by Todd Strandberg

The day Barack Obama was elected the president of the United States, I knew this event would prove to be disastrous for America-Israeli relations. Because there has been a strong link between our two nations for decades, it would be no small task for one man to break this bond. As of this past week, Obama has done as much as is humanly possible to create division between Washington and Jerusalem.

We are now at the point where there is an open feud between the US and Israel over Iran’s nuclear program. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to set a deadline for Iran to stop in its quest to build an atomic bomb. Obama doesn’t want any deadline, choosing to allow sanctions to run their course.

Netanyahu warned the White House that Israel can’t afford to play games with Iran. He said in one interview,

“The world tells Israel, `Wait. There’s still time.’… And I say: `Wait for what? Wait until when?’ Those in the international community who refuse to put red lines before Iran don’t have a moral right to place a red light before Israel.”

US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta pushed back at Netanyahu, saying,

“We know generally what they’re up to, and so we keep a close track on them. We think we will have the opportunity once we know that they’ve made that decision [to] take the action necessary to stop [Iran].”

It is just insane for us to entertain the idea that Iran’s desire for a nuclear program is for some legitimate purpose. The Iranians have a 100-year supply of cheap oil, so it is ridiculous for them to say they need nuclear energy to power their cities.

The stalemate over Iran’s nuclear program has to be our most pressing foreign policy issue, and yet Obama has decided to avoid Mr. Netanyahu when he travels to the US this month for an annual meeting at the UN General Assembly. Obama claims his schedule is already full. He doesn’t seem all that busy if he has time to stop by the "Late Show" and have a gab session with David Letterman.

I think the problem with Obama is that he is more at ease with the Muslim world than he is with Israel. The first formal interview he gave as president was with the Dubai-based station Al Arabiya on topics relating to the Middle East.

What kind of friends are these Muslims? The same day Obama snubbed Netanyahu, radical Muslims in Libya and Egypt attacked our embassies. Our Libyan ambassador, Christopher Stevens, was killed in the attack. The Obama administration’s first reaction was to sympathize with those who waged the attacks by condemning an obscure American religious group that had produced an online video that was seen as mocking Islam. Obama came out and condemned the attacks, but to many people, his statement read like an apology to the attackers.

The only reason Obama is even pretending to be a friend of Israel is because liberal Jews are an important part of the Democratic party. If Obama wins a second term, he won’t have to worry about pleasing any political fractions.

Obama’s dealings with Israel have many Christians worried about the godly wrath he will likely bring on this nation. It is interesting that the same day Obama snubbed Netanyahu, the top news story was about Moody’s possibly cutting our debt rating. The next day, the Middle East erupted into flames with everyone linked to America under attack. If we going to turn our back on God’s chosen nation, we can expect an endless stream of negative news.

With only about 50 days before the general election, it would seem that Israel could hold off until after the vote. Eventually, Israel is going to do what it needs to do to ensure its survival.

I foresee a bad day in Obama’s future. That day could be him losing the election, or it could be a surprise Israeli bombing campaign that catches everyone off guard. In the second case, we know the Arab world will exploding with rage, and America will suffer the backlash for supporting Israel.

There are many things to consider for the upcoming November election. I believe the most important factor to weigh is which candidate is willing to stand with Israel. Right now, Obama appears to be the worst choice a voter could make.

“The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel , saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem . And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it” (Zechariah 12:1-3).

by Todd Strandberg