Bully treatment

The New York Times’ standing ovation for President Barack Obama’s speech to Muslims in Cairo, Egypt, praised Obama for departing from “eight years of arrogance and bullying that has turned even close friends against the United States,” an obvious shot at the Bush administration. Interesting. You’ve got to wonder how Israel feels after the pummeling — bullying? — it has taken from the Obama team the past several weeks over its settlements — which syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer argues is a phony issue.  Of all the Middle East parties, the only one singled out by Obama for specific action was Israel: stop building the settlements. Not a specific word in Obama’s speech about Egypt’s closed political system or Saudi Arabia’s top-heavy monarchy. Just Israel, commanded by its democratic ally to cease and desist. Talk about turning your friends against you.

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