“The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that I will sign today -- a plan that meets the principles I laid out in January -- is the most sweeping economic recovery package in our history.” -- President Obama at the Feb. 17, 2009 signing of his stimulus first stimulus package in Denver.

The deteriorating situation in the Middle East may end up making this election an unexpected battle over foreign policy.

Given the new dangers and uncertainties sewn by the Arab Spring last year, particularly the emboldened regime in Iran and the anxiety in Israel, the chances for a regional conflagration are higher now than at any time since U.S. troops, now withdrawn, invaded Iraq in 2003.

That could bring $5 gasoline, economic disruption and a severe testing of old alliances.

(CNSNews.com) – The White House is distancing itself from remarks by an American ambassador and 2008 Obama campaign fundraiser suggesting that hatred of Jews was linked to Israeli actions, but some critics said the comments align with a “blame Israel” mentality in the administration.

Republican presidential candidates Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney said Sunday President Obama should fire U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Howard Gutman, and several U.S. Jewish organizations also are calling for him to be rebuked or recalled.

Adding to Obama’s troubles were comments Friday night by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who told a Brookings Institution event Israelis should “get to the damn table” and negotiate with the Palestinians.

Republican presidential contender Rick Perry said Tuesday that the decision of Palestinian leaders to seek statehood through the United Nations is proof that President Obama has badly mishandled the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.

“Simply put, we would not be here today at the precipice of such a dangerous move if the Obama policy in the Middle East wasn’t naive, arrogant, misguided and dangerous,” the three-term Texas governor and GOP nomination front-runner said.

Speaking at the W Hotel in New York's Union Square, Mr. Perry offered up his most detailed vision for the Middle East yet, saying the president must reaffirm support for Israel.

Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry accused President Obama of fostering a policy of "appeasement" in the Middle East, blaming him for the standoff at the United Nations over the Palestinian bid for statehood recognition.

Diving into one of the most high-profile foreign policy disputes, the Texas governor appeared alongside Jewish leaders in New York Tuesday to pledge unwavering support to Israel and call on the Obama administration to take a stronger stance against the statehood bid.

"We are indignant that certain Middle Eastern leaders have discarded the principle of direct negotiations," he said. "We are equally indignant of the Obama administration and their Middle East policy of appeasement."

Perry called on the U.S. to approach the Middle East with a "new firmness and a new resolve." Perry criticized Obama for demanding concessions from the Jewish state that Perry says emboldened the Palestinians to seek recognition by the U.N.

The Obama administration is being accused of playing politics with the nation's oil reserves, while the president defended the move last week saying it was necessary because of the oil supplies lost due to Middle East turmoil.

The release from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve will be the largest ever, amounting to half of a 60-million-barrel international infusion of oil planned for the world market over the next month.

Representative Tim Huelskamp (R-Kansas), along with other GOP leaders and business groups, accuses President Barack Obama of playing politics with the country's oil reserves, which are intended to address emergencies...

WASHINGTON -- Israel's prime minister promised to present his vision for an Israeli-Palestinian peace in a speech before U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday, but vowed his country would not return to mid-1967 borders that he termed "indefensible."

Benjamin Netanyahu made this pledge in an address Monday to thousands of pro-Israel American Jews and U.S. lawmakers. His speech drew roaring cheers and standing ovations, a sign of the powerful backing he enjoys in the U.S. as the White House pressures him to do more to renew stalled Mideast peacemaking.

The warm reception Netanyahu enjoyed at the gala dinner of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee contrasted sharply with the contentious quality of some of his recent exchanges with President Barack Obama precisely over border issues...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the Palestinians on Monday to resume negotiations with Israel, issuing the call before a meeting with President Barack Obama on the stalled Middle East peace process.

Saying "no Israeli government has been so willing to restrain settlement activity," Netanyahu told a conference of American Jewish leaders: "I say today to (Palestinian President) Mahmoud Abbas ... let us seize the moment to reach a

historic agreement. Let us begin talks immediately."

"My goal is not negotiations for the sake of negotiations. My goal is to achieve a permanent peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians -- and soon," he said...