One reason that Iran presently poses an increased threat to Israel is that the far-sighted strategic intuitions of GWB and company (not least being Douglas Feith, the stupidest f***ing guy on the planet) removed the counterweight of Iraq from the board. So long as the Ayatollahs had a common border with the secular-Sunni Iraq, however weakened by sanctions and Kurdish separatism, they had much less energy to pursue other intrigues, including nuclear weaponry. As an extra touch, their man Chalabi --- supposed to rule the new Iraq --- turned out to be a likely Iranian agent.

So we gutted our own economy, weakened our military, slighted Afghanistan and OBL in order to install a Shiite regime in Baghdad that at best relieves serious pressure on Iran and at worst may actually be aligned with it. Even rabid supporters of Israel's present hardline policies (full disclosure --- I am an American Jew), if they thought for a moment, could only execrate such a course of action and all those who support it. including, prominently McCain and Sanctimonious Joe Lieberman. The latter (and Feith) belong in Jewish history right there with the Zealots who led the uprising against Rome in 66 CE. We know how well that turned out.

Well, Obama favors a two-state solution, ie the creation of a Palestinian state. McCain does not favor a two-state solution. I probably should not have minced words and said Zionists, rather than "people for whom Israel is the primary issue". Zionists do not want Israel to break into two states- please note that Zionists and Israelis are not mutually defining terms. Bush has been pursuing the two-state solution. Zionists feel that Israel has fallen into the hands of the left-wing, who will sell Israel out to Arab interests. Again, this is anecdotal- I am not super well-informed on the subject, just a Jew who knows different Jews.

Not even close.

I think one comment in the article was particularly telling -- Israel as their "baby" -- largely the domain of older Jewish individuals who can remember the founding of Israel and view it as a sort of phoenix of hope arising from the ashes of the holocaust. Many of the younger, "modern Orthodox" have a similar view and have backed it up by moving there. A radical (and unfortunately often bigoted) subset of this group supports the settlers. The neocons speak to this demographic and they will likely vote for McCain, Palin or no Palin.

Like any other group of people with a shared culture there are also significant class distinctions -- the older, very wealthy subgroup are Republicans for the same reason other wealthy ex-businesspeople are Republicans and will probably go McCain/Palin.

This leaves a very large number of Jewish people who are younger (and in my experience are *extremely* pro-Obama) and, frankly, a significant proportion of older folks (like my in-laws) who fervently believe with all of their hearts that we all have a responsibility to care for others who cannot care for themselves, the message they heard in shul all of their lives--they would be more likely to jump off a bridge than vote for McCain/Palin. These lines are very stark in this election.

Someone above also commented on the "education" factor -- this is a good point. It would not surprise me if older folks who were wavering were turned off by Palin's good old gal routine, my guess is that if any of my seemingly endless number of cousins had gone through 5 colleges and *still* couldn't come up with a coherent thought they would be whispered about and considered a "black sheep" --- not an obvious candidate for VP in these difficult times.

So while I am not sure whether she is a direct negative -- she certainly is not a positive for any older Jewish voter who hadn't already committed.

Or, rather, Israel has fallen into the hands of the left-wing, who will concede to a two-state solution to avoid more violence, and America supports this because it is forsaking Israel to support Arabs. Which McCain is less guilty of than Obama, not to mention Bush.

Jesus Christ was a Jew. An evangelical christian, like Sarah Palin, has nothing but love for Gods chosen people. It's called dispensationalism. The Jewish history is our history. From the earliest moment of comprehension, we've been told the stories of Adam and Noah and Devorah and King David, Moses and Joshua, Balaams talking donkey, Naomi and Ruth and Solomon. We know the twelve tribes.

HaShem loves his people. I don't try to figure out the whole John 3:16 thing as applied to the Jewish people (it's above my pay grade), suffice to say, God has His purpose.

The Jewish people could not have a better friend or stronger supporter than Sarah Palin.

More info, linky; http://www.city-journal.org/2008/18_1_evangelicals.html

Hey,

I've noticed this trend too in waspy Connecticut. Grandmas of all stripes, those women that Obama was having such a hard time connecting to, are turned off by Palin; her high heels, her winking, her grammar.

This ruse may have backfired.

If any of the Jewish voters in Florida and elsewhere would read leftwing blogs, they would see very clearly that there is a very strong current of pro-Palestinian and anti-Semitic thought running through it.

Conservative Christians, like Sarah Palin, not only strongly support Israel, but the son of God they worship was a Jew. But if there is a strong anti-Semitic view in Conservative Republican land, please show me the evidence.

How interesting it would be to compare the thoughts of the voters of Nancy Pelosi's congressional district with the Christian students who attend Liberty University in Virginia. There is no doubt which group would most strongly support Jews and Israel.

And, as many of you recall from recent articles and posts here concerning the Holocaust-enying President of Iran, many on the left are much more comfy allowing him to speak at an American University than they are any number of conservative US politicians.

Jewish voters who support Obama will have to deal with the unholy Trinity of Obama, Pelosi and Reid for the next four years. Good luck.