Community | February 16, 2013 | 11 comments

Ahead of Obama visit, Marco Rubio heads to Israel

source: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57569779/ahead-of-obama-visit-marco-rubio-heads-to-israel/

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FreeSpiritMuse

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57569779/ahead-of-obama-visit-mar...

As President Obama prepares for his first trip to Israel since assuming office, the man some hope will succeed him leaves Saturday for his own visit to the Jewish state.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and an oft-mentioned potential 2016 presidential candidate, departed for Israel and Jordan.

In a press release announcing his visit, Rubio said, "America's friendship with Israel is a truly special one, and we must continue to do all we can to support this beacon of democracy, religious freedom and free enterprise in the heart of an unstable region."

A trip to Israel has become an almost-obligatory rite of passage for potential Republican presidential aspirants, who can burnish their foreign policy bona fides by publicly embracing one of America's closest allies.

Rubio's visit comes on the heels of similar visits from Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who are also thought to be eyeing 2016 bids. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney visited Israel last July, before the beginning of the 2012 general election campaign.

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The trip can also provide a way for Republicans to draw a contrast with an administration they've accused of undermining Israel.

Mr. Obama last visited Israel as a candidate in July 2008 before formally accepting the Democratic nomination for president. Some Republicans have interpreted his absence since then as a snub.

Despite close security and intelligence cooperation between the Israel and American governments during Mr. Obama's tenure, the president has occasionally sparred with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a territory that would constitute the core of any future Palestinian state.

A senior U.S. official told Reuters last Tuesday that Mr. Obama will visit Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan in March.
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11 comments // Ahead of Obama visit, Marco Rubio heads to Israel

  • OlBlue
    • 0
      OlBlue  

    • Since everyone else has too much class to reach for the low hanging fruit, allow me: I hope he realizes how hot and dry it can be there and that he keep some water within easy reach.

    • 3 months ago
  • Debra_
  • MSII
  • labman57
    • +3
      labman57  

    • Marco has some pretty big shoes to fill ... if he hopes to attain Mitt's level of ineptitude by feigning foreign policy expertise while abroad.

    • 3 months ago
  • MSII
  • WagonMaster
    • +3
      WagonMaster  

    • , Israel and the GOP. At some point someone needs to make the decision as to whether they are American citizens, or natural born Israeli Sabras. If they decide they're Israelis, then they can do their obligatory time in the IDF. as everyone knows that true patriots serve their country in the military. The IDF can form a Division of fat, old white guys ...plus Marco...and appoint John McCain as Division Commander with Lindsey Graham as Chief of Stiff...er...Staff and send them to the Sinai for basic.

    • 3 months ago
  • MSII
  • freecrack
    • 0
      freecrack  
    • WagonMaster:

      they do make a decision, and only those stirring the pot of bullshit try to claim they are duel citizens.

      the difference between saying things that make sense in reality or just serve a talking point for the sake of the talking point.

      but you keep selling that idea, and remember it is only problematic when the right does it to claim obama is a secret muslim terrorist.when you do it with israel then it is totally not the same stupid racism.

    • 3 months ago
  • freecrack
  • MSII
    • +4
      MSII  

    • right-wingers off to israel to kow-tow to their right-wing compatriots (and make hay with their tea-vangelical wing! gotta deny those heathen Palestinians, lest jezuz be cross with us! and not come destroy the world!)

    • 3 months ago
  • FreeSpiritMuse
    • +3
      FreeSpiritMuse  
    • MSII:

      They accuse Obama of campaigning year round, I hope the GOP doesn't think that we can't see through this ploy. Good luck, he's got a long time to expose what he's really all about.

    • 3 months ago

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