Last night I went to hear
Dennis Ross, Obama’s Senior Midle East Policy Advisor at the Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El. He was engaging and amazing, leaving to a standing ovation amidst a filled auditorium.
He began by telling us about his initial meeting with Barack Obama. Obama had read Ross’s lengthy and detailed treatise on mid-east diplomacy and invited Ross to a policy-information session in Illinois in 2005. Ross met first with Obama, who questioned Ross meticulously. Ross was impressed with Obama’s ability to frame questions based on answers given by Ross. Obama could think quickly, and learn more by this give and take communication. Furthermore, in the public information session, Obama deftly left party politics out of the forum, allowing only question and discussion about policies, past and present, effective and ineffective and why.
Ross then went on to describe his own journey from diplomat working for President Reagan, to George H.W. Bush to U.S. Special Middle East Coordinator and Ambassador to Israel under President Clinton. How could he work for Republicans and Democrats alike? Ross stated that diplomacy needs to be removed from party politics for it to work effectively, so until now he had done his best to remain apolitical.
The current administration has so politicized diplomacy, however, that he deems it necessary to become political now to elect a president he feels will restore American diplomacy to the realm where we can once again become respected leaders of the world. He believes that Obama is the candidate to do that. While originally a Clinton supporter, his experience with Obama in 2005 and the political leanings of his family made it easy for him to move into the Obama camp.
When Obama asked him to join the team, he did not hesitate. Ross went on to describe his trip to the mid-east with Obama. As he dialoged with heads of state, he prefaced all conversations with the warning that America has one president, it was not he, and that this exchange was just information-gathering for Obama. The same questioning that had so impressed Ross in 2005 was apparent throughout the entire mid-east and European tour. As Obama gathered information, his quick and intelligent brain made connections and possible solutions that he would voice. Ross was impressed with his insight. Ross pointed out the actions Obama suggested, actions that Bush could have taken to secure a stronger and safer world for Israel and all of us. Instead, Bush has limped along doing nothing or exerting ill-advised force and we are less safe now than ever.
For example, Iran’s ability to enrich uranium has multiplied exponentially during the Bush Administration. Options to squash that initiative were either ignored or invisible to Bush. Ross then went on in some complex detail to describe the how weakened energy infrastructure in Iran leads to an internal sense of vulnerability which is quite the opposite of its imperious external image. Iran depends on energy resources from outside of its border, such as Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the complex relationship between Saudi Arabia, China and other European countries can be a tool to set the stage for pressure upon Iran to alter its threatening behavior. When all of that behind the scenes diplomacy is manipulated, it would be possible to sit down and engage Ahmadinejad in negotiations to halt his potentially deadly uranium misadventure.
I could only think to myself, “And McCain’s solution is to stand on stage dancing and singing, ’Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.’” The thought of him as president strikes fear in my heart.
Ross also addressed at great length Hezbollah, Palestinians, and more. He addressed difficulties exacerbated and opportunities missed, particularly by the present administration. He went on to say that Bush has left an extremely difficult job for the next president, regardless of who wins.
Bush had his chance to make the world safer couldn’t even see it. Obama gets it, and he needs a chance to try to get us out of danger. Ross strongly urged all of us to give Obama that chance.
