It’s not easy to give credit where credit is due.
Especially if the one giving the credit is a Democrat, and the one deserving of the commendation is President Trump.
Immediately after Trump brokered peace deals between Israel and two Arab states — Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates — it was almost predictable, comical even, to watch the establishment media launch into spin-mode while the president’s arch-enemies put on their Scrooge hats and downplayed the achievement.
When the pacts between the three countries were signed on Sept. 15, The Associated Press reluctantly reported the historic feat, acknowledging the accomplishment but quickly adding that the agreements didn’t address the rift between Israel and Palestine.
So, the deals were pretty good, but not that good.
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That’s the spin.
As for the Scrooges, there were plenty.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi shrugged off Trump’s achievement as a mere “distraction” during the coronavirus pandemic. Pelosi also reminded everyone that Trump has yet to broker a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians – seems like that’s becoming a talking point among Democrats.
Do you think Joe Biden will try to take credit for Trump’s peace deals if he is elected president?
Human rights attorney Noura Erakat called the deals with Bahrain and the UAE a “charade” that will “suppress struggles for freedom.”
How so? By normalizing relations between the countries and improving the chance for widespread peace in the region? That doesn’t sound too oppressive to me.
As the first piece of the deal fell into place on Aug. 13 when the UAE came on board, Ben Rhodes, a former adviser to President Barack Obama, dismissed the achievement as something that was trending to happen anyway.
At the same time, Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan did what she does best – agitate – and pronounced that “we won’t be fooled” by the deal as it will only contribute to Palestinian suffering.
During her report on NBC News, chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell said the agreements open the door for trade, travel and tourism, but… “It is not Middle East peace.”
That’s funny. Trade, travel and tourism between countries sound like pretty peaceful concepts to me.
Still, the significance of the pact, dubbed the Abraham Accords, was so monumental that even those who despise Trump at every turn had no choice but to pat the president on the back.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the deal “welcome news” and added that such an agreement between Israel and the Arab nations was “long past due.”
It must’ve made Schumer squirm to have no other choice but to praise Trump.
But I don’t think he was as uncomfortable as presidential nominee Joe Biden, who said it was “good to see” Israel be recognized by other countries in the Middle East.
Biden stayed in his comfort zone by issuing his remarks through a prepared statement, presumably from the comfort of his own basement. Still, the statement contained the same awkwardness that routinely permeates Biden’s infrequent public appearances.
Biden further said his administration would “build on these steps, challenge other nations to keep pace, and work to leverage these growing ties into progress toward a two-state solution and a more stable, peaceful region.”
Essentially, in a wordy way, Biden admitted he would follow Trump’s lead toward achieving peace in the Middle East. Rather than offer details about a plan of his own, Biden admitted he would follow Trump’s path for Middle East peace.
Strange.
But what’s truly important in all of this isn’t what Trump’s critics, or even Republicans, think about the peace deal.
The bigger question is what does it mean for the average American?
The answer speaks volumes.
For those parents who have a son or daughter signing up for a career in the military, how much better would they feel about the decision knowing the Middle East was at peace?
No longer do we need to send troops and fight endless wars in the desert as stability replaces bloodshed in the Middle East.
While the Abraham Accords don’t include a peace deal between Palestine and Israel – as so many Democrats have eagerly pointed out – the pact does lay the groundwork for more Arab nations to get on board.
And as they do, the pressure on Palestine to follow will increase as more countries come together with Israel.
While some continue to balk at giving Trump credit for the peace deals – which were the first since Jordan recognized Israel in 1994, following Egypt in 1979 – consider this key development that occurred well before the Abraham Accords.
In 2018, the U.S. became the largest producer of oil in the world, making us energy independent. We don’t need Middle East oil anymore, and as a result those nations have lost quite a bit of leverage in dealing with the U.S.
If Middle Eastern countries want to stay in our good graces, they need to do things that please us. Lowering oil prices won’t cut it anymore, but signing peace deals with Israel would surely suffice.
Energy independence means the leverage has swung to America’s side, and that allows Trump to broker deals like the Abraham Accords for the true benefits of peace, and not the oil.
There’s no ulterior motive, and that’s what makes the latest Middle East peace deals so genuine.
And for that, all the credit goes to Trump.
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