SEATTLE — The Middle East policies of U.S. President Barack Obama may well prove the most detrimental yet, surpassing even the rightwing policies of President George W. Bush.
Even those who warned against the overt optimism that accompanied Obama's arrival in the White House must now be stunned to see how low the U.S. president will go to appease Israel — all under the dangerous logic of needing to keep the peace process moving forward.
Former Middle East peace diplomat Aaron David Miller argued in Foreign Policy that "any advance in the excruciatingly painful world of Arab-Israeli negotiations is significant." He further claimed: "The Obama administration deserves much credit for keeping the Israelis, Palestinians and key Arab states on board during some very tough times. The U.S. president has seized on this issue and isn't giving up — a central requirement for success."