Thursday, April 2, 2009
'Israel is back' is how Daniel Pipes concludes his laudatory piece on the arrival of Avigdor Lieberman to Israeli Foreign Minister: Avigdor Lieberman's Brilliant Debut
Avigdor Lieberman became foreign minister of Israel yesterday. He celebrated his inauguration with a maiden speech that news reports indicate left his listeners grimacing, squirming, and aghast. The BBC, for example, informs us that his words prompted "his predecessor Tzipi Livni to interrupt and diplomats to shift uncomfortably."
Too bad for them - the speech leaves me elated. Here are some of the topics Lieberman covered in his 1,100-word stem-winder...
He goes on to name some of the highlights of the speech. I suggest checking it out. It sounds great.
Lieberman's certainly pissing off all the right people, especially the press world-over which is just delicious. The British press has been suffering from adjective abuse making sure everyone knows he's the "Ultranationalist Lieberman," the "Right Wing Lieberman," etc... This is typical agenda-driven journalism. The BBC and others were also portraying Lieberman as abrogating previous peace agreements when all he's said is that Annapolis has no force of law, while, in fact, Israel will continue to honor its agreements under the Road Map (a move to the Left for Lieberman). He's going through trial by headline at this point and one must read through the entirety of the articles to get to some semblance of reality.
Israeli FM says concessions incur wars
New Israel FM strikes hard line on peace talks
Lieberman: Annapolis doesn't obligate us
Sensible, penetrating and clarifying.
I suspect critics, within foreign office establishments and among the commentariat, will typify and characterize Lieberman's speech rather than engage it on a point-by-point basis. To do the latter would be to concede a rational and empirical/historical terrain in lieu of an ideological, presumptive, media based and "process diplomacy" terrain that seeks a superficially conceived "peace" and that appeals to a debased demos and populism.
Literally nothing in what Lieberman forwards is exaggerated, much less jingoistic or untoward in any sense whatsoever. But the establishmentarians, the status quo, are unlikely to welcome such a well grounded articulation and approach.