Put America Second.

I've spoken before about how Lieberman and McCain have decided that, in any conflict of interests between the US and Israel, they will come down firmly on the side of Israel.

The Washington Post appear to have come up with why Lieberman and McCain are correct to do so.

A larger question concerns Mr. Obama's quickness to bludgeon the Israeli government. He is not the first president to do so; in fact, he is not even the first to be hard on Mr. Netanyahu. But tough tactics don't always work: Last year Israelis rallied behind Mr. Netanyahu, while Mr. Obama's poll ratings in Israel plunged to the single digits.

Apparently the US president must always keep an eye on the opinion polls of Israel so that he can better judge how he is doing his job.

I thought Obama's problem, according to McCain and Lieberman during the last election campaign, was that he didn't put America first.

“In my opinion, the choice could not be more clear: between one candidate, John McCain, who’s had experience, been tested in war and tried in peace, another candidate who has not,’’ Mr. Lieberman said. “Between one candidate, John McCain, who has always put the country first, worked across party lines to get things done, and one candidate who has not.

Apparently, the rules have changed again, and it is no longer one's patriotic duty to put your own country first. Now Lieberman and McCain have decided that it's patriotic to put America second.

How do these buggers manage to fight elections running on a bandwagon of patriotism?

UPDATE:

The Jewish Institute of Foreign Affairs has this to say in a scathing attack on Obama.

Friends of Israel bewailed the timing - though not the substance - of the announcement.

That's like saying, "Sorry I punched you on Monday. I promise never to punch you on a Monday again!"

UPDATE II:

McCain and Lieberman actually went to Israel earlier this year to publicly state that they will do whatever they can to reverse Obama's foreign policy.

The man who lost the last election reacts by directly undercutting the victor's foreign policy goals, and does so abroad in the very country Obama is trying to push toward change.

Lieberman, for his part, is effectively telling the Israelis that Obama does not control US foreign policy with respect to Israel, and that he will be prevented by Congress from exerting any pressure. He says this with a certainty, as if the autonomy of the president is simply moot. And remember that Lieberman and McCain often invoke the necessity for sanctions against foreign countries the US is trying to nudge or persuade in one way or another. Here's Lieberman's quote (and the video of his backing Netanyahu against Obama is here):

Any attempt to pressure Israel, to force Israel to the negotiating table, by denying Israel support will not pass the Congress of the United States. In fact, Congress will act to stop any attempt to do that.

Message to a foreign government: if the US president tries to pressure you in any way, we will stop him and back you.

Unbelievable.

Hat tip to Sullivan.

Tags: Lieberman, McCain, Israel, Palestine, Obama, Netanyahu