Thoughts - October 30th, 2008

1. It's been raining like crazy this past week in Israel. The Kinneret has gone up by 1.5 cms already! I remember the first time it rained after I made aliyah in February 2003. We were on the way to Jerusalem for a tiyul when it started to rain and I got rather emotional. Rain, in a country which continually faces water issues, is truly a blessing here. It's refreshing, it's renewing and it revitalizes the country's awesome landscape.
   
   
2. Avigdor Lieberman has been heavily criticized by the Israeli press and her leaders for telling Egyptian President Hosni Mumbarak to 'go to hell'. While I understand where the anger is coming from, I think Liberman touches on a rather important point. Israeli government members are always going to Egypt on 'official visits', while Mumbarak has been to Israel but once (for Rabin's funeral) and never on an 'official visit'. I've long felt that this 'cold' peace was probably a good short term solution for our problems with Egypt. I do wonder however how long it can last when Egyptian government run media continually screen shows and print articles that are anti-semitic and anti-Israel, while their government officials make highly vitriolic comments against us. I think Shmuel Katz had it right in 1981 with The Hollow Peace ...
   
   
3. The US presidential election is a few days away and here is my take on the candidates:
   
   McCain seems a little bit senile to me, with some of his flip flopping almost being as bad as the legendary John Kerry. Sad to say this, but he would have been a far better choice 8 years ago. I think his VP candidate, Sarah Palin, was a mistake. Instead of sticking to his 'experience' line, he picked a candidate who had the same 'experience' issues that he slammed Obama for. McCain has some good ideas and is not similar to George Bush (McSame) like many people are claiming, but American citizens won't be ready to give him a chance due to their extreme anger & disappointment with Bush (Iraq, economy etc)
   
   I worry about Barack Obama, the future president of the US. I think he has the potential to be a better leader than McCain but something about him concerns me. He has little experience and quite a few connections to very shady characters. His naivete regarding foreign policy is highlighted by many people from his own party expressing concern, even Joe Biden, his VP candidate, has already forgotten his dismay at Obama's 'no precondition talk' with regards to Iran last year. I hope his desire to revitalize the US will bring upon successful ideas and reforms, but something about him just worries me. He seems to be the quintessential salesperson.
   
   
4. I'm looking forward to the sleepless nights ... Will talk more about that later as I don't like to etchoo ozoos!