Tag Archives: President Obama

President Obama Addresses Anti-Semitism At Synagogue Speech

President Obama addressed anti-Semitism during an address at the Adas Israel Congregation in Washington.

“Anti-Semitism is, and always will be, a threat to broader human values to which we all must aspire,” Obama said.  “And when we allow anti-Semitism to take root, then our souls are destroyed, and it will spread.”

The President reasserted America’s support for Israel.

“It would be a moral failing on the part of the US government and the American people, it would be a moral failing on my part if we did not stand up firmly, steadfastly not just on behalf of Israel’s right to exist, but its right to thrive and prosper,” Obama asserted.

The President added that it’s because of his belief in Israel’s right to exist that he has to be critical of some of Israel’s policies toward the Palestinians.

“I must object,” he said to applause in the Conservative synagogue. “Papering over hard questions,” he said, is “not a measure of true friendship.”

Although the President admitted “The Palestinians are not the easiest of partners.”

The President gave a glancing mention to his Iran nuclear negotiations which he called “necessary”.

“The deal that we already reached with Iran has already halted or rolled back parts of Iran’s nuclear program. Now we’re seeking a comprehensive solution,” he said, adding that “I will not accept a bad deal.  As I pointed out in my most recent article with Jeff Goldberg, this deal will have my name on it, so nobody has a bigger personal stake in making sure that it delivers on its promise.”

President Admits Flaws In Plan Against ISIS

President Obama has admitted there were flaws in his plans to subdue the Islamic extremist group ISIS in Iraq.

The President insisted, however, that despite the flaws the U.S. is not losing in the battle against ISIS.

“I don’t think we’re losing,” Obama told The Atlantic in an interview days after the fall of Ramadi.

“There’s no doubt there was a tactical setback, although Ramadi had been vulnerable for a very long time, primarily because these are not Iraqi security forces that we have trained or reinforced.They have been there essentially for a year without sufficient reinforcements, and the number of ISIL [ISIS] that have come into the city now are relatively small compared to what happened in [the Iraqi city of] Mosul.”

Members of Congress have been critical of the President and his plans for not using ground troops in Iraq to stop the terrorists.

Senator John McCain of Arizona said the fall of Ramadi to the terrorists was “one of the most disgraceful episodes in American history.”

President Obama To Speak At Synagogue

President Obama will be delivering a speech from the pulpit of Congregation Adas Israel in Washington as part of a worldwide event against anti-Semitism.

The speech, which is part of Jewish American Heritage Month, will focus on contributions of Jews to American society according to White House sources.

The White House has been working with the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice over a “solidarity Sabbath” where two dozen governments will taking a stand against the worldwide rise of anti-Semitism.

“We’ve been working with the White House for a considerable period of time, and to their credit, I don’t think there’s any doubt that this administration takes the rise of anti-Semitism very, very seriously,” said Katrina Lantos Swett, president of the Lantos Foundation and chairwoman of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom.

The event will include French officials on social media while the American ambassador hosts a Paris event, the president of Romania is attending a service, the Spanish government is hosting a lunch event and Greece is launching an educational program.

President Discusses Need For Fathers At Catholic Event

President Obama addressed the Catholic-Evangelical Summit on Overcoming Poverty at Georgetown University Tuesday and spoke of the importance of faith and family.

“Faith-based groups across the country and around the world understand the centrality and the importance of [poverty] in a intimate way — in part because these faith-based organizations are interacting with folks who are struggling and know how good these people are, and know their stories, and it’s not just theological, but it’s very concrete. They’re embedded in communities and they’re making a difference in all kinds of ways,” Obama said.

The President went on to say that impacting youth was vital for society.

“When I think about my own Christian faith and my obligations,” Obama continued, “it is important for me to do what I can myself — individually mentoring young people, or making charitable donations, or in some ways impacting whatever circles and influence I have. But I also think it’s important to have a voice in the larger debate. And I think it would be powerful for our faith-based organizations to speak out on this in a more forceful fashion.”

The President specifically spoke of the need for fathers to stay with their families, especially in the black community.

“I am a black man who grew up without a father and I know the cost that, I paid for that. And I also know that I have the capacity to break that cycle, and as a consequence, I think my daughters are better off.”

The summit had a goal to “make overcoming poverty a moral imperative and urgent national priority.”

President Obama Brings Attention To National Day of Prayer

President Obama spoke about Thursday’s National Day of Prayer, saying that when “women and men of all backgrounds and beliefs” can “practice their faiths without fear or coercion, it bolsters our religious communities and helps to lift up diverse and vibrant societies throughout our world.”

The President’s proclamation notes that when “we celebrate the religious liberty we cherish here at home, and we recommit to standing up for religious freedom around the world.”

“Millions of individuals worldwide are subjected to discrimination, abuse, and sanctioned violence simply for exercising their religion or choosing not to claim a faith. Communities are threatened with genocide and driven from their homelands because of who they are or how they pray,” continued the Obama in the emailed proclamation that was emailed to The Christian Post by the White House Press Office.

“The United States will continue to stand against these reprehensible attacks, work to end them, and protect religious freedom throughout the world. And we remember those who are prisoners of conscience — who are held unjustly because of their faiths or beliefs — and we will take every action within our power to secure their release.”

Organizers of the National Day of Prayer say there were an estimated 43,000 gatherings to mark the day and cry out for the future of the nation.

Minority of Americans Believe The President Strongly Supports Israel

A new survey shows that a majority of Americans believe the President of the United States should be a “strong supporter” of the nation of Israel, but only a minority believe the current President is a supporter.

The poll by Quinnipiac University said that 2 in 3 Americans believe that the President should be strongly supportive of Israel.  Only 20 percent said that the President should not be a supporter of the country.

Only 48% believe that President Obama is a strong supporter, although that is up from 42% from the poll taken in 2010.  The poll of 1,353 eligible voters ran from April 16th to the 21st.

The poll showed that younger demographics were less likely to believe the President should be a supporter of Israel.  Those over 55 had a 77% response rate to support for Israel to only 57% of those 18-34.

The political parties also showed a difference, with 87% of Republicans believing the President should be a strong supporter while only 56% of Democrats shared that view.

The poll also queried the voters about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.  The PM had a 38% favorable rating, 22% unfavorable and the remaining 37% said they did not know enough about him to make an opinion.  He was supported by 68% of Republicans in the poll and only 14% of Democrats.

The poll also showed that 62% do not believe the currently proposed deal with Iran over nuclear weapons would stop them from eventually developing a nuclear bomb.

President Discusses “Less Than Loving” Christians At Easter Prayer Breakfast

President Obama diverted from his script at the White House Easter Prayer Breakfast Tuesday morning to discuss Christians he feels are “less than loving.”

The President was encouraging Americans to love our neighbors as ourselves.

“On Easter, I do reflect on the fact that as a Christian, I am supposed to love,” the President continued. “And I have to say that sometimes when I listen to less-than-loving expressions by Christians, I get concerned. But that’s a topic for another day.”

He then laughed as he noted, “I was about to veer off, I’m pulling it back.”

The President then went on to talk about how he sees Easter.

“For me, the celebration of Easter puts our earthly concerns into perspective,” the President said. “With humility and with awe, we give thanks to the extraordinary sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our savior. We reflect on the brutal pain that He suffered, the scorn that He absorbed, the sins that He bore, this extraordinary gift of salvation that He gave us. And we try, as best we can, to comprehend the darkness that He endured so that we might receive God’s light.”

The event at the White House included guests like Rev. Al Sharpton, singer Amy Grant and Russell Moore of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Vice President Biden attended the event, quoting Pope Francis.

“As a people and as individuals, we are defined by our ability to enter into the mystery,” the Vice President said. “To live Easter is to live with the constant notion we can always do better.”

Israeli Officials Downplay Obama Statements Of Support

Israeli officials responded to an interview by President Obama claiming he supports Israel by saying his platitudes are irrelevant if Iran gets a nuclear weapon.

Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz told Israel’s Channel 2 that while President Obama’s claim it would be a “fundamental failure” of his presidency if Israel is weakened is “pleasant-sounding”, “no assistance and no backing will help if Iran acquires nuclear weapons.”

Steinitz, a colleague of Netanyahu, released a government fact sheet outlining 10 differences in the deal between Israel and American views.  Among the questions were what would happen to Iran’s stockpiled enriched uranium and why the lifting of sanctions was not connected to changes in Iranian behavior.

The document concludes “the alternative to this framework is a better deal, one that will significantly dismantle Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, bring about a cessation of its aggression in the region and terrorist activities around the world, as well as end its efforts to destroy Israel. The framework deal does not block Iran’s path to the bomb. By removing the sanctions and lifting the main restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program in about a decade, this framework paves Iran’s path to a bomb. The result will be a dramatic increase in the risks of nuclear proliferation and an increase in the chances of a terrible war.”

U.S. officials dismissed the Israeli fact sheet and statements regarding the deal.  Obama advisor Ben Rhodes said the deal “is the best deal that can emerge from these negotiations” and refused to even consider adding the clause the Iran affirms Israel’s right to exist.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu told CNN that while he respects the president, the deal is a threat to the Israeli people.

“I trust the president is doing what he thinks is good for the United States. But I think we can have a legitimate difference of opinion on this,” Netanyahu said.

President Obama admitted Tuesday to NPR, without acknowledging Israeli’s claims from the beginning about this fact, that at the end of the deal Iran would have an “almost zero” breakout time to a nuclear bomb.

President Obama: Weakened Israel Would Be Failure For Presidency

President Obama gave an interview to the New York Times that was published Sunday saying that he would consider it a failure if the nation of Israel was more vulnerable because of his actions as president.

“Look, Israel is a robust, rowdy democracy. … We share so much. We share blood, family. … And part of what has always made the U.S.-Israeli relationship so special is that it has transcended party, and I think that has to be preserved,” the President told the Times’ Thomas Friedman.  “There has to be the ability for me to disagree with a policy on settlements, for example, without being viewed as … opposing Israel. There has to be a way for Prime Minister Netanyahu to disagree with me on policy without being viewed as anti-Democrat, and I think the right way to do it is to recognize that as many commonalities as we have, there are going to be strategic differences. And I think that it is important for each side to respect the debate that takes place in the other country and not try to work just with one side. … But this has been as hard as anything I do because of the deep affinities that I feel for the Israeli people and for the Jewish people. It’s been a hard period.”

The President even said he took things personally when people would comment he and his administration were trying to undermine Israel.

“It has been personally difficult for me to hear … expressions that somehow … this administration has not done everything it could to look out for Israel’s interest — and the suggestion that when we have very serious policy differences, that that’s not in the context of a deep and abiding friendship and concern and understanding of the threats that the Jewish people have faced historically and continue to face,” the President said.

The agreement has been met with scathing criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who says the deal paves the way for Iran to have a nuclear bomb.  Netanyahu also alluded to the idea that the deal was not done with Israel’s interested in mind.

President Obama acknowledged that Netanyahu and the Israeli people “have every right to be concerned about Iran. This is a regime that at the highest levels has expressed the desire to destroy Israel, that has denied the Holocaust, that has expressed venomous anti-Semitic ideas and is a big country with a big population and has a sophisticated military. So Israel is right to be concerned about Iran, and they should be absolutely concerned that Iran doesn’t get a nuclear weapon.”

The President continued to say the United States’ interest in the region is not oil but rather that all nations in the area live together in peace.

President Obama Issues Surprise Call For Abedini’s Release

President Obama surprised supporters of an American pastor imprisoned in Iran for his faith by issuing a call for his release.

The President sent a recorded address to the Iranian people on the holiday Nowruz.  On that holiday, prisoners are traditionally set free or given reduced sentences.  The President said in his address that Pastor Abedini should be released along with other Americans who are being held in Iranian prisons.

“Saeed Abedini of Boise, Idaho has spent two and a half years detained in Iran on charges related to his religious beliefs,” he said. “He must be returned to his wife and two young children, who needlessly continue to grow up without their father.”

Saeed’s wife, Naghmeh Abedini, has met with leaders of the United Nations to have the U.N. secure her husband’s release.  The U.N.’s Human Rights Council is now examining the situation to see how they can help obtain Abedini’s release.