Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Netanyahu Addresses Congress

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Netanyahu Addresses Congress

    Reactions? Any way one cuts it, inviting him to address Congress without administration concurrence amounts to a slap in Obama's face by the GOP and Netanyahu, with more domestic political overtones than either will admit. When the wash is done, Netanyahu won't get the US to change its policy toward negotiations with Iran aimed at limiting Iran's nuke material output. But it might make Iran nervous enough to hurry up and ink the deal.

    Netanyahu Addresses Congress on Iran - NYTimes.com

    An interesting backgrounder is available here: https://www.stratfor.com/weekly/neta...eid=642a05ec5a
    To be Truly ignorant, Man requires an Education - Plato

  • #2
    Every comment I stumbled upon about the address is negative towards Bibi. Wonder why.
    No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

    To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Doktor View Post
      Every comment I stumbled upon about the address is negative towards Bibi. Wonder why.
      Is that a serious question? :)
      To be Truly ignorant, Man requires an Education - Plato

      Comment


      • #4
        The way I see it is that Netanyahu is seeking a military solution to Iran which we all know that it is not feasible or workable because Israel doesn't have the capability to pull it off and USA is in no mood to take over Iran and try to reform it whereas Obama is seeking a political solution to the problem at hand.

        It doesn't take a stretch of imagination or genius to figure out which option has a better chance of succeeding. As Von Clauswitz says, "war is simply a continuation of political intercourse, with the addition of other means" In this case, I take it to mean that there has to be a political solution to a political problem, not a military solution to a political problem. It will not solve the underlying problem unless you engage in total war, meaning you have to utterly and completely defeat the enemy and crush its will to fight in that it will have no other option or choice but to submit to your will. That is not gonna happen in Iran's case. I do not see in the foreseeable future that US will wage a total war against Iran or use the tactics necessary to force the enemy to submit to its will. It is not gonna happen. Netanyahu doesn't realize that and doesn't understand the limitations and shortcoming that a military solution will bring. Obama has an intuitive sense of understanding that limitation and is intuitively seeking a solution that is more of a permanent nature, hence a political solution.

        Comment


        • #5
          I read the second link posted by JAD_333 and that article pretty summed up my thinking about this whole situation. I want to add one thing further. Bibi is expecting the US to provide a solution to Israel's problems but still want to maintain its independence. That doesn't work in real life.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by JAD_333 View Post
            Is that a serious question? :)
            Was there a question mark?
            No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

            To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

            Comment


            • #7
              This is taking the concept of 'separation of powers' a little too far...it's the credibility of the U.S. as an international security actor that's going to be undermined in the long run by the GOP and Netanyahu, in successfully humiliating Obama. What the Israeli PM did today was watched around the world, and I think it's' implications will go beyond the immediate question of what to do about Iran. Today was not a good precedent to set as far as efficient foreign policy functioning by the U.S. goes.

              Comment


              • #8
                It's really amazing how the GOP like to wrap themselves in the American flag, espousing love of country, yet they invite a foreign leader with lots of blood on his hands over here to lecture Americans on foreign policy. Republicans in congress clap like trained seals for a man who has shown nothing but contempt for America, yet they'll tell you they love America more than the president or anybody else. Maybe Boehner and his lapdogs should pack their bags and join the knesset over there; they can make a full time career licking Bibi's bootheels.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Doktor View Post
                  Was there a question mark?
                  No; just wondered if you were wondering. Wisdom begins in wonder. - Socrates :)
                  To be Truly ignorant, Man requires an Education - Plato

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Duellist View Post
                    This is taking the concept of 'separation of powers' a little too far...it's the credibility of the U.S. as an international security actor that's going to be undermined in the long run by the GOP and Netanyahu, in successfully humiliating Obama. What the Israeli PM did today was watched around the world, and I think it's' implications will go beyond the immediate question of what to do about Iran. Today was not a good precedent to set as far as efficient foreign policy functioning by the U.S. goes.
                    As far as the slight to Obama goes, he countered by not having Bibi over for tea. Not a major offset in the public's eye, but what goes on behind the scenes after this won't be all love and roses. On a positive note--not so much for public's in functioning democracies--it shows that Congress, for better or worse, is not a lapdog to the president. Contrast Putin and the Duma in Russia and other real or closet dictatorships.
                    To be Truly ignorant, Man requires an Education - Plato

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Sitting Bull View Post
                      It's really amazing how the GOP like to wrap themselves in the American flag, espousing love of country, yet they invite a foreign leader with lots of blood on his hands over here to lecture Americans on foreign policy. Republicans in congress clap like trained seals for a man who has shown nothing but contempt for America, yet they'll tell you they love America more than the president or anybody else. Maybe Boehner and his lapdogs should pack their bags and join the knesset over there; they can make a full time career licking Bibi's bootheels.
                      A couple of things don't wash in your post. One, inviting Bibi may not have been discreet, but it's no contradiction with the GOP's love of country. Second, Bibi hasn't shown contempt for America, but rather for the president's policy vis a vis Iran. And characterizing the GOP's invitation as kissing Bibi's bootheels shows little understanding of US politics. In another time and situation, the Democrats would be perfectly okay doing the same thing. Check US voter demographics to see how the Jewish vote in the US normally goes, then put 2+2 together.

                      Personally, I think it could backfire on the GOP. American Jewish organizations are not comfortable being made to look like the bad guys in this, as they surely will in some quarters. IMO, the GOP in Congress would do better to get on with the country's business. They can score plenty of points solving immigration, infrastructure rehab, etc. This one was for the GOP's conservative wing. Maybe after this they'll get busy and do something constructive.
                      To be Truly ignorant, Man requires an Education - Plato

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Bibi is already accomplishing his purpose and Obama is already shifting his tone:

                        Iran calls Obama's 10-year nuclear demand 'unacceptable' | Reuters

                        You have to be more than a little cynical with this administration. Some times it takes some hijinks to make them hold the line.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by JAD_333 View Post
                          As far as the slight to Obama goes, he countered by not having Bibi over for tea.
                          He explained in his interview with Fareed that the reason he was not meeting Bibi is the US has a policy of not meeting leaders that are less than a month away from a national election. The US must not be seen as tipping the scales. How will Bibi fare in that election.

                          Cameron managed to get a meet, his election is in May.

                          Originally posted by Blademaster View Post
                          there has to be a political solution to a political problem, not a military solution to a political problem.
                          US domestic politics always trumped national interest when it came to Iran. This is what screws up their policy towards Iran.

                          Bibi thinks he's Churchill, Obama thinks he's Nixon.
                          Last edited by Double Edge; 04 Mar 15,, 00:15.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by JAD_333 View Post
                            In another time and situation, the Democrats would be perfectly okay doing the same thing
                            I cant think of a precedent for something like this though. A foreign leader comes to Congress, at the behest of one of the leaders of the Opposition and directly confronts a key policy of the President of the United States; ; something that could well be a matter of war or peace,

                            This would be equivalent to hypothetically, if back in 2003 during the run up to the war in Iraq, the Democrats invited over Jacques Chirac to speak to Congress about why George Bush was making a serious mistake in invading Iraq.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              JAD_333: A couple of things don't wash in your post. One, inviting Bibi may not have been discreet, but it's no contradiction with the GOP's love of country.

                              It's one thing for elected members of Congress to question the direction of the U.S. policy of attempting to pursue a negotiated settlement with Iran. But to bring Netanyahu into the debate begs the question, are they doing this because it's in America's best interest or because it's in the interest of a foreign country?

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X