If there was anything dumber for the Israeli government to do I don’t know what it could have been. Threatening journalists who are covering the Gaza flotilla backfired, as it should.

Netanyahu said in a statement that the policy for journalists covering the flotilla should not be the same as against infiltrators and those who enter Israel illegally.

Members of the Israeli media and international journalists will be embedded in Israeli Navy vessels in contact with the flotilla “in order to create transparency and credible coverage of the events,” said a statement issued Monday from the Prime Minister’s Office.

“We are pleased to see that Israel has recognized the value of allowing reporters to cover an important news event, and understands that journalists should be treated differently from political activists. We urge the government to continue to do its utmost to promote freedom of the press as core values of a democratic society,” the Foreign Press Association said Monday in a statement. It had previously criticized the threats made to journalists covering the flotilla.

Max Blumenthal has written a piece over at Mondoweiss about the extremist Rev. Hagee funding the group Shurat Hadin, among others, trying to sabotage the mission of “The Audacity of Hope.” Max covers the story below in detail, complete with video exposing Hagee.

Sources in the Shurat Hadin (Israel Law Center) on Sunday took responsibility for lodging an anonymous civil complaint against the American-flagged ship, The Audacity of Hope, which is a part of the flotilla expected to sail towards Gaza later this week, Army Radio reported. The complaint, filed to Greek harbormasters, alleged that the boat was not seaworthy and accused the organizers sailing the ship of aiding terror, according to the report. – Group says its responsible for flotilla complaint

From the Christian Science Monitor:

This flotilla is attempting to reach Gaza in a dramatically changed regional context from May 2010, before the uprisings collectively known as the Arab spring. With the chance for real democratic change in Israeli neighbors like Egypt, organizers are hoping to press home their argument that the Palestinian residents of Gaza are as deserving of basic freedoms as any of their neighbors. “It’s even more relevant this year,” says Robert Naiman, a US activist waiting to board in Athens. “There’s a revolution of popular expectations and we’re playing out on a stage in which governments in the region feel more pressure to respond to public opinion.” – Intense Israeli lobbying stalls Gaza flotilla

Gaza flotilla activists on one ship are alleging sabotage:

One of the ships due to participate in the Gaza flotilla was deliberately tampered with while it was docked in Greece’s Piraeus port, Gaza flotilla activists told Haaretz on Monday. The ship, due to carry Greek, Norwegian, and Swedish passengers to Gaza, was found with its propeller shaft broken, the ship’s spokesman Israeli activist Dror Feiler told Haaretz.

There’s also a story in Haaretz about Turkey and last year’s flotilla worth reading:

Turkey has asked Israel to agree to a toned-down version of the UN Secretary-General’s report on last year’s flotilla to Gaza, according to a senior government official in Jerusalem.

According to the official, the Turks are “very worried” about the harsh criticism of Turkey they expect the report to contain, and want Israel to agree to a softened version as part of a package deal to end the crisis between the two countries over the flotilla, which took place in May 2010.

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The invitation came from Republicans, announced by Rep. Eric Cantor.

“People seem to think that whoever goes first gets the upper hand,” said Daniel Levy, a former Israeli peace negotiator and a director at the New America Foundation. Using Mr. Netanyahu’s nickname, he said: “If Bibi went first and didn’t lay out a bold peace plan, it would be harder for Obama to say, actually, despite what you said to Congress and their applause, this is what I think you should do.” – Invitation to Israeli Leader Puts Obama on the Spot

The chaser, the op-ed of Turkey’s Abdullah Gul.

The post PM Netanyahu Invited to Congress appeared first on Taylor Marsh.

“We’ve also authorized military authorities for NATO to take on the broader military protection mission.” – Sec. Clinton

Before Clinton spoke, the news coming through multiple news sources is NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says the alliance has reached an agreement to take over no-fly operations from the U.S., also known as “the coalition.”

Rasmussen said on CNN there is no decision on “a broader mission,” which remains under U.S. military command. This includes attacks on the ground, Gadhafi’s tanks, etc. This is the tougher part of the “mission,” such as it is.

“At this moment there will still be a coalition operation and a NATO operation,” Fogh Rasmussen said. “But we are considering whether NATO should take on that broader responsibility in accordance with the U.N. Security Council resolution, but that decision has not been made yet.” – MSNBC

Turkey is very much against NATO being in charge of this aspect of the “mission.” However, Turkish air bases will be open for the no-fly part of the mission, which is no small thing.

CNN is also reporting a “no-fly plus” being considered, with permission needed to expand Libyan mission to hit other targets, but the correspondent transmission was interrupted.

This is getting very convoluted, with two different four-star generals in charge, according to one military expert on CNN, “unity of command” is out the window.

Steve Clemons said on MSNBC that the U.S. will be acting “behind the scenes” delivering “unique capabilities,” aka intelligence and as sort of a “kind of Wizard of Oz behind the curtain, if you will, without a lot of public exposure,” but a “systems integration role,” which will continue after the hand-off.

We still don’t know the ultimate goal of what we’re doing in Libya, but the U.S. military is still very much involved, as Sec. Clinton’s statement at the top of this report illustrates.

Much remains to be worked out.

Pres. Obama choosing to not address the nation, but instead give Sec. Clinton the lead, is an interesting way to address a situation that is getting more involved, rather than less.

This report has been updated.

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The original intent of the no-fly zone was to prevent carnage in Benghazi. It did. Now fears are growing that a humanitarian crisis is coming across Libya.

Who could have predicted that? After all, war never causes these types of secondary issues– Oh, strike that. Pres. Obama and his administration say this isn’t a war. I keep forgetting that point. If Obama says it isn’t a war it isn’t a war, right?

Then what is it? According to the White House, it’s a “kinetic military action.”

Q But it’s not going to war, then?

MR. RHODES: Well, again, I think what we are doing is enforcing a resolution that has a very clear set of goals, which is protecting the Libyan people, averting a humanitarian crisis, and setting up a no-fly zone. Obviously that involves kinetic military action, particularly on the front end. But again, the nature of our commitment is that we are not getting into an open-ended war, a land invasion in Libya. What we are doing is offering a unique set of capabilities over a period of days that can shape the environment for a no-fly zone.

What could possibly go wrong with this mumbo jumbo?

See Byron York.

What a giant political disaster Pres. Obama has created. And not calling what’s being done in Libya a war? Who are these guys and how did they get to such a level of leadership? It’s absolutely juvenile.

It’s hard to find a precedent for a president ordering U.S. military forces into action, then heading off for a five-day tour of Latin America, but that’s just what President Barack Obama did when he approved the deployment of air and naval assets to establish a no-fly zone over Libya. His homecoming gift is a barrage of questions about the military action Obama aides refuse to label a “war.” – Unanswered questions about Libya

It takes “word salads” to a whole new level.

The New York Times is running an op-ed today about “Among Allies, Discord Over Libya.” That’s putting it mildly.

Jamie Rubin put it well on MSNBC this morning. There’s an old saying about NATO, which has an alternative acronym: Needs America To Operate. The reason America usually leads, which is why the Right and others are caterwauling about the operation, is that without our lead things fall apart.

Pres. Obama missed that lesson and is now in the middle of an international diplomatic firing squad, while his people are arguing about whether this is a war or not.

I can picture V.P. Joe Biden right now muttering expletives under his breath.

This post has been updated.

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President Barack Obama’s point-man for his latest approach to the Muslim world is John Brennan, the White House’s counterterrorism czar, recently described by the Washington Post as one of the president’s most trusted advisers. Two weeks ago Brennan explained to a Washington audience that “we need to try to build up the more moderate elements” within Hezbollah, Lebanon’s Shia militia. The State Department rushed in to explain that there was no change in U.S. policy toward a group it has designated a terrorist organization—however, this was the second time Brennan had spoken of reaching out to Hezbollah “moderates” (and the second time he was corrected by the State Department), which means he has the president’s approval. [...] – Extreme Makeover – Tablet Magazine

If you haven’t noticed, Israel’s international status is crumbling. “We are getting on the nerves of every government,” Laura Rozen reports one Israeli journalist as saying, commenting on the continued fallout five months later from the suspected Mossad hit in Dubai. To add another development that happened after I originally posted this essay, Alan Dershowitz is fundraising against Illinois Rep. Jan Schakowsky, backing the Tea Partier Joel Pollak.

The caterwauling from Tablet Magazine seems to be moored in one outrageous point of reality: (Pres. Obama) takes a much more pessimistic—and more realistic—view of the region’s political culture than the Bush Administration did. One would only hope; after all, Bush gave us Hamas leadership in Gaza.

Because of this realist view born from regional intractability, Tablet next jumps (the shark) to the main page of the Obama haters pamphlet by utilizing talking points straight from Sean Hannity. Seriously, this next bit of regurgitated right-wing rhetoric could just as easily be a transcript from Hannity’s radio show:

President Obama has keyed in on Muslim extremists because his own history shows that it’s the strategically sound choice. The lesson that extremism is the foundation of political legitimacy in politically charismatic communities was driven home to the president, Sunday after Sunday, as he sat in Jeremiah Wright’s church for 20 years. Obama, a half-white community organizer from Hawaii by way of Harvard Law School, did not seek to establish his bona fides in Chicago’s black community by attending the church of some middle-class black pastor who would speak about the glories of mowing the lawn every Sunday. The politically ambitious Obama chose to sit in the church of a man who spouted lunatic conspiracy theories about how the CIA was killing black babies not because he believed it, but because he knew back then that extremists confer legitimacy—especially when you are an outsider hoping to curry favor with the locals, as he is now with the Muslim world.

Sean Hannity will return after this next commercial break.

For those in the reality based community, here’s the backdrop of what’s swirling, which was posted Monday from FP:

“We stand by Israel and we’ll voice our strong views against any action that is one-sided or biased by any international organization,” Crowley said. “I’m not aware that the secretary general has yet made any decisions on steps the UN might take. We’ll listen to what the secretary general has in mind and make a judgment then.”

That type of hedging is exactly what many Israel supporters, such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), are concerned about. “AIPAC calls on the Obama administration to act decisively at the United Nations and other international forums to block any action — including alternative investigations supported by the Secretary General — which would isolate Israel,” the group said in a statement. [...]

Going forward, there is still a lot of concern among Israelis about the prominent role Jones is playing in the shaping of the administration’s Israel policy. The conventional wisdom is that Jones, along with U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, are the ones inside the administration pushing for a harder line vis-à-vis Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, while Biden, the NSC’s Dennis Ross, and to an extent Special Envoy George Mitchell are said to advocate a position more sensitive to Netanyahu’s own political situation.

J-Street is openly confronting a letter writing campaign by AIPAC, which everyone is couching as the first war between the new guys on the lobby block and the old hands, AIPAC. The right-wing campaign has already gained a lot of congressional support. It’s a very interesting confrontation, with progressive J-Street challenging not only the goals of the letters, domestic politics as elections gear up, but also the effectiveness given the seriousness of Israel’s flotilla raid fiasco, which has real ramifications for any efforts taking two-state talks forward. From J-Street:

J Street – the pro-Israel, pro-peace lobby – is not supporting sign-on letters to the President now circulating in the House regarding the Gaza flotilla. As is far too often the case, these letters have been drafted primarily for domestic political consumption rather than to advance the U.S. interest in peace and security in the Middle East.

With tensions in the region already high and vital American and Israeli interests at stake, J Street urges members of Congress to seek changes to the letters currently circulating before signing – or to write their own.

The window of opportunity for a two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is closing rapidly, and statements like those now circulating in Congress only push the window down harder. J Street fears that, in the years ahead, lawmakers will come to regret the failure of the United States to exercise real leadership toward ending the conflict. Failure now to achieve a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict dooms the region to further violence and puts at risk the very Jewish and democratic home in the state of Israel that lawmakers are purporting to support so deeply.

We would ask lawmakers to demonstrate real courage and leadership at this critical moment to call on the President to turn crisis into opportunity and to make ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a central priority of his foreign policy. The test for Congressional statements should not be their acceptability to any one lobby group (including J Street) but whether they advance the American, Israeli and regional interest in ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and achieving a two-state solution before it is too late.

PM Netanyahu has already stiff-armed the idea of a U.N. sponsored investigation. However, that reality is moving forward regardless of Israel’s nod, which the international community does not see as relevant.

From Ben Smith:

A diplomat with one Security Council member country said that 14 of 15 nations had expressed support for some form of panel established by the secretary general — rather than by a Security Council vote, which the United States could block — to investigate the deaths on a Turkish ship bound for Gaza. The U.S. was the sole nation not to support the measure in the closed session, the source said.

Earlier Tuesday, Palestinian U.N. representative Riyad Mansour expressed his support for “the secretary general’s decision to proceed with his idea of having an international investigation under his auspices.”

The U.S. position on the panel — amid intense support for it among U.N. members — has been to wait and see what Ban proposes. “As we always do, we will work hard to make sure that Israel is not treated unfairly at the U.N.,” a U.S. official said.

The usual suspects will no doubt balk at what’s being reported coming from United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, because the U.N. is seen as notoriously hostile to Israel. All of this happening as Amnesty International blasted Israel’s own investigative committee makeup, which everyone finds biased and stacked.

One wonders if Sen. Chuck Schumer will trip over this latest development in order to get to the podium and further complicate Israel’s already untenable position.

What J-Street gets right is that Israel has to find a way to end the blockade. That does not mean, however, that Israel doesn’t have the right to search ships coming into Gaza for weapons, which makes sense to anyone knowing the history.

What AIPAC and the usual suspects continue to get wrong is that Netanyahu has to find a way to deal with Hamas, who regardless of the terrorist history, remains the elected body in charge of Gaza. Don’t blame me for stating the obvious, see George W. Bush who basically handed Hamas the keys to Gaza.

Now a little reality. Dealing with thugs and enemies is what diplomacy is about. The U.S. has been engaging our enemies for over two-hundred years. It’s just bizarre that Israel doesn’t understand the basic tenet of negotiation, which includes coming to terms with your enemies first and foremost, especially when you’re sandwiched amidst them.

If John F. Kennedy had treated the Cuban Missile Crisis like Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders treat their relationship with Hamas and the Palestinians, add on the Israeli enablers in the American body politic, Florida and the eastern coast would likely still be a wasteland.

Israel is no longer a fledgling democracy. It’s a strong nation with allies, a vast military intelligence system, not to mention a conventional and nuclear military that dwarfs her enemies and neighbors. That Mr. Netanyahu and the Israeli government continue to act like an immature state instead of the great state it is not only stokes a cycle of violence and humanitarian tragedy, while creating more enemies out of the next generation, but makes Israel look like they aren’t capable of seeing themselves in any role other than victim. This chosen stance is as outdated as it is dangerous to Israeli’s future and Middle East stability as a whole.

Mr. Netanyahu buying time in the hopes that Republicans take over in Washington come November is not an effective diplomatic policy, but it seems to be the fallback position of the current Israeli government, which they and their right-wing allies seem determined to take forward into 2012.

Our special relationship will never be broken, but it’s long past time the United States started treating Israel like a grown-up instead of a protectorate. Our independence from Israel is crucial to U.S. Middle East interests and the stability to the region. This is especially true since the Netanyahu government has proven they are not serious about any talks that give Palestinians what they deserve, which is a state of their own.

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The exploding head version to match the Turkish ambassador’s offensiveness can be found in Charles Krauthammer’s column today.

Turkey meets the Israeli government stupidity, then raises them using a historically incendiary phrase.

In an unfortunate turn of phrase, the Turkish ambassador to Washington twice said Friday that the terrorist group Hamas is a necessary and important part of the “final solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. [...] “For a final solution, you cannot ignore Hamas. That’s what we are saying,” said Ambassador Namik Tan. “This is not the first time that we are trying to bring this into the discussion. We have told this to the Israelis, to our American friends, to our international interlocutors, everyone. How could you imagine a final solution without Hamas?”

Everyone in the Middle East has gone mad.

We’re caught in the middle.

The American right, on whatever political side you see it, is now engaged in a race to the bottom, which is tribalism on steroids. It’s an affliction that means supporting Israel no matter what they do, no matter how outrageous their behavior, even when it could end up costing the US every other ally we’ve got, including those helping us to fight Islamic extremism. Exhibit A for this condition is Liz Cheney, who has released a statement. It’s preening neoconservatism talking points.

There is no reasoning with leaders on either side of the flotilla disaster, or the ones caught in the throes of derangement, though the Obama administration continues to try. Frankly, we should wash our hands of it, as there is no evidence whatsoever that we can appease either parties. Turkey wants us to condemn Israel, which Obama will not do; and Israel expects unquestioning support, even when they dig in against an independent investigation. Can there be any doubt they’re even afraid of their own report after Goldstone landed with such a resounding slam?

David Ignatius quotes Chas Freeman: “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” Where we are concerned, nonsense. Israel is being an irresponsible partner to the U.S. We are getting nothing for our allegiance. There should be consequences to such insulting, disrespectful arrogance by the Netanyahu government.

One thing is real and that is that Israel has to deal with Hamas at some point. They have committed terrorism, but thanks to George W. Bush, they are also elected.

On the other hand, playing the other side, how can Israel engage Hamas when they are still holding Israeli Staff Sergeant Gilad Shalit? On that note, Peter Beinert suggests freeing Shalit to free Gaza. It’s a provocative look at an unending nightmare.

Israeli propaganda minister Ambassador To The U.S. Michael Oren is in comfortable surroundings on Hugh Hewitt, but didn’t add anything I couldn’t have scripted beforehand. But he did concede one thing: We agree that we’d like to find a better way of denying Hamas rockets. If the Secretary of State has ideas about how that might be done, we would be very, very happy to hear them. And we’ll be anxious to hear her suggestions.

The U.S. should simply step back. We won’t, but we should. Let’s see how well Israel fairs without us playing mediator for a while. We’ve given Israel aid without condition. Democrats and Republicans plan U.S. Middle East policy, only after crafting Israel into the picture. But still we get no respect or deference from our friend Israel. On nuclear weapons, Israel stands outside the common purpose for a nuclear free Middle East, because they need “defensive” weapons, which our leaders condone. There is no reason we should and considering that the Netanyahu-Lieberman government is flouting our efforts at peace, because they’re not interested in it, including pleas from the Obama administration to use caution when engaging the flotilla headed for Gaza, we should simply let Israel handle this issue on their own. They’re a grown, independent nation of great means.

As for Turkey, who is a very valuable friend, the U.S. should denounce the language being used by the Turkish ambassador.

Diplomacy in shambles.

Pres. Obama should stay in the Gulf where he can do some real good. There’s nothing to salvage in the Mideast right now.

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An official from the Turkish Islamic charity that spearheaded the campaign to bust the blockade on Gaza identified the U.S. citizen as 19-year-old Furkan Dogan, originally from the central Turkish town of Kayseri. Dogan, who held a U.S. passport, had four bullet wounds to the head and one to the chest, Omer Yagmur of the Foundation of Humanitarian Relief (IHH), told Anatolia. – American Reportedly Among Those Killed in Gaza Flotilla Raid

There was no reasoning with the Netanyahu government. Pres. Obama, Sect. Clinton and the administration “emphasized caution and restraint,” but Israel ignored our pleas.

The Obama administration said Wednesday that it had warned Israel’s government repeatedly to use “caution and restraint” with half a dozen aid boats bound for the Gaza Strip before Israeli commandos raided the flotilla this week in an operation that killed nine people.

“We communicated with Israel through multiple channels many times regarding the flotilla,” P.J. Crowley, a State Department spokesman, said in a statement issued in response to a question from The Washington Post. “We emphasized caution and restraint given the anticipated presence of civilians, including American citizens.” [...]

Israel went in looking for a fight.

The blockade of Gaza needs to be ended, but at the very least there has to be another way found to deal with ships trying to run the blockade. The politics of it is killing Israeli credibility. Andrea Mitchell reported last night on what she found inside Gaza, which was the same thing that’s been acknowledged by everyone seeing the plight of the Palestinian people. What the Israeli government is doing to the Palestinians is inhumane. Mitchell’s reporting made Chris Matthews very uncomfortable.

Former Amb. Peck was on Keith Olbermann last night. The interview speaks for itself, as well as the unmitigated stupidity of the Israelis in escalating this into a violent skirmish.

An interesting anecdote to this story comes through an anonymous “anchorman” who invokes “1930’s style anti-Semitism” on Tucker Carlson’s Daily Caller. It’s the juvenile anti-Semitic charge that always comes from the usual suspects when Americans find the Israeli government in the wrong. The “anchorman” screed was posted yesterday, before Olbermann’s interview with Peck last night. “Anchorman” is upset because of the earned Israeli critiques now being dispensed, but also outraged because of an interview with Amb. Peck on his network, because of his politics. Name that “anchorman” and the network. One note, “anchorman” is not very bright and all emotions. It’s like he willfully ignores that Hamas was duly elected. Thank George W. Bush for that one. As for “anchorman’s” network, maybe it’s Fox? Ms. Van Susteren had an interview with Peck on Monday night (video). However, Peck was also interviewed on MSNBC on Monday as well.

Hardly matters, because the traditional media and cable news don’t play truth and consequence where Israel is concerned. Most networks avoid the subject of the Middle East altogether unless violence breaks out. But make no mistake about it, “anchorman” is just one example of the squeeze play against honest reporting on the Middle East.

I’ve written many times that PM Netanyahu never had any interest or intention of pursuing peace with the Palestinians. There can be no doubt to that reality now. Otherwise, he would have made sure the IDF wouldn’t turn a tense situation into carnage that has the entire world community denouncing Israel. Their actions are as infuriating as the situation is tragically sad.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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“We will not be silent about this,” (Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu) said. “We expect the United States to show solidarity with us. . . . I am not very happy with the statements from the United States yesterday.” – Turkish foreign minister: Israeli raid on Gaza aid flotilla ‘like 9/11′ for his country

Israel is serving Hamas’ interests better than Hamas itself has ever done, comes from an article in Haaretz today. Anyone not understanding just how badly Israel has hurt themselves in the eyes of the world doesn’t get the politics of this fiasco. If you’re not enraged by the stupidity of the Israeli government in handing this piece of propaganda to her enemies, then you’re too naive to be in this debate.

The Turkish ship Mavi Marmara was no Exodus. It carried not Holocaust survivors but provocateurs, many of them extremists. But a series of baseless decisions on the part of the prime minister and the ministers of defense and of strategic affairs turned the Marmara into a Palestinian Exodus. With a single foolish move, the Israeli cabinet cast the Muslim Brotherhood in the role of the victim and the Israel Navy as the villain and simultaneously opened European, Turkish, Arab, Palestinian and internal Israeli fronts. In so doing, Israel is serving Hamas’ interests better than Hamas itself has ever done.

[...] During the 2006 war in Lebanon I concluded that my 15-year-old daughter could have conducted it more wisely than the Olmert-Peretz government. We’ve progressed. Today it’s clear to me that my 6-year-old son could do much better than our current government. Even a child would have seen the imbalance in the risk-threat assessment in overpowering the flotilla ships. Any smart kid would understand that you don’t sacrifice what is important for what is not. But the cabinet did not understand. Under the leadership of Netanyahu, Barak and Ya’alon it came to a patently unreasonable decision. It was a decision of complete fools.

Meanwhile, the American right reveals why our Middle East policy is where it is today and why criticism in the face of obvious carnage that should never have happened is met with such deranged spin. Think Progress compiled a good example of the apologists for the IDF’s indefensible actions:

ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER AVIGDOR LIEBERMAN: “There is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza. … The flotilla is an attempt at violent propaganda against Israel, and Israel will not allow the violation of its sovereignty at sea, in the air, or on land.”

MICHAEL OREN, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: “Over one hundred trucks, every day, laden with food and medicine go into Gaza. There’s no shortage of food. There is no shortage of medicine.”

NEWT GINGRICH: “There was no humanitarian crisis; this was a deliberate political effort on the part of people who want to try to undermine the survival of Israel.”

CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER: “What exactly is the humanitarian crisis that the flotilla was actually addressing? There is none. No one is starving in Gaza.”

Amidst it all picture Sect. Clinton in full friend damage control, as she talks to national leaders around the world to keep an international diplomatic assault on Israel to keep from manifesting.

The the New York Times is reporting the Israeli propaganda being piped through U.S. airwaves non-stop might be different from reality. It won’t make Clinton’s job any easier.

In the American game of “who can be more pro-Israel,” Rep. Weiner scores points.

Sarah Palin, well, her view of Turkey is just bizarre.

Robert Gibbs today: US & Israel “have a trusted relationship” and “we are greatly supportive of their security and that is not going to change.” That is hardly the issue on what happened this weekend.

Beyond this there are relevant questions that no one will ask, let alone answer: Which alliance is more critical to U.S. national security, Israel or Turkey?

Can we be Israel’s steadfast ally, but when she’s acted foolishly weigh in, because our alliances with other nations depend on our frankness to our friend?

There were many ways to handle the flotilla exchange. Israel chose the most extreme, which fueled its enemies, and put its friends in an untenable position. Nobody wins.

The post Between Israel and Turkey appeared first on Taylor Marsh.

… Ankara warned that further supply vessels will be sent to Gaza, escorted by the Turkish Navy, a development with unpredictable consequences. Israel has sounded an alert throughout the country fearing rocket attacks by Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Arab League has called an urgent meeting on Tuesday to decide on a common response. Egypt is under pressure to end the blockade of Gaza while Greece has cancelled a military exercise with Israel. – Turkey threatens action; Israel on alert

Pres. Obama’s response of “deep regret” at the Israel-caused deaths “also expressed the importance of learning all the facts and circumstances around this morning’s tragic events as soon as possible,” was greeted in Turkey as “sort of weak.” State weighed in yesterday as well.

Jake Tapper is reporting today that the Obama administration will stand with Israel, because doing otherwise would isolate them further.

Ben Smith has the quote of quotes: “We’re the only ones who believe them.”

Meanwhile, the Republican right is already saying the activists on board attempting to get aid into Gaza are linked to Turkey “terrorists.”

Pick your sides, folks, then we’re off.

Cutting to the chase, PM Netanyahu and the IDF are forcing Pres. Obama into a corner, while Muslim and Arab nations will press for him to condemn Israeli actions if the Security Council finds against Israel, something that will cause a political squeeze play in the U.S., as well as set off a domestic dynamic that plays into the neoconservatives who have been lying in wait for 2012.

Everyone writing about this story keeps saying “Israel” in the larger sense of things. I get that, but let’s down to specifics. Prime Minister Netanyahu, well, I’ll let someone else fill it in, though I’d replace “Israel” with the “Netanyahu government” below:

How badly has Israel f**ked up in its response to a flotilla intending to deliver aid to Hamas-controlled Gaza? Pretty f**king badly. – FP

The IDF blog posted the footage of soldiers being beaten with “knives, metal rods, firebombs,” as well as “metal poles and chairs, and threw one soldier over the side of the ship.” But I’ve got to ask what did the IDF expect? Just because the people are “non-violent,” doesn’t mean they should trust the IDF. See history.

What began a tenuous slip in the relationship between Netanyahu’s government and Ankara that began with Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey and Shimon Peres having a very public spat at Davos, which escalated over Israel dressing down the Turks over a TV show, has now developed into a full blown diplomatic and perhaps even a military crisis, with the UN Security Council calling a special session because of Netanyahu’s folly. Reactions from nations on the UN Security Council boiled down to “shocked.”

Jeffrey Goldberg is invoking the Second Intifada, what he described as the “(specifically, the story of the non-massacre at Jenin),” to give himself time to process the apocalyptic scenario for Israel playing in his head over the actions of the IDF, which Netanyahu backed.

When Pres. Obama came into office, King Abdullah of Jordan warned that if peace wasn’t obtained between the Palestinians and Israel war would be next.

One of two calculations are going through the right wing Netanyahu government, with Avigdor Lieberman whispering prompts of preemptive mania in Bibi’s ear. First, they may want to squeeze Pres. Obama further, because they feel he’s been weakened in the U.S., sensing a tide about to sweep into Congress that will bring more hawkish leaders in, dreaming of a Republican victory that will be more amenable to Netanyahu’s dreams of military action with Iran. Or perhaps Netanyahu has decided that Obama is irrelevant and so he’s going to go his own way, because the current American president isn’t easily bent to his will. There is also the possibility that the collective right wing in Israel has gone mad.

Netanyahu’s actions send a clear signal to the U.S., coming after our military command said that the situation between Israel and the Palestinians is making our job harder. Netanyahu government obviously is no longer interested in the U.S. position in the region.

Someone needs to assess that our friendship with Israel is now one way, though I don’t expect any politician in either party to admit it.

Netanyahu’s provocative actions are coming at a time when Pres. Obama is facing the worst domestic crisis of his presidency in the Gulf. That’s not by accident; it’s by Netanyahu’s design.

The post Netanyahu’s Folly appeared first on Taylor Marsh.

[...] The other possible reason is that the far rightwing government of Binyamin Netanyahu and his foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman gave a green light to the commandos to respond with excessive force. That is, the deaths and woundings may have been a brutally frank warning to any future Gaza aid activists that they are taking their lives in their hands if they plan any more flotillas to help the Palestinians. The Israeli far right may have felt that there was otherwise a danger that in a few months there would be an even bigger flotilla and that eventually the blockade of Gaza would be broken. - Juan Cole

BREAKING (10:00 am): AP reports Israeli prime minister’s office says he’s canceling White House visit to deal with Gaza crisis.

more at Huffington Post

According to the reports, Israel IDF fired on the ship carrying Gaza aid in international waters killing at least 10 people and causing pandemonium among Palestinians and outrage in Muslim communities. According to the New York Times, “according to the official Wafa news,” Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas called the Israeli actions “a massacre.” More:

The Israeli Navy raided a flotilla carrying thousands of tons of supplies for Gaza in international waters on Monday morning, killing at least 10 people, according to the Israeli military and activists traveling with the flotilla. Some Israeli media reports put the death toll higher.

The incident drew widespread international condemnation, with Israeli envoys summoned to explain their country’s actions in several European countries.

The criticism offered a propaganda coup to Israel’s foes, particularly the Hamas group that holds sway in Gaza, and damaged its ties to Turkey, one of its most important Muslim partners and the unofficial sponsor of the Gaza-bound convoy. Ankara recalled its ambassador to Israel and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan cut short a visit to Latin America to return. [...]

The actions of the Israeli government continue to make no sense, especially where Gaza is concerned. They are courting mass condemnation through this aggressive act, with Turkey, once a valuable ally in a sea of hostility moving further away from Israel.

Anyone believing that the Netanyahu government wants “peace” is whistling past the diplomatic graveyard.

Israel’s prime minister has expressed his support for the militray’s actions in a deadly raid against an aid flotilla sailing to the blockaded Gaza Strip. Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says he spoke Monday to top Israeli diplomatic and security officials by telephone from Canada and voiced his “full backing” for the military. – AP

David Kurtz has a running breakdown of the timeline on the incident and links that take you through the latest developments.

This post has been updated.

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“Of course they are not thrilled,” Leslie Gelb, president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations and a former Pentagon official, said of the administration. “They thought [the Brazilian-Turkish diplomatic effort with Tehran] was going to fail and didn’t stop it, or couldn’t stop it. It looks like it undercut their diplomacy. – President Obama’s nuclear headache

They had to act, so they did.

“Today, I am pleased to announce to this committee we have reached agreement on a strong draft with the cooperation of both Russia and China,” Clinton told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today. “We plan to circulate that draft resolution to the entire Security Council today.” … “I think this announcement is as convincing an answer to the efforts undertaken in Tehran over the last few days as any we could provide,” Clinton said. – The New York Times

China welcomed Iran’s “fuel swap” deal with Turkey, which brought the issue of sanctions against Iran into question by some. They went even further in a statement: “I think this will slow down talk of sanctions,” said a former Chinese diplomat to Iran.

China and Iran got the answer today, though now Turkey and Brazil, non-permanent members of the Security Council, will undoubtedly vote against sanctions. Nine members are needed to pass the sanction agreement, which shouldn’t be hard to get.

Whether sanctions will have the intended outcome is another story entirely.

The post Obama Administration Reacts to Iran ‘Fuel Swap’ Deal appeared first on Taylor Marsh.

Pres. Obama meets with Pres. Karzai. Via CNN:

President Obama made an unannounced trip to Afghanistan on Sunday. The president left his Camp David, Maryland, retreat for the trip and flew to Afghanistan on Air Force One, landing at Bagram Air Base at 7:24 p.m. (around 11 a.m. ET). Obama then flew on a helicopter to the Presidential Palace for a meeting with Afghanistan’s president, Hamid Karzai.

As for Sarah Palin hitting Searchlight, Nevada, she’s likely not to get any credit for the crowds (photos via), if they can be verified. To understand the enormity of her people powered popularity you need to consider that Searchlight has a population of around 760 people, give or take, but certainly less than 1,000. My husband lived in Las Vegas his entire life and boiled the town of Searchlight down to “four gas stations and three restaurants that is primarily a rest stop in the middle of the desert, which started as a simple mining town in the 1990s.” The lines of cars and crowd shots shown here are nothing short of monumental, again, if these pictures are accurate, which I cannot personally verify.

But regardless of the crowd size, it’s another marker in the Sarah Palin does if differently file, because the Republican elite would never plan an event in Searchlight; they’d go to Las Vegas where the crowd would be assured, easy to amass and get covered. Sarah in Searchlight is the antithesis of this and if she actually drew the crowds shown in these pictures it’s one for the record brooks, because there is simply no other politician today that could draw these crowds to this tiny little town.

Beyond Obama and Palin, a word about Israel at Passover. There is an anti-Obama drum beat coming from the right that is as predictable as it is wrongly directed. The Israeli challenge is about Prime Minister Netanyahu, no matter how the right spins their “Pres. Obama hates Jews” vitriol, which is preposterous. Tough love can only come from friends. Obama sees beyond the horizon, with Israel in real trouble if Mr. Netanyahu doesn’t find a way to get beyond settlements and deal with moving the process forward to negotiating a two-state solution. Iran is important to the larger region, but it’s not the number one threat to the Jewish state. Via Laura Rozen comes a report very much worth reading:

A second official confirmed the broad outlines of the current debate within the administration. Obviously at every stage of the process, the Obama Middle East team faces tactical decisions about what to push for, who to push, how hard to push, he described.

As to which argument best reflects the wishes of the President, the first official said, “As for POTUS, what happens in practice is that POTUS, rightly, gives broad direction. He doesn’t, and shouldn’t, get bogged down in minutiae. But Dennis uses the minutiae to blur the big picture … And no one asks the question: why, since his approach in the Oslo years was such an abysmal failure, is he back, peddling the same snake oil?”

Other contacts who have discussed recent U.S.-Israel tensions with Ross say he argues that all parties need to keep focus on the big picture, Iran, and the peace process as being part of a wider U.S. effort to bolster an international and regional alliance including Arab nations and Israel to pressure and isolate Iran. This is an argument that presumably has resonance with the Netanyahu government. But at the same time, Arab allies tell Washington that Israeli construction in East Jerusalem inflames their publics and breeds despair and makes it hard for them to work even indirectly and quietly with Israel on Iran. They push Washington to show it can manage Israel and to get an Israeli-Palestinian peace process going that would facilitate regional cooperation on Iran.

Amidst the frustration shown by Syria and Libya, who called for Palestinians to reject and withdraw from engagement with Israel, Arab leaders renewed their commitment to peace talks, while Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa addressed Iran and possible engagement. Turkish Prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and others, including Iraq agreed, with Egypt and Saudi Arabia leading the opposition.

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Daniel Levy, Director of the Middle East Task Force at the New American Foundation, conducted a “short-notice” conference call today, with Alon Liel, former Israel Ambassador to Turkey, and Bülent Aras, Professor of International Relations at Istanbul Technical University and the Foreign Policy Coordinator of the SETA Foundation in Ankara. At issue: Can these relations be pulled back from the brink, and what is the fallout likely to be?

The New York Times provides the backdrop to the current crisis between these two nations:

… Two days earlier, Israel’s deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon, summoned Celikkol to complain about ”The Valley of the Wolves,” a Turkish television drama that shows Israeli security forces kidnapping children and shooting old men. During the meeting, Ayalon forced Celikkol to sit on a low sofa without a handshake and explained to cameramen that the humiliation was intentional.

The incident further strained the complex relations between Israel and Turkey, its closest Muslim ally. Their close military alliance and economic ties already had been hurt by the fury that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyid Erdogan expressed about Israel’s war in Gaza a year ago and by what he considers Israel’s aggressive treatment of its neighbors. …

CONFERENCE CALL NOTES: Conference call notes are a good faith effort to capture as much as possible from the call.

Bülent Aras: Turkey’s transformation has changed the relationship with Israel, joining the European Union emphasizing that changing dynamic. There is a “new confidence” that comes with this transformation. Turkey’s security depends on that of its neighbors. “Security for all,” citing security of Palestinians means security for Israel, as it’s all “inter-related.” Back in 1998, Turkey and Syria were on the brink of war. But “Turkey doesn’t blame its neighbors for it’s own domestic problems.” Turkey isn’t just isn’t focused on regional issues, but is globally focused. … What happened in Gaza very much impacted Turkey’s mood. “Just imagine you have concrete,” walls, moving towards to a national security state… The Israeli’s policy is not helping the problem that Turkey is trying to solve. … “This is a humanitarian crisis… what Israel is doing in Gaza… is leading to a real tragedy.” In the past one year we didn’t have one achievement towards a solution. “There is no anti-Semitism in Turkey.” First, Israel must stop what’s happening in Gaza.

Alon Liel: Israel will soon celebrate “61 years” of diplomatic relationships with Turkey, the first Muslim country to engage Israel. Unbelievable “ups and downs” in that time. The relations kept deteriorating until the mid-1980s, including Turks in Tel Aviv, then with the withdrawal of Israel from Lebanon, things got better. Continues talking abut history of diplomacy between the nations, also noting the importance of tourism. … .. Admits war in Gaza has exacerbated tensions. “Relations were.. damaged in 2009.” The overview of the 61 years, Turkey is the one who always decided if the relationship was to be good or bad (paraphrase of statement), “usually for regional reasons.” Gaza is such a “sensitive nerve” among Turks. Doesn’t see anti-Semites in Turkey leadership, but the blame on Israel always for Gaza, peace process not moving, Palestinians… “so 2010 is going to be another difficult year for relationships.”

Daniel Levy: How close were we to a recall of Turkey’s ambassador? How much of a meltdown has taken place this week?

Bülent Aras: “Not as pessimistic as Alon.” Still believes with Europeans and Obama administration, peace process can improve.

Alon Liel: “The crisis we are having is an on-going crisis that has a lot to do with basic attitudes toward policies in Israel.” That he was sitting on a low sofa isn’t a real crisis. What Ayalon did was a shame. “As a former diplomat, I’m ashamed. … We are totally dependent on the peace process.” Turkey created this dependence. I hope the Obama administration isn’t tired and doesn’t give up (paraphrased quote). If we live another year, in 2010, without one day of direct talks, I’m willing to bet that Celikkol won’t be here after that.

Daniel Levy: The line above is the news breaker of the call.

Bülent Aras: Just think about Obama coming into office trying to reverse George W. Bush, but then you get Gaza.

Alon Liel: (Asked about domestic ramifications from what’s happening now.) You get a very gloomy picture of what’s going on in Israel, but it doesn’t impact the stability of this gov. “It is a very stable support that Netanyahu is having…” He can also “steal members from Kadima.” Nobody is thinking this gov. can be toppled. No political change in Israel, or in content. “We still have a hawkish Prime Minister with a hawkish coalition.” If someone is “dreaming” in the U.S. that there will be any changes in the peace process it won’t happen.

Bülent Aras: We expect Israel to be on the constructive side. “We live together.”

UPDATE: see MJ Rosenberg who is calling for an end to Gaza blockade.

Photo: Gil Yohanan

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“The international community will not wait indefinitely for evidence that Iran is prepared to live up to its international obligations,” Clinton said at a news conference. – Haaretz

According to people in the room, Obama’s big HRC speech wasn’t very big at all. Joe Subday says it all in his post:

According to Obama, “we are moving ahead on ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’” Obama said, “I will end Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” But, there was no timeline. Nothing even approaching a timeline. No idea of how it will be done. [...] This speech offered less than the cocktail party speech for the A-listers back in June.…

Sullivan had even harsher words for the Human Rights Campaign:

HRC, of course, is putting no pressure on him; Joe Solmonese’s disgraceful email actually took all pressure off him by saying he’d be happy to wait till 2017 for HRC to hold Obama accountable. HRC are putting pressure, as they always have, on gay people to go to the back of the line and be grateful a president attends their fundraising event. The only word for this is a racket. And if gay people do not rise up and demand change from this organization and stop funding a group whose goal has always been to sell the Democrats to gay people rather than secure civil rights, then they will continue to suffer the discrimination they live under day after day.

I can’t speak to HRC pressure one way or the other, but on DADT talking about what he’s going to do is way past getting old. Read “I didn’t Tell. It Didn’t Matter” if you’re not yet convinced.

Looking around the world…

Someone has finally put a number on the bottom troop escalation needed. David Kilcullen says 25,000 troops at a minimum, with Obama needed to get moving on implementation. Again, I’ve said it before, but Obama’s taking too much time with this, with plenty already known and enough in to push forward.

CNN reports that three Iranian protesters have been “tentatively” sentenced to death, though they can appeal.

Three Iranians have been tentatively sentenced to death in connection with post-election protest activities, according to semi-official state media. …

The siege in Pakistan ended.

Recapping on the carnage in Guinea, which I tweeted when it happened, Clinton’s remarks still ring out after the atrocities:

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Tuesday that Guinea’s military junta must recognize “they cannot remain in power” after she voiced outrage over killings and rapes. Her comments come as pressure mounts on the regime from both the Guinean opposition and the international community.

“We were appalled and outraged by the recent violence in Guinea,” the chief US diplomat told reporters when she appeared outside her offices in Washington with visiting Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

[...] “The indiscriminate killing and raping that took place under government control by government troops was a vile violation of the rights of the people of that country,” the chief US diplomat said. …

And there was some high drama at what was supposed to be a done deal between the Turks and Armenian, with Secretary Clinton doing her job and getting it done. (Thanks to reader HEP for sending this one my way.)

To round it out, David Milliband in news conference with Clinton:

“I think that Iran’s history of covert, secret programs … explains why the international community does not have confidence in the Iranian regime’s protestations about the purely peaceful aspects or purely peaceful purposes of their nuclear program,” he said.

Having met and spoken with both Milliband and Clinton, of course, seeing these two diplomats speaking strongly about Iran says something very good about the hands the world is in, especially compared to the last crew.

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Barack Hussein Obama in Turkey today does what no other American president could do by virtue of his background and who he is. But the sheer act alone of reaching out to this Muslim nation is certain to drive the Hannity hate speech crowd to further ends of division and derision.

Even as a new poll shows Americans ready to turn the page from the past, the Hannity haters have driven a wedge between even moderate Muslims and American reality, sewing doubt about a faith using ignorance and fear to get the job done.

Most Americans think President Obama’s pledge to “seek a new way forward” with the Muslim world is an important goal, even as nearly half hold negative views about Islam and a sizable number say that even mainstream adherents to the religion encourage violence against non-Muslims, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

There is still a broad lack of familiarity with the world’s second-largest religion — 55 percent of those polled said they are without a basic understanding of the teachings and beliefs of Islam, and most said they do not know anyone who is Muslim. While awareness has increased in recent years, underlying views have not improved.

About half, 48 percent, said they have an unfavorable view of Islam, the highest in polls since late 2001. Nearly three in 10, or 29 percent, said they see mainstream Islam as advocating violence against non-Muslims; although more, 58 percent, said it is a peaceful religion.

Muslims make up about 1 percent of all U.S. adults. [...]

President Obama’s full remarks are below, which address torture, but also Turkey’s 1915 stain, going as well into the issue of Middle East peace. Even in the face of our own country not being quite sure about those of Muslim faith around the world, led by the fearmongering Hannity haters, Obama’s words and presidency provide a path. It will take a lot more than this speech to get the bridge done.

Mr. Speaker, Madam Deputy Speaker, distinguished members, I am honored to speak in this chamber, and I am committed to renewing the alliance between our nations and the friendship between our people.

This is my first trip overseas as President of the United States. I have been to the G-20 Summit in London, the NATO Summit in Strasbourg and Kehl, and the European Union Summit in Prague. Some people have asked me if I chose to continue my travels to Ankara and Istanbul to send a message. My answer is simple: Evet. Turkey is a critical ally. Turkey is an important part of Europe. And Turkey and the United States must stand together – and work together – to overcome the challenges of our time.

This morning I had the privilege of visiting the tomb of the great founder of your Republic. I was deeply impressed by this beautiful memorial to a man who did so much to shape the course of history. But it is also clear that the greatest monument to Ataturk’s life is not something that can be cast in stone and marble. His greatest legacy is Turkey’s strong and secular democracy, and that is the work that this assembly carries on today.

This future was not easily assured. At the end of World War I, Turkey could have succumbed to the foreign powers that were trying to claim its territory, or sought to restore an ancient empire. But Turkey chose a different future. You freed yourself from foreign control. And you founded a Republic that commands the respect of the United States and the wider world.

There is a simple truth to this story: Turkey’s democracy is your own achievement. It was not forced upon you by any outside power, nor did it come without struggle and sacrifice. Like any democracy, Turkey draws strength from both the successes of the past, and from the efforts of each generation of Turks that makes new progress for your people.

My country’s democracy has its own story. The general who led America in revolution and governed as our first President was George Washington. Like you, we built a grand monument to honor our founding father – a towering obelisk that stands in the heart of the capital city that bears Washington’s name.

It took decades to build. There were frequent delays. Over time, more and more people contributed to help make this monument the inspiring structure that still stands tall today. Among those who came to our aid were friends from all across the world, who offered their own tributes to Washington and the country he helped to found.

One of those tributes came from Istanbul. Ottoman Sultan Abdulmecid sent a marble plaque that helped to build the Washington Monument. Inscribed in the plaque was a poem that began with a few simple words, and I quote: “So as to strengthen the friendship between the two countries.” Over 150 years have passed since those words were carved into marble. Our nations have changed in many ways. But our friendship is strong, and our alliance endures.

It is a friendship that flourished in the years after World War II, when President Truman committed our nation to the defense of Turkey’s freedom and sovereignty, and Turkey committed itself to the NATO alliance. Turkish troops have served by our side from Korea to Kosovo to Kabul. Together, we withstood the great test of the Cold War. Trade between our nations has steadily advanced. So has cooperation in science and research.

The ties among our people have deepened as well, and more and more Americans of Turkish origin live and work and succeed within our borders. As a basketball fan, I’ve even noticed that Hedo Turkoglu and Mehmet Okur have got some pretty good game.

The United States and Turkey have not always agreed on every issue. That is to be expected – no two nations do. But we have stood together through many challenges over the last sixty years. And because of the strength of our alliance and the endurance of our friendship, both America and Turkey are stronger, and the world is more secure.

Now, our two democracies are confronted by an unprecedented set of challenges. An economic crisis that recognizes no borders. Extremism that leads to the killing of innocent men, women and children. Strains on our energy supply and a changing climate. The proliferation of the world’s deadliest weapons, and the persistence of tragic conflict.

These are the great tests of our young century. And the choices that we make in the coming years will determine whether the future will be shaped by fear or by freedom; by poverty or by prosperity; by strife or by a just, secure and lasting peace.

This much is certain: no one nation can confront these challenges alone, and all nations have a stake in overcoming them. That is why we must listen to one another, and seek common ground. That is why we must build on our mutual interests, and rise above our differences. We are stronger when we act together. That is the message that I have carried with me throughout this trip to Europe. That will be the approach of the United States of America going forward.

Already, America and Turkey are working with the G-20 on an unprecedented response to an unprecedented economic crisis. This past week, we came together to ensure that the world’s largest economies take strong and coordinated action to stimulate growth and restore the flow of credit; to reject the pressure of protectionism, and to extend a hand to developing countries and the people hit hardest by this downturn; and to dramatically reform our regulatory system so that the world never faces a crisis like this again.

As we go forward, the United States and Turkey can pursue many opportunities to serve prosperity for our people, particularly when it comes to energy. To expand markets and create jobs, we can increase trade and investment between our countries. To develop new sources of energy and combat climate change, we should build on our Clean Technology Fund to leverage efficiency and renewable energy investments in Turkey. And to power markets in Turkey and Europe, the United States will continue to support your central role as an East-West corridor for oil and natural gas.

This economic cooperation only reinforces the common security that Europe and the United States share with Turkey as a NATO ally, and the common values that we share as democracies. So in meeting the challenges of the 21st century, we must seek the strength of a Europe that is truly united, peaceful and free.

Let me be clear: the United States strongly supports Turkey’s bid to become a member of the European Union. We speak not as members of the EU, but as close friends of Turkey and Europe. Turkey has been a resolute ally and a responsible partner in transatlantic and European institutions. And Turkey is bound to Europe by more than bridges over the Bosphorous. Centuries of shared history, culture, and commerce bring you together. Europe gains by diversity of ethnicity, tradition and faith – it is not diminished by it. And Turkish membership would broaden and strengthen Europe’s foundation once more.

Turkey has its own responsibilities. You have made important progress toward membership. But I also know that Turkey has pursued difficult political reforms not simply because it’s good for Europe, but because it is right for Turkey.

In the last several years, you have abolished state-security courts and expanded the right to counsel. You have reformed the penal code, and strengthened laws that govern the freedom of the press and assembly. You lifted bans on teaching and broadcasting Kurdish, and the world noted with respect the important signal sent through a new state Kurdish television station.

These achievements have created new laws that must be implemented, and a momentum that should be sustained. For democracies cannot be static – they must move forward. Freedom of religion and expression lead to a strong and vibrant civil society that only strengthens the state, which is why steps like reopening the Halki Seminary will send such an important signal inside Turkey and beyond. An enduring commitment to the rule of law is the only way to achieve the security that comes from justice for all people. Robust minority rights let societies benefit from the full measure of contributions from all citizens.

I say this as the President of a country that not too long ago made it hard for someone who looks like me to vote. But it is precisely that capacity to change that enriches our countries. Every challenge that we face is more easily met if we tend to our own democratic foundation. This work is never over. That is why, in the United States, we recently ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed, and prohibited – without exception or equivocation – any use of torture.

Another issue that confronts all democracies as they move to the future is how we deal with the past. The United States is still working through some of our own darker periods. Facing the Washington monument that I spoke of is a memorial to Abraham Lincoln, the man who freed those who were enslaved even after Washington led our Revolution. And our country still struggles with the legacy of our past treatment of Native Americans.

Human endeavor is by its nature imperfect. History, unresolved, can be a heavy weight. Each country must work through its past. And reckoning with the past can help us seize a better future. I know there are strong views in this chamber about the terrible events of 1915. While there has been a good deal of commentary about my views, this is really about how the Turkish and Armenian people deal with the past. And the best way forward for the Turkish and Armenian people is a process that works through the past in a way that is honest, open and constructive.

We have already seen historic and courageous steps taken by Turkish and Armenian leaders. These contacts hold out the promise of a new day. An open border would return the Turkish and Armenian people to a peaceful and prosperous coexistence that would serve both of your nations. That is why the United States strongly supports the full normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia.

It speaks to Turkey’s leadership that you are poised to be the only country in the region to have normal and peaceful relations with all the South Caucusus nations. And to advance that peace, you can play a constructive role in helping to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which has continued for far too long.

Advancing peace also includes the dispute that persists in the eastern Mediterranean. Here, there is cause for hope. The two Cypriot leaders have an opportunity through their commitment to negotiations under the United Nations Good Offices Mission. The United States is willing to offer all the help sought by the parties as they work toward a just and lasting settlement that reunifies Cyprus into a bizonal and bicommunal federation.

These efforts speak to one part of the critical region that surrounds Turkey. And when we consider the challenges before us, on issue after issue, we share common goals.

In the Middle East, we share the goal of a lasting peace between Israel and its neighbors. Let me be clear: the United States strongly supports the goal of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. That is a goal shared by Palestinians, Israelis, and people of good will around the world. That is a goal that that the parties agreed to in the Roadmap and at Annapolis. And that is a goal that I will actively pursue as President.

We know that the road ahead will be difficult. Both Israelis and Palestinians must take the steps that are necessary to build confidence. Both must live up to the commitments they have made. Both must overcome longstanding passions and the politics of the moment to make progress toward a secure and lasting peace.

The United States and Turkey can help the Palestinians and Israelis make this journey. Like the United States, Turkey has been a friend and partner in Israel’s quest for security. And like the United States, you seek a future of opportunity and statehood for the Palestinians. Now, we must not give into pessimism and mistrust. We must pursue every opportunity for progress, as you have done by supporting negotiations between Syria and Israel. We must extend a hand to those Palestinians who are in need, while helping them strengthen institutions. And we must reject the use of terror, and recognize that Israel’s security concerns are legitimate.

The peace of the region will also be advanced if Iran forgoes any nuclear weapons ambitions. As I made clear yesterday in Prague, no one is served by the spread of nuclear weapons. This part of the world has known enough violence. It has known enough hatred. It does not need a race for ever-more powerful tools of destruction.

I have made it clear to the people and leaders of the Islamic Republic that the United States seeks engagement based upon mutual interests and mutual respect. We want Iran to play its rightful role in the community of nations, with the economic and political integration that brings prosperity and security. Now, Iran’s leaders must choose whether they will try to build a weapon or build a better future for their people.

Both Turkey and the United States support a secure and united Iraq that does not serve as a safe-haven for terrorists. I know there were differences about whether to go to war. There were differences within my own country as well. But now we must come together as we end this war responsibly, because the future of Iraq is inseparable from the future of the broader region. The United States will remove our combat brigades by the end of next August, while working with the Iraqi government as they take responsibility for security. And we will work with Iraq, Turkey, and all of Iraq’s neighbors, to forge a new dialogue that reconciles differences and advances our common security.

Make no mistake, though: Iraq, Turkey, and the United States face a common threat from terrorism. That includes the al Qaeda terrorists who have sought to drive Iraqis apart and to destroy their country. And that includes the PKK. There is no excuse for terror against any nation. As President, and as a NATO ally, I pledge that you will have our support against the terrorist activities of the PKK. These efforts will be strengthened by the continued work to build ties of cooperation between Turkey, the Iraqi government, and Iraq’s Kurdish leaders, and by your continued efforts to promote education and opportunity for Turkey’s Kurds.

Finally, we share the common goal of denying al Qaeda a safe-haven in Pakistan or Afghanistan. The world has come too far to let this region backslide, and to let al Qaeda terrorists plot further attacks. That is why we are committed to a more focused effort to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda. That is why we are increasing our efforts to train Afghans to sustain their own security, and to reconcile former adversaries. And that is why we are increasing our support for the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan, so that we stand on the side of their security, their opportunity, and the promise of a better life.

Turkey has been a true partner. Your troops were among the first in the International Security Assistance Force. You have sacrificed much in this endeavor. Now, we must achieve our goals together. I appreciate that you have offered to help us train and support Afghan Security Forces, and expand opportunity across the region. Together, we can rise to meet this challenge like we have so many before.

I know there have been difficulties these last few years. I know that the trust that binds us has been strained, and I know that strain is shared in many places where the Muslim faith is practiced. Let me say this as clearly as I can: the United States is not at war with Islam. In fact, our partnership with the Muslim world is critical in rolling back a fringe ideology that people of all faiths reject.

But I also want to be clear that America’s relationship with the Muslim work cannot and will not be based on opposition to al Qaeda. Far from it. We seek broad engagement based upon mutual interests and mutual respect. We will listen carefully, bridge misunderstanding, and seek common ground. We will be respectful, even when we do not agree. And we will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over so many centuries to shape the world for the better – including my own country. The United States has been enriched by Muslim Americans. Many other Americans have Muslims in their family, or have lived in a Muslim-majority country – I know, because I am one of them.

Above all, we will demonstrate through actions our commitment to a better future. We want to help more children get the education that they need to succeed. We want to promote health care in places where people are vulnerable. We want to expand the trade and investment that can bring prosperity for all people. In the months ahead, I will present specific programs to advance these goals. Our focus will be on what we can do, in partnership with people across the Muslim world, to advance our common hopes, and our common dreams. And when people look back on this time, let it be said of America that we extended the hand of friendship.

There is an old Turkish proverb: “You cannot put out fire with flames.”

America knows this. Turkey knows this. There are some who must be met with force. But force alone cannot solve our problems, and it is no alternative to extremism. The future must belong to those who create, not those who destroy. That is the future we must work for, and we must work for it together.

I know there are those who like to debate Turkey’s future. They see your country at the crossroads of continents, and touched by the currents of history. They know that this has been a place where civilizations meet, and different peoples mingle. And they wonder whether you will be pulled in one direction or another.

Here is what they don’t understand: Turkey’s greatness lies in your ability to be at the center of things. This is not where East and West divide – it is where they come together. In the beauty of your culture. In the richness of your history. In the strength of your democracy. In your hopes for tomorrow.

I am honored to stand here with you – to look forward to the future that we must reach for together – and to reaffirm America’s commitment to our strong and enduring friendship. Thank you.

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