Is the Concept of Friendship Changing with Obama?

"That was why Joe Biden also reminded the AIPAC gathering in Washington that the US needed more than just one friend. "The nation who asserts it leads, but has no one following, is not leading," he said.

This time, no one applauded."

An article by Gabor Steingart in Spiegel ONLINE International discusses the recent friction between the US and Israel. It ends with the words above.

It just so happens that the article is joined with my latest post discussing how the US with its new foreign policy is positioning itself and according to what principle.

Every country in the world is becoming Facebook friend with each other. I have some problems figuring out what this might lead to. For Israel it is increased anti-semitism, memories of World War II atrocities disappearing and changing power relations in the Middle East. An alarming situation.

For Sweden it is losing in the Eurovision Song Contest because a myriad of new countries appear with different musical taste. Sweden is crowded out. Like Israel in the Middle East. For Sweden this gives a flavour of how it feels not fitting in anymore.

For Israel it is catastrophic proportions due to the state the press has worked the population up on the Iran isssue since January.

As Anne-Marie Slaughter says there is no clash of cilivizations, she apparently means that there isn't with Islam but with Judaism.

Well, who knows. Maybe everyone will just smile and there will be peace.

However, isn't there a glitch in the thinking? The US is scaling up war in AfPak and they are talking of stronger sanctions against Iran. How is this going to seem friendly towards Islam?