The Blog Down: Obsession with Tehran

From Iran to the US Presidential race, JPost.com’s blog editor wraps up the past week.

Ahmadinejad at the UN 390 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Ahmadinejad at the UN 390
(photo credit: REUTERS)
In the 21st century, news and information spread around the globe at an overwhelming rate, and bloggers are key to this phenomenon. JPost.com’s bloggers live and breathe the news, offering insights and analysis of major headline grabbing events as well as commentary on the lesser known stories, all on a daily basis – keeping readers informed at lightning speed.  For those who simply don't have the time to read all of the recent updates – and most don't - this weekly wrap summarized the most interesting pieces on The Jerusalem Post’s Blog site.
"I am obsessed with the subject of Iran" confesses Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie in his most recent blog, Questions on Iran: For us and for others.  Well rabbi, you aren't the only one. Michael Omer-Man's post Iran: A game gone too far was this week's most popular blog, attracting over 10,000 hits. In this intriguing blog, he asserts:
"At some point in recent years, Israeli decision-makers decided to play a game. Through a fairly innocuous and innocent lens, the game can be described as 'good cop, bad cop.' At worst, it is a dangerous exercise in diplomatic and military brinksmanship that risks catapulting one of the world’s most well-armed regions into an unpredictable and open-ended war."
Chilling. Check out the full post to find out where the game ends.
In other news, the blogosphere was abuzz with articles surrounding the upcoming US presidential elections. National Zoo blogger Hilary Leila Krieger writes directly from the Republican National Convention, where she touches base with Jewish Republicans and offers analysis of key speeches and events in a series of posts including, Ron Paul, silent but not forgotten and GOP casts Obama in Carter's shadow.
On the other side of the spectrum, National Zoo blogger Rebecca Anna Stoil poses the question "How far will the Obama campaign go on Israel?" The answer will surprise you: here's a hint – 20 minutes southeast of Asheklon…
In related Obama news, Ira Sharkansky's blog Jerusalem, God, and American politics offers an interesting analysis on the recent headline grabbing statement (or lack thereof) from the Democratic party regarding Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Simultaneously, Gil Troy requests in his latest piece, Don't make Israel a wedge issue in 2012.
Gil, not to disappoint you but I think it's a little late for that.
On the same theme, Niv Elis's post The US-Israel relationship in the Twilight Zone, provides us with the concrete numbers, citing polls and offering analysis on US-Israeli relations with Obama and Netanyahu at the helm:
"Sure, people might disagree with some American policy, but they understand the hard work, diplomatic support and financial assistance the United States provides Israel…. As it turns out, I may have been way off base."
Read the full post to find out what Jerusalem Post readers really think about the relationship.
Two other popular posts worth mentioning are Yisrael Medad's blog, Jeffrey Goldberg persists with his double-standard in which he goes tête-à-tête against The Atlantic correspondent on what Goldberg dubs "the West Bank's two-tiered justice system and David Turner's latest installment Foundations of Holocaust: Superstition and Jewish demonization.
Be sure to leave your comments as David is known to respond, debate, and challenge your observations!  At last count, the post had received over 200 comments…
Finally, to end this week's wrap on a positive note I turn to Michael Ordman's latest post, A time and a place for everything, detailing Israel's latest accomplishments in medicine, science, technology, and so much more.  Go Israel!
The writer is The Jerusalem Post's blogs editor