Shovels and Missiles

It snowed in Jerusalem last week. 5″.

The city closed down, literally, no buses no trains no taxis no cars no open stores.

My daughter who is studying there asked me how is it Israel has an Iron Dome but has no shovels.

The answer is simple.

It rains missiles more often than it snows.

And therein lies the difference that many see between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Washington, D.C.  and the Northeast has experienced a torrent of snow and ice this year.

Shovels in Jerusalem would be helpful.

But a lack of shovels is not causing Israel’s Prime Minister to lose sleep.

The political world is watching the gamesmanship between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s planned address to Congress on March 3rd.

Sure it’s all political brinksmanship with Republican House Speaker John Boehner using a willing Netanyahu as a shill.

As Malcolm Hoenlein has been shouting for 25 years Iran is a world nuclear threat beginning shortly after the 1979 ouster of The Shah.

The US is negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran assuring the entire world all is under control.

Tell the Ukrainians that Putin is under control. Tell the 200,000 dead Syrians that Assad is under control.

If a man is standing outside your front door holding a sub-machine gun to your child’s head would it comfort you if a friend in another country 6,000 miles away told you not to worry your family is safe.

That is what Bibi and eight million Israelis are hearing. Don’t worry about Iran’s nuclear threat the US will manage it and keep all of Israel safe.

Not only is Israel not buying it neither is Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, UAE.

Close your eyes and imagine that on March 3 the Kings, Emirs, Princes, Sultans, and Prime Ministers of six Middle Eastern Muslim countries address Congress.

Their unified point to the US and the world is to ask a rhetorical question.

What has Iran done on the world stage to earn trust?

Neighbors who have lived directly next to Iran for 50 years surely know them better than a world leader half a world away assuring you all will be fine.

Shovels are good in the US.

On the streets of Riyadh, Cairo, Amman and Jerusalem it rains missiles.