Almost 50 years ago the movie Network (1976) was released. The film is best known for the anchorman rant scene that features Howard Beale’s: “I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!” But it is also known for another dramatic scene, a five minute oratory by a man named Arthur Jensen (chairman of the conglomerate that owns the network) who convinces the same Howard Beale “the world is a business.”

That concept was introduced to Beale because he had earlier caused a hysteria among the American public that was responsible for stymieing a Saudi attempted take over of the network and its parent company. Jensen wanted Beale to understand that what he had done was wrong and he needed to “atone.” Arthur Jensen made it clear to Howard Beale that he had “mettled with the primal forces of nature,” and that he must call off the dogs because “the world is a business.” What the Saudis were attempting was just another ebb and flow transaction in the big scheme of things. Jensen argued that there are no nations and peoples, only corporations. Howard Beale was overwhelmed by the revelation.

It’s been almost 50 years since the movie was released and I feel as if I am now living in a world of life imitating art – but with one big difference. The Saudis are still “investing“ in America to my chagrin, but instead of a fictitious chairman of the board assuring us there is nothing to see here, we have the President of the United States telling us how wonderful it is.

Truth be told, the world is not a business and money doesn’t make the world go around either. Things just appear that way sometimes. The world belongs to God.

In the song, “If I were a rich man,” a poor Jewish dairyman named Tevye laments his poverty and fantasizes about being a wealthy man. He explains that one of the perks of being wealthy is people will “fawn on you” and come to you for advice, and when they do, because “you’re rich, they think you really know!”

I can hardly believe my eyes lately but it looks to me like a whole lot of fawning is emanating from the 47th President in the direction of Saudi Arabia (and Qatar too). Fawning over and taking to heart the counsel of these men is flat out wrong. They don’t deserve the pedestal; they haven’t earned it. All I can say is Trump 45, my favorite President, never would have acted in such a manner.

Do not get me wrong, President Trump has been the greatest friend Israel has ever had and I have admired and supported the man almost since the day he came down the escalator. This is the same man I have never criticized until today – and it hurts to do so. He is a great President and he is a great ally of Israel too, but when it comes to Israel, I do fear 47 will prove less than 45.

That would make the world very happy, no doubt, to have more and more daylight between Israel and the United States. It would make it much easier to whittle down little Israel smaller and smaller and smaller, until there is nothing left to whittle.

What the world doesn’t understand is that Israel is not just another country, it is a country that provides a “light to the nations.” Israel is a nation of people living in a land that has roots dating back thousands of years; a people that have already survived numerous trials by fire, and a multiple of defensive wars. Here lives half of the entire world’s population of “the people of the book.”

Unlike Saudi Arabia (and Qatar), Israel’s success does not come from the luck of being born upon a mountain of oil and gas riches. Against all odds, Israel has survived and achieved her greatness by hard work and ingenuity, by blood, sweat, and tears.

The only two truly great nations in the mix, Israel and the United States, are connected to one another by a common respect for human rights, and ethics. We have no royal palaces, no ruling kings and emirs. We don’t take more than one wife. Our legal system is not based on Sharia law.

Mr. President, in case you need reminding, the USA and Israel are more than friends and allies, they are the ultimate team. Israel can’t offer the benefits of oil riches, but their friendship features brains, brawn, and the blessings that come from the highest of places. Too bad the rest of the world is so reluctant to take Israel up on what it has to offer!

If Saudi Arabia and Qatar are such good friends to us why won’t they join the Abraham Accords? Do the Saudis really warrant those F-35 fighter jets? What about the illicit funds Qatar provides Hamas? When the world is right, Israel and the United States are joined at the hip because we have so much good in common. If it were not so, Iran would never have named us “Little Satan” and “Great Satan.”