PrintJune 11, 2009
Influential liberal sees the light on Obama
Marty Peretz has been a leading liberal light for many years from his post at the influential New Republic. He was wholeheartedly in Barack Obama's corner during the campaign. I criticized him for his views and for spinning for the Obama campaign-particularly when it came to the issue of one of our most beleaguered allies, Israel.
However, in the last few weeks, Peretz seems to have had an epiphany. Obama is not what he thought he was. Peretz has published one piece after another taking the Obama administration to task over its foreign policy approach. His latest target is our Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, about whom I have been writing since the campaign.
Ambassador Rice's position was raised to Cabinet rank, and she seems to have as much foreign policy influence -- if not more than -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She pushed for participation in Durban II, pushed for America to join the disgraceful Human Rights Council, and (during her maiden speech at the UN) called for Israel to investigate itself for war crimes. She deflected criticism from supporters of the American-Israel relationship by promising that American would lead to a transformation of these international meetings and groups from being anti-Israel and anti-American. They would no longer be sinecures for our adversaries.
Peretz finds her record one of broken pledges and one of failure:
Given his following and weight in the world of liberal Jewish thought, perhaps his growing awareness will be a leading indicator.
Some might be tempted to criticize Peretz for his earlier support of Obama. But it does take some moral courage from the perches of Cambridge to criticize Barack Obama, his policies and the people he has chosen to drive our foreign policy. Apostasy does not play well within the crowds that Marty Peretz probably finds himself in on a day by day basis. His turn away from Obama is a welcome step forward. Hopefully, he will be a leading indicator of a wave of disillusion yet to come.
Another Triumph For Ambassador Rice:
Four especially reassuring elections occurred at the United Nations on Wednesday. So I hasten to bring you the good news.
Let me give it to you seriatim:
1. Libya was elected President of the U.N. General Assembly. The Libyan minister for African affairs has been designated for the post.
2. Sudan as been elected as vice president of the General Assembly. This bodes well for Darfur.
3. Algeria has been elected as chair of the Assembly's Legal Committee, known in the U.N.'s streamlined bureaucracy as the Sixth Committee.
4. Iran has been elected vice-chair of the Sixth Committee.
Susan Rice will have a wonderful time engaging with these men. Especially since the president's Cairo speech, which has changed the world.
Some might be tempted to criticize Peretz for his earlier support of Obama. But it does take some moral courage from the perches of Cambridge to criticize Barack Obama, his policies and the people he has chosen to drive our foreign policy. Apostasy does not play well within the crowds that Marty Peretz probably finds himself in on a day by day basis. His turn away from Obama is a welcome step forward. Hopefully, he will be a leading indicator of a wave of disillusion yet to come.
