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Writers lose credibility in blaming Obama for conflict in Israel

President Barack Obama reviews the troops during an Armed Forces Full Honor Farewell Review for him, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017, at Conmy Hall, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va.
President Barack Obama reviews the troops during an Armed Forces Full Honor Farewell Review for him, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017, at Conmy Hall, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va. Susan Walsh AP

Notwithstanding an opinion piece in Dec. 31’s Tribune by Charles Krauthammer, “Obama’s latest legacy moment most shameful one yet,” and a letter by T. Keith Gurnee, “Democratic Party betrayed Israel,” the mess in the Middle East cannot be blamed on President Barack Obama for not supporting Israeli settlements on Palestinian-owned land. Instead, decades of oppression by Israel, detention camps, theft of Palestinian land, denial of human rights — all of these and more have been the policy of the state of Israel. There are no easy answers in the Middle East, plenty to criticize on both sides, but putting the blame on President Obama or Secretary of State John Kerry is so one-sided as to abrogate any credibility for either writer.

Mike Lyons, Cambria

This story was originally published January 6, 2017 at 8:12 PM with the headline "Writers lose credibility in blaming Obama for conflict in Israel."

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