I was very surprised by Obama’s strong support of Israel this week. However, juxtaposed with the closing of Gitmo, I am left reeling about this Administrations true attitude regarding the middle east.

It would have been so easy to use the current violence in Gaza as cover to level criticism at Israel and send conciliatory messages to the middle east. But he did not . Instead he stood tall and defended Israel’s right to exist – without the threat of missiles from Palestine.

I believe the single most important issue facing America is the struggle with Islamofacism. Our economic troubles are great – and we will have to make adjustments. But we will overcome economic problems. We will find ways to stabilize and improve our financial position. And when we do – Islamofacism will still be there.

The sociopolitical struggle at the root of the conflict between Islamic fundementalists and the rest of the world goes beyond negotiation. You can’t negotiate with someone who believes God has instructed them to kill you. You can’t reason with someone who is convinced that they are devinly inspired and wholly justified in their violence and hatred.

I hope – with all my heart – that President Obama truly embraces Israel; that Sen Mitchel realizes that negotiations are simply opportuntiess for Hamas to re-arm, and that Sec. Clinton has the wisdom to provide historical perspective to this administration.

President Obama may be closing Gitmo simply because it is a festering wound. Or he may be using it as another tool to demonstrate his “even handedness”.

No matter – I pray that he realizes that the banks will start to lend again, the market will rise again, people will find work again and that the Islamofacists will try to kill us again.