In the first quarter of the last century, a soon-to-be-influential communications strategist wrote that "the grossly impudent lie always leaves traces behind it, even after it has been nailed down, a fact which all expert liars in this world and all who conspire together in the art of lying know only too well, and for this reason they stop at nothing to achieve this end."

For centuries, Jews have been the targets of such lies. I'll mention just three.

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"A clean energy revolution is helping to save this planet." Thus spoke President Barack Obama in 2015.

"The age of fossil fuel is coming to an end. The rise of renewable energy is irreversible." Thus spoke Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, in July of this year.

I could give you dozens of similar quotes from editorial boards, opinion writers, and academics all prophesizing an "inevitable transition" from oil and gas to energy sources that are renewable, "green" and "clean."

It turns out that these anti-hydrocarbon Pollyannas are all bananas (as Ira Gershwin might say).

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As a foreign correspondent roving around Africa years ago, I often met United Nations personnel. Most were pleasant dinner companions.

What they were achieving was usually a mystery.

To understand what I mean, check out the website of the United Nations Development Programme. Look at the sections marked "Our Impact" and "Results." Let me know if you find any useful missions accomplished.

I came to regard the U.N. as ineffectual but harmless, with one notable exception: The U.N. has long been hostile toward the nation-state that became its 59^th member in 1949.

As far back as 1975, the U.N. General Assembly, steered by the Soviet Union, adopted a resolution calling Zionism "a form of racism."

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Last Friday's summit meeting in Alaska was short on substance but long on symbolism.

For example, following the talks, Russian President Vladmir Putin laid flowers on the graves of Soviet World War II servicemen at Fort Richardson National Cemetery.

He was attempting to convey that since the U.S. and Russia were allies in the greatest conflict of the 20^th century, surely they can be friends in the current era.

But here's a pesky historical reminder: In 1939, Communist dictator Josef Stalin made a 10-year non-aggression pact with Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler to divide Eastern Europe between them. On June 22, 1941, to Stalin's shock, Hitler invaded Russia.

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At a UN Security Council meeting on Sunday, U.S. Amb. Dorothy Shea offered an indisputable observation about the ongoing conflict in Gaza: "This war could end today if Hamas would let the hostages and all of Gaza go free."

France, Britain, and Germany, as stalwart American allies, backed her up.

I wish that were true.

In fact, the envoys from these three countries condemned Israel's plan to take on the Hamas forces still controlling Gaza City, asserting that such action will "worsen an already catastrophic situation."

So, they proposed an alternative approach.

I wish that were true, too

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