. I support Trump.
16
Which history book did you read?
2
Jerusalem has not been a capitol of Israel for several thousand years, during which time it principally served as a minor center of Islam.
Southern Boy
"For whatever reason President Trump decided to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, it was the right decision. Jerusalem is the historical capital of Israel. ..."
1
And you have a deep understanding of the region & its history do you? Clearly not...East Jerusalem was acquired by Israel through war in 1967 & is therefore under the Geneva Conventions considered under "hostile military occupation. " Futhermore, there is a global consensus that it is illegitimate to prejudge or pre-determine the outcome peace of negotiations. The US assured the Palestinians of this when inviting them to the 1991 Madrid peace conference. The Far Right ignoramus Trump has destroyed that undertaking Finally his reckless & self indulgent actions will inflame the situation on the ground & make the prospect of peace ever more distant. But it is highly doubtful that Trump & those who support him have any genuine wish for a fair peace settlement in this region. In short this is a blatantly arrogant & ill considered unilateral act of diplomatic vandalism that Trump seems to revel in.
3
Timing is everything. Mueller is closing in.
1
I believe the 45 is flirting with being potentially indicted by a warcrimes tribunal.
If President Trump wants peace why does he throw a BURNING MATCH in a powder keg?
He wants no peace, he wants a done deal, same as the settlements.
1
Thomas Friedman is correct - Trump is a lousy ‘deal maker’. He goes for the grand, ‘unexpected’ gesture and hives away the store without getting a thing in return. In business, there is a limited range of people he can (and he has - bankruptcies, not paying vendors, squashing suits). Unfortunately he’s playing in the big leagues and he doing very real damage. I’m afraid.
I believe in divine justice. Mr. Trump's end will not be pretty.
1
Never-the-less Jerusalem is, in fact, the capital of Israel and it always has been, going back thousands of years. Some, however, seem to prefer France's stated approach of appeasement which has not worked at all for 25 years.
5
Unlike Barack Obama, Donald Trump sees himself as the President of the United States and not as an international pop star or avenger for all the infuriated people who hate democracy.
The people of the U.S. want this change and have wanted it through two decades of delay and smooth talk. You are right in thinking it was not any sort of international deal. The haters who will hate this change ALREADY hate us and Israel, so it's a net win for saying what Obama said - elections mean things.
3
This is more of the same that benefits his base alone. Who cares about the majority of the country, or the rest of the world? In this case, it is more of the conservative Christian theocratic state, and more international violence and chaos. This makes the Kushner peace deal highly unlikely. As usual, Trump undoes more than he does. He acted against the wishes of Tillerson and Mattis? This is also just what the white supremacist Bannon and the big money donors wanted. Trump, who claimed (lied) time and again that he did not need political donations, went to Adelson and begged for cash? He got $21.5 million. For the militaristic and racist hard liners like Adelson, the benefit is clear. For the evangelicals (who, what, haven't supported the racist president?), moving the capitol is a harbinger of the approaching end times. Now that's a sobering thought. Especially when the president is giving them everything that they want.
No matter what the news is about Trump, it is bad news.
4
Keep in mind that he was elected by a negative 3,000,000 votes. If he doesn't appease his base, it'll be curtains for him.
Perhaps we need to create another work of fiction, call it Trumps dossier, and then investigate Trump and anyone in this nation who supports Trump. Perhaps if we threaten their children with jail time, we will find the evidence of collusion between Trump and the Israelis, as it is obvious this occurred before the election. And then we will charge him with violation of the Franken act, which is some obscure act that was sponsored by what was once a left-leaning icon and champion of the left, but more recently discarded as irrelevant.
Once again, the story of Palestine and the Palestinians, is a victim of ignorance and the politics taking place in cities and capitals thousands of miles away We can go back to Balfour, the U.N. partition plan, and Now this decision, which abrogates and demotes the rights of the local/indigenous residents and gives the to outsiders.
1
Jerusalem is the site of unusually important, sacred spaces for all three Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. No foreign embassies are located there. It would be terribly sad to see people being kept away for political reasons.
Trump disregarded religious reasons for keeping things the way they are. This was a hasty, unilateral move that has already angered half the world, including our major allies, and put our soldiers and diplomats in danger. He paid no attention to political and diplomatic considerations. He ignored the advice of his staff and cabinet secretaries.
This is all about making Sheldon Adelson and his cohort happy. Adelson is a right-wing billionaire who gave Trump's superpac $25 million and donated $5 million to Trump's inaugural committee.
Trump's only consideration here was satisfying the wealthy right-wing donors who are pro-Israel to the point of madness.
Yes, you can now buy foreign policy.
160
right wing evangelicals know little or nothing about the mid-east..have never been there or ever will be....all they know is that scriptures say that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.....well, the Israeli's would like that to be the case, but practically, politically and legally that is not quite the case.....Trump will set the middle est afire with that statement.....death and destruction will quickly result from his folly.....and the peace process will NOT happen any time soon in that case.....he has no sense of history and no interest in learning the real situation there....
You now can buy everything and everyone in government. It is a very sad and dangerous time for America.
1
Trump is also giving a gift to a group of evangelicals who believe that the Rapture will be proceeded by certain events.
And he's playing into Steve Bannon's and the Mercer family's apparent belief in their own destiny as the key force behind Christianity in a world-wide ultimately victorious war against Islam.
Recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is a bad decision. It ignores the historical and legal claims of Palestinians who also consider Jerusalem to be their capital. It dashes whatever hope for peace existed. It alienates allies and embolden our enemies. The list goes on.
Nonetheless, the decision will most likely prove to be a political “win” for President Trump. First, the decision on recognition fulfills a campaign promise. Secondly, by eliciting a violent reaction, the decision will add more fuel to the anti-Muslim flames that Trump has been fanning since he began his campaign. Thirdly, and worst of all, the decision could lead to a war. While a Middle East war would be a disaster for the USA, Israel and the world, it would actually be a short-term “win” for Trump, who has the worst approval rating of any modern President. There’s nothing like a war to help boost a President’s popularity and quiet dissent.
Already, American Embassies in multiple countries have been advising American citizens to be on increased alert due to Trump’s decision. It is sadly likely that Americans, particularly those working or traveling abroad, will suffer or die due to this decision. While the avoidable loss of American lives represents a national tragedy, the political reality is that their loss will prove useful to President Trump. That’s the predictably sad result of crafting foreign policy to serve narrow domestic political interests.
Let's be clear about what is happening here: Trump is reversing long-standing US foreign policy of both Republican and Democratic administrations in order to pay off major campaign donors. He is pursuing a policy that was opposed by his Secs of Defense and State because it is not in the national security interests of the United States. Paying off his campaign bribes while endangering national security should be an impeachable offense or grounds for invoking the 25th amendment.
In 1948, Truman originally recognized Israel in large part for similar domestic political reasons. Many foreign service professionals at the time recommended closer relations with neighboring Arab states and cautioned against the move. Truman felt these 'know-it-alls' needed to be put in their place, and show them that these decisions rest with the president. After fifty years of war and terror, we are still living with the consequences.
Wars are are never conceded by those who have nothing to lose. Might seems to give people the upper hand in this -- because it reduces the risk that you will really lose anything. But when one side has been kept in the direst of circumstances so long that they cannot imagine it will ever be better for them -- when they have been kept under someone else's boot so long the only people who remember it being any better have started to die of old age -- then might will one day have to choose between genocide and defeat. Either way might loses.
Let's be clear of whom we speak. They do not care about peace. They do not care about diplomacy. It is God and War for them. These are the people who support a ban of 8 muslim countries. This was just before Mr. Kushner ran over there to make peace by declaring Jerusalem the capitol. Trump is not here to make Peace, they elected him to make war as often and as much as possible!
It is generous to call Trump’s bumbling around in international affairs political calculation. And I wonder what his core, America-first, working class supporters think about such a “campaign promise” kept. Meaningless beyond creating more chaos—more acting out.
We elected this guy to defy conventional wisdom, mock authority, dethrone knowledge, and in general blow up the system. So that's what he's doing. He has always said he would do such things, from his bankruptcies and con jobs to his cheerful infidelities and made-up 'decisions' that hold up for fifteen minutes.
Soooo, why are we acting surprised?
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This presents one of the strongest cases for overturning Citizens United and limiting private campaign donations to $1,000. If Bernie Sanders can raise more money than Hillary Clinton through an average of $27 or thereabouts why are lobbying and huge private donations allowed? Those activities boil down to bribery and buying government policy. And if I hear one more Texan tell me we live in the greatest democracy on the planet I will buy them an Atlas. America has officially gone into decline.
Canada also had a Conservative Leader who was subservient to his base . All decisions were based on what is base wanted . The Canadian voters kicked him and his party out of office and based on polling his party will be out of office for the foreseeable future.
There are many motives, but at the top of Trump's list is pleasing the Evangelicals, right before the Alabama election. This is obvious from his having Pence, the super Christian behind him during his address, not Jared, the super Jew. And it is Pence that he announced he is sending to the Middle East. This is calculated to increase the Evangelical vote for Roy Moore. Trump doesn't think ahead, he deals with the moment and counts on figuring out another improvisation to deal with the fallout.
As tawdry the motives, the result may actually be beneficial. It puts an end to the hypocrisy of the "two-state solution," which was never real. We have to face that all of what used to be Palestine is one country, and has been since 1967, with one part under civil government and the other under military government that sits on a non-Jewish population with essentially no rights. It looks more and more like apartheid South Africa. We need now to concentrate on gaining equal rights, including political rights, for all.
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Politics and money for personal gain. Diplomacy, being a responsible world leader, and world stability do not figure into Trump's thinking whatsoever. Has there ever been a more corrupt administration?
Trump may be crazy, but on this one he may be crazy as a fox.
He does not care if his decision brings trouble to the Midle East. In fact he may in his own way welcome it. For, political trouble may mean disruption in oil production, which in turn will mean trouble in Europe who depends on Midele East oil production, while the US is now self dependant with the shale oil process.
Thus american products might fare better on the international markets.
Trouble for Airbus is good for Boeing...
This would be in step with" America first", never mind allies, the rest of the world, or world peace.
I was born in 1949. For my entire life, Israel has been an issue in the media, nothing if not controversial, and often the location of violence.
When I was a kid, Israel seemed a brave new place and a noble cause. This seemed to be just about everyone's view. As I child, I took it in and shared it, more or less automatically.
Then, as a young adult, I started to hear and read about Israel's having been set up by great world powers following WW2 on land heretofore occupied (long-occupied) by other, less powerful (often poor) people. I also started to learn about its aggressiveness, about its status and war-making capabilities as a regional super-power. I started to learn about the people in the West Bank and the very, very, very raw deal they've been getting, are getting, as direct consequence of Israel's oppression. I started to learn about the "Israel Lobby" and its influence on American foreign policy and public discourse.
There seems to be no end to the problem of Israel, a problem on exacerbated by having armed it to the teeth.
Israel now seems like a spoiled child -- or worse, a rich teen-age kid whose permissive parents have tuned into a rapacious monster. It's sense of entitlement is out of control.
I'm sick of reading about it. I'm sick of it, period. To say it's nothing but trouble is putting it too strongly. But it's mostly nothing but trouble, and needs to be brought down a peg or five.
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Mr Trump tends to do this stuff as an distraction to what is happening in Washington D.C.. With all this noise the Investigations into Russian interference in the U.S. Elections the tax code revisions the deregulation of our protections from bad banking practices the EPA deregulation and denial of Climate Change the removal of consumer protection agency on and on not to mention the reversal of protection of public lands etc is taking a backseat to this.
The noise of the statement about Jerusalem is worldwide drowning out the other things. I believe the status of Israel and Jerusalem are important but it should never override what is happening in Washington D.C..
We need to be aware of what is happening in Washington D.C. and what could happen to most of us who are not rich and need our Government to protect us from Umm misguided politicians.
The key problem is not that the Arab world is opposed to an Israeli capital in Jerusalem, it is that they are opposed to an Israeli capital at all.
Arab leaders--state and non-state have been for decades cynically promoting the fantasy of Israel disappearing and celebrating the martyrdom of the Palestinians. This becomes a built in excuse for neither absorbing Palestinians into their own societies (e.g., Jordan where they are a majority of the population) nor achieving a resolution when one was available (e.g., when agreed to by Ehud Barak).
Trump's decision doesn't derail "the peace process" because no such process exists because there really is not a concerted desire to arrive at a resolution.
They'll be a lot of hullabaloo by leaders, the theatrics of outrage on "the Arab Street," and unfortunately real death and suffering by individuals caught up in an otherwise meaningless moment.
Another encore to a never ending theater in the round.
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Trump is a lousy businessman. He shoots from the hip and cannot plan. Of course his followers think that's great business leadership. The lack of reasoning and planning behind Trump's embassy move is astounding:
"While they say they recognized that it would cause an immediate uproar — including potentially driving the Palestinians away from negotiations for some time — they believed the process was resilient enough to withstand the shock."
Trump people haven't drained the swamp; they've merely replaced its predators. It's *their* swamp now.
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People with an attention span as brief as Trump's are incapable of developing complex plans. He's playing out an Adelson-Koch plan.
Donald Trump the insurgent? More likely Donald the Muddled. Perhaps we could ask President Trump why, if rejecting diplomatic practice followed by previous administrations on the grounds that it did not yield the results desired, he has been so quick to return to policies regarding Cuba that also failed for decades. I recognize the president regards American public policy as a set of transactions with his base, seeking adulation from his voting coalition and financing from his donors. In this case it appears he was content to sell American policy (and honor) for $21.5 million, though undoubtedly there were additional contributions and movements of dark money to sweeten the deal. One wonders what the price would be for a reversal of his stance favoring the end of the nuclear deal with Iran, as at present he appears to favor Iranian resumption of development of nuclear weapons.
No, Mark Lander, Donald Trump is not an insurgent but a peddler. An insurgent would have an articulated critique of the present as well as a vision of the future and a strategy for attaining that future. Trump has only platitudes ("Make America Great Again"), scapegoats (Muslims, liberals), and a magic elixir ("winning"). Over the long run his elixir will prove toxic; we gain nothing from this decision. Instead we will receive the contempt of Netanyahu and see further moves to repress and dispossess the Palestinians. A bunch of amateur architects building a complex structure in a seismic zone.
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There is no logical coherence or consistency in these ridiculous believers in magic.
"Under a 1995 law, the president is required to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem unless, citing national security concerns, he signs a waiver, which has to be renewed every six months."
My high school kid calls that "passing the buck." Obama was a master at it.
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Right! It's all the black President's fault. You must have skipped the sentence in the article that clearly states ALL presidents since 1995 have signed the waiver, which means Clinton & Bush II also signed them every six months. But never mind, everything is President Obama's fault.
The only reason the Congressional GOP put that legislation out there was to be able to claim they did so in their re-election bids. They didn't actually think and future president would be stupid enough to actually do it. That's why they put the "national security waiver" clause in it.
Hi Rudolf,
what I think Obama was a master at was getting into the heads of his political adversaries. It's like a year later, he's off playing golf, and you are still worrying about him. You are granting him immortality and I am sure he appreciates it.
One step closer to the Second Coming, is how right-wing religious zealots will see this insane decision. Suppose they might be a little disappointed if Jesus really DOES return? What happens when he starts spouting off his opinions on how to treat the poor? The rich? The military? Sexual predators? False prophets?
This could be better than late-night.
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Ironic, isn't it, that the views of the evangelicals envision the ultimate destruction of Jerusalem after the Antichrist establishes his permanent residence there.
So, lemme get this right, you not only hate the GOP and this President creating jobs already, but the Christians too? Are you brave enough to venture an opinion about the Muslims, or do you only stick your tongue out at people who you know won't react?
Those thinking that the return of Christ to the world will in any way mirror his previous ministry are in for a life-altering shock. The Suffering Servant part was last time.
There are no super-aliens coming to show us how to avoid the apparently inevitable self destruction of technological civilizations.
... and he'll get us into a war, on behalf of his base!
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And the sons of his base are not in the military and if a draft is instituted will conveniently be able to leave the country to avoid it, or get deferrments due to bone spurs on their heels.
Which one? North Korea, Iran or the entire Middle East? Are there odds in Vegas on this?
I am a board-certified psychiatrist. (But see my final sentence.)
Narcissist-in-Chief Tantrump merely wants attention.
This is his all. There is nothing else that motivates him.
He thinks attention will solve his unhappiness.
We don't need to play guessing games about why he does what he does.
This is what I think.
Think for yourself?
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There will be little violence since the Palestinians understand this is a bogus issue. Time to develop an economic based solution that creates jobs for the Palestinians.
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You are greatly underestimating the importance of symbolism in the culture of the Middle East.
What happens in Gaza besides procreating an army to reconquer Palestine?
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"A Political Decision, Not a Diplomatic One."
Not satisfied with destroying America to assuage his bigoted ilk, he's now creating havoc across the globe.
He thinks he's a genius because all he does is undo what others have previously done, or the opposite. That's not genius, that's idiocy born from complete and utter ignorance.
And now the world also suffers as America has. Who needs friends, I guess.
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The world is growing more hostile as it rotates around Trump. Why is Maxine Waters the only voice demanding Trump be impeached? Where are our democrats? As long as Trump and Pence occupy the White House there is no high ground to take. Trump has incited war on all continents. Wake up Pelosi !
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It's all a futile with fewer than two thirds of the Senate ready to vote to convict their Commander in Chief for the Rapture.
Sure. Politics. Considering the vast majority of American Jewish voters are permanent liberal Democrats who wouldn't vote for Trump even if he discovered a cure for cancer and Alzheimer's the same day while leading the country successfully to victory through an invasion from outer space.
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@JW: Trump is all about money, not votes. He's not a politician. He's a businessman who went after this job in order to enrich himself and his family -- something he'll succeed at beyond his wildest dreams if the Republican tax bill passes. It's pretty obvious that he did this because Sheldon Adelson has paid him to.
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I hope the vast majority of American Jews are too smart to ever vote for Trump. As are the vast majority of voters in Manhattan.
Playing to his base and paying off his donors. That's all that Trump is about. He is despicable and divisive, certainly the worst president in our country's history.
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Think of this decision as more fallout from the US Supreme Court Citizens United decision in 2010, when the court was (and still is) dominated by right of center Republican men. It enabled Sheldon Adelson to buy access to the highest levels of a federal government run by Republicans. In the Republican war against gay Americans, the average American has turned out to be the loser.
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And the biggest payoff will come to the Trump family. The Republican Tax-Relief-for-the-Wealthy Bill will disproportionately benefit the Trumps.
Step by step, Donald Trump is demolishing America's reputation and influence in the world. How can America be viewed as an "honest broker" in the Middle East now?
So, he's given TTP to the Chinese. He has alienated America's Allies in Europe, He has angered the world by walking away from the Paris Agreement. He has ripped up long standing and mutually beneficial trade agreements. He endorsed a sexual predator for the Senate. He has enraged the Arab world in the Middle East.
So tell me how does this help America strategically? How does it not undermine America's credibility, and its relationships throughout the entire world.
Donald Trump is pushing the world into the arms of China, because now China, an authoritarian dictatorship, is considered to be more reliable and stable than the United States.
I do not just blame Donald Trump. I blame ALL of his supporters and the Republican Party for empowering him. In a few short years he is going to literally hand over the world to an Authoritarian Country that will run the world in a radically different way than America has over the past 70 years.
We will all rue the day. Most especially Trump supporters.
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As an avowed and LONG standing liberal Democrat, your diatribe is nonsensical and misses reality: He was voted in by those who believed he was the change to change the change that needed to be changed.
Setting off fireworks for pyrotechnic display. Special effects or catapult into prolonged inflamed abyss? Shame igniter not big on analysis...........
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The current administration has illustrated the death to our Democracy. Citizens United defunded our Democracy. A Plutocracy caters to the donors and a Autocracy has no diplomacy.
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The solution:
1. Get rid of Citizens' United
2. Public financing of campaigns, strictly limit to 6 months of campaigning
3. Truth in advertising - no more lying in campaign ads
4. Term limits
5. Get rid of the electoral college and "super delegates"
When we don't help ourselves, we cannot gripe.
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Perfect! You only left one thing out: No one allowed to run for public office until they've passed a civics test and proved they've at least read the U.S. constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
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Yes!
Where can like minded citizens get started on this agenda?
The tea-partiers and evangelicals did it. Can we?
Good list. I would add to drastically change our Lobbying laws. All citizens should have equal access to our legislators. Get rid of the "K" street revolving door.
Once again, Don the Con has shown that he is president of his base, in particular his wealthy donors, rather than President of the United States. As Tom Friedman pointed out in a recent column, he failed to negotiate anything with this statement, thus making a peace agreement that much more difficult.
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Every day, the effects of the Citizens United decision, allowing oligarchs to buy our government, gets more and more painful. At some point, the phones will get put down and the pitch forks will come out.
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The whole federal judiciary is in dire peril now.
All of Trump's moves are quickly moving this country in a very dangerous direction. He obviously does not consider the Palestinians as real people, just as he does not recognize the disabled, the children, the elderly and low income people in this country as deserving of being treated with dignity by him or the Republican Party..
Trump will do anything for money and it is proven by his agreement to set back peace talks between the Israeli government and the Palestinians for 30 pieces of silver. We have our own Judas leading us, thanks to the Electoral College.
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We just goldfish in the Trump-God's glass bowl, Jean.
Hats off to Donald Trump! He has now officially obtained the elusive title "Dupe of Far Right Political and Religious Dogma".
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It is a selfish decision by Trump, as always. Trump does not make decisions for any other reason. Even on the decisions where he gets it right, he still doesn't get "it" and he never will. He is the caricature of a character whose defining characteristics need neither embellishment nor exaggeration.
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I seem to be repeating the same warning. This POTUS was and still is absolutely the wrong person at the wrong time in this nations (the worlds) history. I appreciate his moxy (even though I disagree with him on 90% of everything he does) but he is simply too dangerous a gamble for this great nation to comfortably rely on. I would feel much better if he were simply another opnionated TV celebrity host. I could then turn the set off or change the channel at will. As it stands today, he is a threat to everything my nation has fought so very long and hard for. I can't understand how any Republican can possibly be OK with him. Sure your party has power, but it is being driven by a self-indulgent madman.
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Think of the timing. Trump wants to distract from what's going on internally. Mueller's investigation is getting close to something big, and he's scared. I would NOT dismiss the possibility that Trump has done this to increase the chances for a military engagement. If the USA gets attacked on sovereign or foreign soil, he'll respond and get us into another war. Politicians always consider it a bad move to change, impede, or de-frock a president when the USA is at war.
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I highly doubt that the majority of delusional voters who elected Trump care one whit about this issue.
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This matters to a handful of very wealthy supporters. That's enough.
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"The Adelsons were persuaded and donated $20 million to a political action committee that supported Mr. Trump’s campaign, and another $1.5 million to the committee that organized the Republican convention."
How nice, Sheldon bought Jerusalem. Now we see that the rich not only buy domestic policy, but foreign policy too.
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Shades of Viet Nam circa 1968: "we had to destroy the town in order to save it." Yeah, that worked out well, too.
Trump again maintains his hold over the news cycle. So long as the Times reports breathlessly over every provocative tweet, Trump will drive from public discussion more important matters, such as the devastation that will follow the Republican tax bill or the deregulation of industry. This undiplomatic bit of diplomacy is just more diversion from what is truly important in the long term. Media outlets should be ashamed of themselves for inciting counterproductive outrage instead of reporting real news.
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What is left to say about the divisive, hateful, Trump Regime?
Their alleged "deep state" is really our government, our agencies, those who protect and serve us. Why do they want to tear it down?
Whose side are they on?
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Many great universal causes have been fought for in America by Jews. This fighting for universal causes is needed now in America more than ever. Moves like this go to the heart of what's more important -- do I go universal or do I go tribal?
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Great comment, Joe.
This is just one more example of Bannon pulling on his lease and Trump responding. Let's see how long it will take and how many policy decisions to totally isolate us from the rest of the world and destroy our leadership position. Make America Great Again? What a cruel joke.
Yet another example of a Trump ratcheting up instability and increasing the likelihood of lethal conflicts worldwide. This is ethnocentric nationalism with a big helping hand from evangelicals. Trump has taken off the table the biggest carrot and stick for prodding Israelis and Palestinians toward Middle East peace and equity.
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This is a Bannon victory. He may have left the Whitehouse but I do believe he is still Trump's chief advisor.
When are the Republicans in Congress going to have their MeToo moment with this incompetent, narcissistic, reckless excuse of a President? The violence in the Mid-East that will certainly flow from this strategically suicidal action will be on their heads. Only they have the power to remove him from office. What will it take? And just who gives away such a prize of recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, without getting something of significance in return? Only the most inept deal maker in the world, that’s who.
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Trump and his supporters don't want peace in the Middle East.
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This is excellent ! Now the rest of the world can see who he is and hate hime for it as much as the thinking American public !
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We have been there for a while already
Good to see Trump is delivering on his campaign promises to his base and donors. Sounds like a good way to run foreign policy, Put the full weight of the USA for a few votes and dollars.
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Margins are slim.
At what point do we wake up and do something about Trump not just taking our country in the wrong direction, but the world.
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Do something? Like what? Form a new political Party that will listen to the people who actually go to the polls and vote for an issue or a candidate who will support them rather than big money interests? Good luck on that.
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To do something about Trump, first you have to do some thing about the GOP. They're the ones enabling him, they're steering this sinking ship and everyone else has been locked out of the bridge. They continue to marginalize those of us who disagree with them and shut our representatives out of legislative and other governmental processes and negotiations. Now, to do something about the GOP, you need to fix American apathy. The normal political and governmental processes have failed because Americans generally just take those processes for granted. Those processes don't work if people won't actively support and enable those processes by participating. No process is automatic and just voting every couple of years is not true participation. At the point we're at now, there are other options, but none of them are good options. What happens will depend on how far we let ourselves get pushed. Participation will require taking risks and will come at some kind of a cost. How much personal comfort are we all willing to give up in order to fix this?
There's some truth to your comment.
It's a problem but all our Politicians are elected to look after our interests.
That doesn't seem to be happening and that's sad
Donald Trump is not my vision of an ideal leader. But 'Trumpism', his emerging policy and political doctrine, is a a masterstroke geared to the age of talking-head politics and a divided country.
He does what his followers elected him to office to do. He delivers on campaign promises. He circumvents the media and bypasses the swamp by directly speaking to his supporters through Twitter.
Most importantly, he taps into the skeptical nature of 21st century Americans. The tip-toeing around Jerusalem has been a failed 'conventional wisdom' policy of Washington peace seekers for decades. So why continue down the same path? The skeptics in us would agree that conventional wisdom is quite often wrong.
Trumpism sees that and rejects it for a new approach. Expect more of the same from DJT.
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He does what his followers elected him to do? That's all well and good (not really), but what about the American people who did not vote for him -- sorry to tell him and you, but he serves all Americans now and the fact is, 63 percent of the American people did not want him to make this move. Are all Americans to be held hostage to the 30 some percent who have these ideas and want the country to go in one direction -- he's not a leader of all the people he serves -- he's acting more like a dictator.
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However frequently what is happening is an erosion of the government protections we need because we have no options to reverse the decisions of big business that is why it became a Government function.
There is also Mr Trump will do things like this that distracts from what is happening in Washington D.C..
It's not political either. It's because Adelson wrote him a check for $25 million. And for Trump it's never about anything but money. He wanted this office so he could bail out his failing companies.
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So much for Trump's "self-financing" of his campaign and hence his inherent freedom from deep-pocketed interests.
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And, Adelson or some other oligarch, may decide to jump in and invest in 666 5th Ave. because Kushner's $1.8 billion balloon payment is coming due.
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True pos.t Interesting it was not mentioned before
Another way of putting this headline is that the decision is one of unnecessarily sacrificing lives for political expediency. And the righteous anger that should arise with peace loving people should crush this Presidency. Will it? Even if American lives, as much as Palestinian and Israeli lives are at stake. Will it?
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If there is anybody in the world foolish enough to believe that the actions of our psychologically imbalanced "leader" are going to strengthen Israel, and bring peace to the Middle East, then please contact me. I've got thousands of Bitcoins that I'm looking to sell.
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I read that Jaren concocted this idea -- Jarad Kushner, really -- wasn't he the one who told him to fire Comey -- this bad idea will have the same political ramifications as that non-brilliant idea. It's obvious from Trump's speech that he is heavily medicated -- frankly when much of the dust settles on this debacle, there won't be enough medicine in the world to calm him down.
Creating a narrative that describes motives out of thin air does nobody any good.
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It's all about the base, about the base, no treble. (But there will be trouble.)
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Making this declaration at this point it time was as much about deflection and self-protection as it was about politics. Trump's defensive strategy is to create some external chaos whenever he feels threatened. At a time when Mueller has subpoenaed his bank records, the congressional committee is questioning his oldest son about collusion, and a woman who has accused him of assault is suing him, Trump has once again created a distraction to take the focus off himself. The entire world is now reacting to his foolhardy and self-serving action regarding Jerusalem rather than focusing on his possible culpability in criminal or treasonous actions. He's a master at this, it seems he has been doing it his whole life.....thank God he did not choose to drop a bomb on North Korea (this time).
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Go ahead, defy the rest of the world and UN Resolutions. Make America a pariah state. But at least it makes Adelson and his unlikely fundamentalist allies happy. The resulting bloodletting and perpetuated violence mean nothing to any of them.
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We stand alone. The US has withdrawn from the Paris Accords, Unesco, the Global Pact of Immigration and now we stand alone in recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Donald Trump and his shrinking base of supporters persist they alone know what is right for the future of the country - going it alone. We fought for our independence with the help of other nations. We fought major wars with the help of other nations. We helped build an international space station with the cooperation of scientists and engineers from other nations. We have cured disease with the help of other nations. And now we stand alone, led by a man ignorant of history and disdainful of international cooperation. A man even our historical allies look at as a deranged fool. When we as a nation stand alone in fighting for peace and justice we should be proud. We are living in a time of national shame.
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As Frank Bruni pointed out, Trump - whose life is defined by "me first" and "I am great" - is a lonely island. So it follows that "America first" and "make America great again" entails totally isolating our country on Middle East policy, climate change, the immigration pact, trade, North Korea and every other issue. He rationalizes being a pariah by equating it with survival and success.
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Greedy business men are making this decision. That alone says a lot.
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If America was a business, it'd be declared morally bankrupt.
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Thousands will die unnecessarily.
The United States standing in the world is further damaged.
He could care less.
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That thousands might die is not because the US recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Thousands might die due to the hatefulness of the Arab & Muslim world. Condem instead the leaders of the Arab and Muslim world that fans those flames of hate.
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Yet another example of why success in business does not translate to being a good steward of government.
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Success in business when talking about Trump can be debated
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What success? He inherited his fortune and went bankrupt numerous times.
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Trump is living proof, if it's needed, that the US no longer is the world's superpower, the world's "last best hope for democracy." We are second-rate, at best. Is there hope left for us as a nation? Not unless our politicians are capable of being more principled and less politically-correct. Not unless we are willing to hold those in power accountable for the laws they enact and fail to enact. Not unless we wake up as citizens and demand that the nation become a nation that honors the rule of law and instead of honoring politically-expedient favoritism toward the rich and powerful and the publicly-recognized.
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This is like throwing a lit cigarette into an operating room full of ether.
The road to war is being paved.
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So far this is all on paper, and a physical move seems unlikely to actually happen. Building a secure embassy in a dangerous place takes considerable time, and even if design work started today it would take years. The next President will cancel the project before it gets done.
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Yes, quite so. The American Embassy in London has, I think, completed its move from its old site to a new one south of the Thames. It took several years and the new site offered plenty of room for security and other purposes. I would think that there would be less room within Jerusalem and by the time planning and design is completed, Trump is likely to be gone.
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Trump ONLY cares about deflecting attention from his troubles. If people die in the process, so be it...
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"Some people just want to see the world burn."
Trump and Bannon believe in nothing but tearing our government down.
These 2 are a threat to world peace and democracy. Trump must be removed from office as quickly as possible - he's stupidly courting war in multiple parts of the world with his destructive behavior. Donald Trump's a hammer who thinks democracy is a nail.
Bannon should be exiled to Alabama and forced to live with Roy Moore and his deplorables.
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Trump does not do anything that doesn't help Trump. That's why he is such a lousy leader for the US. I have never seen so much corruption in my life.
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I guess it's a good thing that our doofus president didn't promise to nuke North Korea. I'd like to have a private White House dinner with Trump to share some of my views. Does anyone know the number to call for a reservation?
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Easy to remember- 1-25-000-000. The more zeros you dial, the faster your call is answered.
1-800-IMPEACH
Let us not forget that this recklessness is strongly bi-partisan. Democratic Senators Cardin, Schumer, and many other congressmen also support this foolishness, with many more remaining silent. If anything, we can thank Trump for once and for all revealing that the peace process with the U.S. as a fair-minded arbiter has long been a sham.
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