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LittleBlue

(10,362 posts)

118. Are people really not understading the symbolic importance of this?

Fri Mar 22, 2013, 06:35 PM

Mar 2013

This is diplomacy, not scientific logic. Attention to detail is everything because of the symbolism it conveys. Flags are checked meticulously to ensure they're at the right levels, even the height of the chairs and their positions are checked. Even the order at which one country sends its foreign minister to another is of symbolic importance, which is why China's new leaders met Jack Lew first.

Digging up a tree that was presented by Obama, in the spirit of peace, is a symbolic insult. There is absolutely no confusion over what it means. It's not the first time Israel's done it to an ally. They purposefully put the Turkish ambassador's chair lower than the Israeli ambassador's chair in a juvenile insult, which cost them diplomatic relations.

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Israel to dig up tree given by Obama.. [View all] Paul E Ester Mar 2013 OP

I didn't think it was the money tree...eom Kolesar Mar 2013 #1

Wouldn't want something to put down roots where it might cause trouble later Orrex Mar 2013 #2

Too late. Rider3 Mar 2013 #3

And we all know what happens then... Glassunion Mar 2013 #4

It will eat your eyes out Rider3 Mar 2013 #20

uh, you know I'm just joking right? Rider3 Mar 2013 #21

careful... Maine-ah Mar 2013 #106

I have Chinese Wisteria and Japanese Knotweed in my yard. Jamastiene Mar 2013 #48

Hey, I'm in Florida - invasive plants abound! csziggy Mar 2013 #81

Nasty. Like they couldn't just check it on site? They flew it over on Air Force One for... Poll_Blind Mar 2013 #5

This petty stunt looks like something some podunk red state mayor would pull... Blue_Tires Mar 2013 #8

"...like something some podunk red state mayor would pull." Agreed. Poll_Blind Mar 2013 #12

Have you ever heard of sanitary laws? nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #22

No and they don't care leftynyc Mar 2013 #53

The story is BS oberliner Mar 2013 #26

Such agriculture laws are actually kind of important. Gravitycollapse Mar 2013 #47

That is true. Jamastiene Mar 2013 #49

It's probably not Kosher either, or something. RoccoR5955 Mar 2013 #6

Anti-semitic much? nt Bonobo Mar 2013 #31

No. RoccoR5955 Mar 2013 #33

Explain. Bonobo Mar 2013 #34

Actually, in my Jewish community JoDog Mar 2013 #60

Yeah, I'm Jewish too. I get that. Bonobo Mar 2013 #61

Actually, JoDog Mar 2013 #93

I know what kosher means. RoccoR5955 Mar 2013 #65

~facepalm~ Marrah_G Mar 2013 #7

lol! HappyMe Mar 2013 #13

It's one of those days......... Marrah_G Mar 2013 #14

Yes, it is. HappyMe Mar 2013 #15

Our friends the Israelis rarely miss an attempt to humiliate our President. geek tragedy Mar 2013 #9

Whoa. No anti-Semitism reeking here. aquart Mar 2013 #38

really? no "political choice"? Warren DeMontague Mar 2013 #41

Our political class places Israel's well-being on a plane at the very least geek tragedy Mar 2013 #63

And an agricultural inspection is a finely tuned international insult? Warren DeMontague Mar 2013 #69

You would have to ask them. geek tragedy Mar 2013 #72

Hmmm. Interesting theory. Where are these votes and this money coming from? Warren DeMontague Mar 2013 #73

As I said, there's no political benefit to geek tragedy Mar 2013 #79

Seems to me there are an awful lot of people who support a 2 state solution and an independent Warren DeMontague Mar 2013 #80

How many US political figures can you name who have geek tragedy Mar 2013 #82

you need to define your terms. And I think the general public understands the history. Warren DeMontague Mar 2013 #83

From February 2013 geek tragedy Mar 2013 #84

Your poll right there implies that the US general public is more sympathetic to Israel. Warren DeMontague Mar 2013 #94

No, it does not contradict. geek tragedy Mar 2013 #98

Which is why they should stop building settlements, and Hamas should recognize Israel Warren DeMontague Mar 2013 #101

The idea that that US has not taken Israel's side in every geek tragedy Mar 2013 #103

The Fantasy is on the part of the Palestinian Leaders who have promised their people that Israel Warren DeMontague Mar 2013 #104

I love it when Israel partisans drop the "of course the US is neutral" geek tragedy Mar 2013 #105

Did I say that? Warren DeMontague Mar 2013 #109

Mistake? geek tragedy Mar 2013 #112

And of course, and invasive plant species being removed validates all this... LanternWaste Mar 2013 #107

It was faulty reporting. nt geek tragedy Mar 2013 #108

STILL believing this ridiculous story leftynyc Mar 2013 #74

Stop believing lies leftynyc Mar 2013 #51

It's ridiculous to claim that this was an example of an attempt to cali Mar 2013 #59

It is a constant attack on the President from a country that receives billions of $$$ Walk away Mar 2013 #114

Where is the attack on the President? MrBig Mar 2013 #115

Oh please. Netanyahu 2012, pre-election, anti Obama, "telling America.... Walk away Mar 2013 #116

Tell me again why our countries are such great friends? n/t BlueToTheBone Mar 2013 #10

ah, because it's a fucking tree. Warren DeMontague Mar 2013 #42

lol. gotta love absurdly inane cali Mar 2013 #76

This message was self-deleted by its author cali Mar 2013 #77

US has to dig up and remove financial aid to isreal- it's regrettable but currency has to be checked leftyohiolib Mar 2013 #11

Now, there's an idea whose time has come! Reevaluate ALL foreign aid, ALL military installations of bike man Mar 2013 #19

Aw, can't even spell the name of the postage stamp you hate. aquart Mar 2013 #39

huh? leftyohiolib Mar 2013 #134

You try to bring a tree into the US nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #70

So the President just whipped out a tree, planted it, and nobody said a word? nyquil_man Mar 2013 #16

First bad story from press nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #71

That was exactly my point. The story makes no sense. nyquil_man Mar 2013 #135

How many more one-way 'friends' do we really need? Ikonoklast Mar 2013 #17

Try bringing a tree through US Customs nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #75

Sounds like a GOP move. Rex Mar 2013 #18

Sounds like a sanitary law nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #68

Please that is just stupid. Rex Mar 2013 #85

Since the US has never evah done that either nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #86

Yes someone just walked off AF1 without the script. Rex Mar 2013 #87

Again, try that BS faux outrage with somebody that cares. nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #88

No not outraged over a tree, you miss the point entirely on purpose I guess. Rex Mar 2013 #89

What was the point? They dug it out insult to the US, nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #90

Wow you are so off, but keep it up. Rex Mar 2013 #91

Antisemitism, even when veiled nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #95

Yes your personal attack against me was crap. Rex Mar 2013 #96

Read the Guardian nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #97

Wrong, you just assume that is what I meant because you lost an arguement. Rex Mar 2013 #99

Welcome to my ignore list nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #100

That is what I mean. Rex Mar 2013 #110

See you at our Iggy potluck dinner this weekend? zappaman Mar 2013 #117

LOL! Rex Mar 2013 #132

so what? *Taft BURNED a gift of dozens of cherry trees by *Japan because of disease and infestation bigtree Mar 2013 #23

But did TR have ProSense Mar 2013 #27

Great - more friggin birthers wanting to check its roots! edgineered Mar 2013 #32

I think those trees were actually from Japan, Art_from_Ark Mar 2013 #35

right, Japan and Taft . . . going from memory here . . . never a good idea bigtree Mar 2013 #62

During WWII Paul E Ester Mar 2013 #113

Fifteen years after the war, the Japanese cherry appeared on a US stamp Art_from_Ark Mar 2013 #130

nice factoid, pretty stamp...thanks! Paul E Ester Mar 2013 #131

Facepalm nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #24

Shhhh...don't harsh the high! Behind the Aegis Mar 2013 #37

Yep. aquart Mar 2013 #40

And all the talk of "They are taking our money..." Blech. Bonobo Mar 2013 #58

"OBAMA MURDERS TREES IN THE HOLY LAND!!" baldguy Mar 2013 #25

They'll probably give back our money too, yortsed snacilbuper Mar 2013 #28

LOL!!! proud2BlibKansan Mar 2013 #36

I smell the blood of a bureaucrat! immoderate Mar 2013 #29

Yes, I also wish the best to President Obama on his thrip. defacto7 Mar 2013 #30

"They�re digging up Obama�s tree? No, but it�s roots are in plastic netting, ahead of inspection" Warren DeMontague Mar 2013 #43

Thank you. But then again, why waste an opportunity to vent Bonobo Mar 2013 #45

they're certainly taking it out on this tree, on purpose. Warren DeMontague Mar 2013 #46

Sure doesn't take much around here leftynyc Mar 2013 #52

It reminds me of the movie, Borat... Bonobo Mar 2013 #54

I didn't see that movie leftynyc Mar 2013 #56

I honestly don't think it's anti-semitic rage cali Mar 2013 #55

Cali, anti-semitism is a deep, deep thing... Bonobo Mar 2013 #57

Ah yes, the old "criticism of Israel is bigotry against Jews" geek tragedy Mar 2013 #102

Yeah, but the thing is sometimes it is. Bonobo Mar 2013 #129

could that same tree backwoodsbob Mar 2013 #44

For the sake of their native species, Jamastiene Mar 2013 #50

Driving down a Northern Mississippi highway at night Aerows Mar 2013 #67

Mission accomplished! bluedigger Mar 2013 #64

Uh-huh...OK. Try bringing a tree into MineralMan Mar 2013 #66

Agree...I was harassed flying back and forth from the UK HipChick Mar 2013 #92

I don't know whether to laugh or cry MrBig Mar 2013 #78

To the OP nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #111

Are people really not understading the symbolic importance of this? LittleBlue Mar 2013 #118

Please read this nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #120

Let's hope they don't remove the tree LittleBlue Mar 2013 #122

Let's hope sanitary laws are followed nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #123

Yes, but they're waived when it sends a disastrous diplomatic message LittleBlue Mar 2013 #125

Well, you can chose to make this a Supreme Court case nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #126

I suspect someone had a word with Bibi LittleBlue Mar 2013 #127

Thanks for the other kick nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #128

Ya try explaining that to someone that can only shout and stick their Rex Mar 2013 #133

Probably wouldn't have survived anyway. Cleita Mar 2013 #119

The OP is wrong nadinbrzezinski Mar 2013 #121

Thanks for the correction. Cleita Mar 2013 #124