Christie Blames Obama in Part for Mideast Unrest.

[elleng]

Source: nyt/ap

Partly blaming unrest in the Middle East on President Barack Obama, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Saturday that Obama has not spoken firmly and forcefully on Israel's behalf and that the country no longer trusts it has the full support of the United States because of him.

The Republican governor's remarks came as Israel targeted civilian institutions with suspected ties to the militant organization Hamas and declared it would step up its bombardment of northern Gaza. Israel says it is acting in self-defense against Hamas rockets.

Christie cited the violence sparked by the deaths of three Israeli teenagers and said organizations like Hamas that are engaged in such conflict with Israel "need to be dealt with, and dealt with firmly." Obama has not done so during his presidency, Christie told reporters while attending a meeting of the National Governors Association.

"Israel is not sure that they have America's full support like they used to," Christie said. "And that's a real failure of this presidency, in my view. And I think the unrest you see in the Middle East is caused in some measure — not completely, but in some measure — by the fact that this president has not acted in a decisive, consistent way."

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2014/07/12/us/ap-us-christie.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=WireFeed&module=pocket-region&region=pocket-region&WT.nav=pocket-region

---

[Archae]

1. Just shut up, fatso.

(I'm talking to Christie, although I seriously doubt he'll ever see this...)

Christie can't even "ride herd" on his own people, unless he really did order those bridge lane closures and other corrupt actions.

[lordsummerisle]

2. Chris Christie

foreign policy expert...

[Cali_Democrat]

3. So according to Christie, the unrest is happening because...

"Obama has not spoken firmly and forcefully on Israel's behalf"

He's right. This is the first time we've ever seen unrest in the Mideast, especially when it comes to Israel and the Palestinians.

It's a good thing all Presidents before Obama avoided this mistake and were able to achieve Middle East peace.

Obama screwed it all up!

[elleng]

5. Yup.

Top Obama Mideast Envoy Steps Down as Peace Talks Crumble.

http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2014/06/27/top_obama_mideast_envoy_steps_down_as_peace_talks_crumble_0

[awoke_in_2003]

21. There has been unrest in the Middle East...

Obama's entire life- it's all his fault

[treestar]

26. I guess they spoke firmly enough?

The part I don't get is where the US President has to do anything whatsoever on Israel's behalf. Amazing all that help we give them is useless without "firm" speaking!

Jerko should go back to closing bridges to get back at his non-supporters.

[locdlib]

4. Pretty sure he needs to focus on bridgegate.

[PatrynXX]

6. He hasn't spoken up because Israel is doing the wrong thing

We don't condone terrorist acts. do we (oh wait we flew out the family of UBL like Sept 12 2001 X_X ) oh well.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

7. Ya know, Republicans have this myth going....

They honestly believe Reagan brought down the Berlin Wall with a SPEECH.

They believe there is actual POWER in WORDS.

We need to start accusing them of casting spells.

[KinMd]

8. Christie would close lanes on any bridges going to Gaza

[QuestForSense]

9. He's full of it and wrong, but divide-and-conquer is the Republican way because it works like charm.

He's pandering to Jersey's large Jewish population by (1) stoking their worst fears, and (2) echoing the NeoCons' "show no weakness" meme. That may be smart politically, but it shows just how morally bankrupt a person he is.

[elleng]

11. Yes. Thanks.

We and everyone should recognize this.

[onecaliberal]

10. This from a criminal

Who misappropriated Sandy money...

[Historic NY]

12. Sheesh Bush sat on his ass for most of his 2 terms...

and did nothing to stem the killings in Israel and the reprisals,.

[Amonester]

13. ChRistie who? n/t

[Populist_Prole]

14. OK, we see he has to counterbalance the shellacking he got from his hurricane Sandy stance

Feeding time again for the wingnut teabaggers. Throw 'em some raw meat to keep them from ousting you....if you can keep from devouring it yourself.

[olddad56]

15. so who the fuck is Chris Christie and why does his opinion on foreign affairs even matter ...

when he can't even manage the state of New Jersey, much less the US Government's foreign policy. Where is his experience in dealing with foreign policy? He can't even manage his fucking weight or his scandals. He is a big fat loser.

[treestar]

27. Good point; maybe he is trying to "obtain" foreign policy cred

As governor of NJ, how the heck would he know anything?

[Turbineguy]

16. Yeah, like that

Sunni-Shia thing. He's had 1500 years to fix that too.

Maybe there's an on-ramp they can close!

[ldlew]

17. what?????

He can't even get along with Teachers and his Neighbors without threats and intimidation!! He really is an arrogant ass.

[awoke_in_2003]

22. Welcome to DU...

yep, you summed up Christie nicely.

[AAO]

18. Mr. Christie, Please Shut The Fuck Up!

[Unmenacing Dennis]

19. Is there anything in the past 100 years the GOP doesn't blame Obama for?

And is there anything in the last 13 years for which they do blame George W Bush?

[awoke_in_2003]

23. I want to know...

where he was 22NOV1963.

[Unmenacing Dennis]

24. Excellent question!

WorldNutDaily---oh, I'm sorry, WorldNetDaily---has clearly shown that Obama, while traveling back in time to plant his false birth certificate in Honolulu on August 4, 1961, stopped off in Dallas to assassinate Kennedy. On his way back, he possessed the soul of John Hinckley Jr in a failed attempt to kill our best president ever in 1981.

PS: Did I mention the fact that his time machine was socialist?

[Brigid]

20. There has been unrest in the Middle East since the caveman days . . .

And it's Obama's fault?

[kelliekat44]

25. Nor should Israel feel they have the full support of the United States. nt