What an attractive person! What personal charm! What a magic smile! What a convincing way ofspeaking! Who would have guessed that behind these there is nothing?
No principles. No moral commitment. No loyalty to an ideal. Nothing.
He came from nowhere and he is returning to nowhere. And during eight long years in the mostimportant position in the world, not a single memorable line in the history books will bewritten about him. William Jefferson Clinton will be remembered – if at all – only because ofMonica.
Actually, this is no surprise. When he was sworn in as President of the United States, arousingso much hope, people forgot how he came to be elected in the first place. There was a simplereason: when the serious leaders of the Democratic party had to decide whether to apply for thenomination, nobody volunteered. At that point in time, it seemed there was no chance at all todefeat the incumbent, George Bush Snr., who had just won a resounding victory in the Gulf war.No statesman who had anything to lose was ready to take him on.
The field remained wide open to political nobodies, those for whom even the title “formercandidate for the presidency” was an advancement.
One of those was the young governor of Arkansas, a relatively unimportant state. He was ayoung, personable man, undoubtedly intelligent, with an ambitious wife.
What happened afterwards highlights one of the major facts in Bill Clinton’s career: he waslucky. Suddenly, the fortunes of President Bush declibed. The victory in Iraq proved to behollow. The economy deteriorated. That smiling man from Arkansas – what was his name? – seemedOK. He was elected almost by accident.
(Apropos of which a question arises: Why, in the television age, does a giant country like theUSA – as well as small country like Israel – seem unable to bring to power anyone who is notmediocre or less, a hollow star and even a downright impostor? But that’s a theme for anotherdiscussion.)
In his eight, scandal-ridden years, Clinton has done nothing to be remembered by. But in themost important sphere, the economy, he was lucky. The American economy is flourishing. Ofcourse, in the capitalist US the impact of the government on the economy is marginal, but theimpact of the economy on elections is important.
What else happened under Clinton? The wars in Bosnia and Kosovo, in which the irresolutecowardice of Clinton and his advisors has caused untold suffering to millions. Inside the US,none of his promises has been fulfilled: the gap between rich and poor has not been reduced,health insurance for everybody remained a dream, lethal weapons remain in the hands of thecitizens, gay rights have not been advanced. The corrupt influence of the rich pressuregroups – including the Jewish lobby – on elections became even more pronounced. Senators,representatives and the President himself can be bought, sold and rented in the free marketlike any other goods.
Of all the failures of the Clinton era, the most grievous is the one in our region. It is beingsaid the Clinton devoted to us greater efforts than any one of his predecessors. True, but theresults are nil. He was not guided by any moral principle, or even American interest, but by acynical lust for Jewish votes and campaign money.
It started when he stole the Oslo agreement. He played no part at all in the effort to achieve it,but he acquired the rights to stage the performance on the White House lawn. And that’s how itwent on: exhibition after exhibition, produced by an ensemble that was composed exclusively– and strangely – of officials of Jewish origin, from the secretaries of State and Defense andthe national security advisor to the pathetic Dennis Ross and the American ambassador inIsrael. All of them Jews, and some of them former employees of Zionist organizations. Clintonwas the only Goy among them. (As if all the American officials dealing with Bosnia were of Serborigin.)
Performance after performance, from Oslo to Camp David, including the tears over the grave ofYitzhaq Rabin (“Shalom, Haver!”). And hovering over the whole show the lack of seriousnessand of principles, which led inevitably to the present disaster – a disaster both for thePalestinians and for Israel. Israelis and Palestinians needed a highly competent mediator,and had to make do with the charming smile of the man from Arkansas.
His end will be like the end of the Cheshire cat in Alice’s wonderland: he will fade away withoutleaving a trace – and only the smile will remain.