Netanyahu's Speech; Obama's Response

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a strong speech in the well of the US Congress today. But US President Barack Obama's response was also strong, and while the speech will likely help Netanyahu's short term reelection campaign, in the long term, Netanyahu has likely done serious damage to the US-Israel friendship and gained nothing for causing that damage other than his own personal benefit.

 

President Barack Obama's response, given to pool reporters as the president was meeting with new Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter in the Oval Office of the White House, isn't yet online. But I saw the video on CNN.

Obama answered a reporter's question and spoke for about 11 minutes about the speech and the ongoing Iran negotiations. His primary points were that Netanyahu had added nothing new to the discussion, that Netanyahu had made many of the same claims previously when the interim agreement (my words, not the president's) was put in place, the the facts show that the predictions Netanyahu made then did not come true, and that people should reserve comment on the negotiations until an actual deal is proposed. He also pointed out that many top Israeli security and defense officials, including former generals, disagree with (my words) Netanyahu's spin and key parts his assessment of the situation.

As I wrote in Newsweek/The Daily Beast a year or so ago, in the end, Israel has to make the call on what it will and can tolerate with regard to Iran.

But make no mistake about it, Netanyahu could have made the same speech to AIPAC. Or he could have made the same speech to Congress after the Israeli election. But either of those options would not have directly benefited his reelection campaign andwould not have created the same high level of disagreement with the White House - disagreement that benefits the Republican Party whose leader invited him to speak in the well of Congress in the first place.

Netanyahu's speech was about Iran, but its real purpose was political, and that will likely hurt Israel for years and possibly decades to come.

Comments

[Outcast Yid]

"But make no mistake about it..."

You're starting to sound like Obama.

[Garnel Ironheart]

So let's see. Back when negotiations started, Obama's position was "No nuclear Iran". Today it's reportedly "Partially nuclear Iran, and in 10 years they can have the bomb to go with the ICBM's they're currently working on."
And you wonder why Bibi thinks he's an idiot?

[Chicago Sam]

Obama is a narcissist.

Anyone who can joke around play golf after an American is beheaded minutes after giving a brief interview with the press is a slimy human being. Everything he has attempted to do has failed; he has put more whistle-blowers in jail than any other president. He has no respect for the separation of powers. In short, Obama behaves more like Che Guevara and Castro than he does Abe Lincoln. I think this thug ought to be impeached...

[invhand]

But make no mistake about it:
China and Russia are not disturbed by the prospect of a nuclear Iran. China wants to stay on board so they can threaten to abandon us if we go after them in the S. China sea. Russia want to stay on board so they can threaten to abandon us if we go after them on Ukraine.
So exactly how are we to get tougher on Iran? Go to war?
Boehner is having fun, but Obama and Kerry actually have to practice diplomacy in the real world.

[Milhouse]

He has been saying the same thing since the 1990's.

And he made no solutions in his speech today.

My conclusion is Iran is incompetent because they can't even make one.

[Adam Neira]

There are many timetables in the world. Jewish 5775. Christian/Gregorian 2015. Muslim 1436. Iran nuclear enrichment red line ???. Mark my words...The divine timetable will trump all of them. The terrestrial chessboard has been lined up this way for a reason right now.

There is an optimal solution to the Iran-West nuclear imbroglio.

P.S. A Rubik's Cube no matter how diabolical its configuration can always be solved in twenty moves. See "The G-d Algorithm."

[Singlemalt]

It is scary that Obama has anything to do with negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran.

[uncle Leibush]

Netanyahu got it right. For Israel it is not a matter of national security but a matter of national survival. Does anyone believe that Iran can be trusted to keep to any deal it may agree to? The President is myopic, seeing what he wants to see not what is. Just look at his support for Egypt's Morsi and his displeasure at Morsi's overthrow by Sissi. Hello?

Netanyahu, speaking to congress, in the face of criticism at home and abroad has shown tremendous resolve and courage. Sometimes we have to take extreme measures to protect our friends from themselves and more extreme measures to protect ourselves from, short sighted, well meaning friends.

I believe that any agreement the President will try to present to congress will be more thoroughly scrutinized because Netanyahu had shown leadership in the face of tremendous pressure.

[S M L]

Regardless of whether he's right or not he had no business doing what he did - making an end run around the executive branch of our government -and Boehner is a fool for allowing it and for making support for Israel into a political football in his rush to undermine a President he and the rest of his posse can't stomach. He's driven a wedge where there needed to be none. He's tied support for Israel to the Republican Party's campaign effort. This isn't a positive development.

[jancsibacsi]

Adam Neira---- "The terrestrial chessboard has been lined up this way for a reason right now" Your gibberish pontification is really of the charts you need a shrink to get you back into reality.

[coolest]

Obamacare is the best donor of FM

[Steven]

I am agnostic in regard to Iran, and have no idea how far Iran is from optaining an atom bomb.

What ever one may think of Natanyahu, who could blame him for not trusting Obama?, his Arab spring has set the middle east ablaze.

Were I an Isreali Would rather Intrust my safety to my own prime minister, whoever he or she may be, then to whoever may be gracing the oval office.

Who would say now, Isreal was wrong to have bombed the Iraqi reactor in 1980?.

[Yosef ben Matitya]

This Bivi looks ridiculous in his narcicism PR oriented trips.
He went to France for the protest March despite him being requested not to come. He claims the rights on all disastrous events.
He walked in the protest procession, pushim himself to the front, ends up next to the president of Mali. And so ridiculous for a protest March, he was waving to his admirers as if he was from the house of Windsor's on the palace balcony, or Nixon waving to his admirers. At times he looks like Il Duce.
His lack of gratitude is offensive, and leading Israel to disaster. On those like him, the Talmud comments : '... Said the Holy One, blessed be He: I can not coexist with him in the same world, as it is written (Psalm 101, 5):
"whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not tolerate". (Sotah 5).'
More ridiculous than him is Elie Weasel the self appointed prophet of mercy that is unable to find fault in New Sodom.

[Yosef ben Matitya]

Your gibberish pontification is really of the charts you need a shrink to get you back into reality. Posted by: jancsibacsi | March 03, 2015 at 03:24 PM

Jancsi, each language has it's logic I think that AN thinks in Russian, Polish or other Slavic language, hence his output in English is difficult to follow. Try to google-translate his posting to Russian and then retranslate it back to English. It may work.

[Yosef ben Matitya]

Steven, " who could blame him for not trusting Obama?, his Arab spring has set the middle east ablaze. "

by any count, Obama is cheaper and safer than big and junior Bush forays and meddling in middle eastern affairs.

[Yosef ben Matitya]

S M L | March 03, 2015 at 03:06 PM
very well put SML

[Yosef ben Matitya]

" Leibush | March 03,'15 at 03:06 PM
Netanyahu, speaking to congress, in the face of criticism at home and abroad has shown tremendous resolve and courage."

no, Leibush, there were no freaking resolve nor courage. It was cheap campaigning for his reelection, on the back of the Israeli tax payers.
He is a lackey of Las Vegas gambler, and serves occasionally (yes, Bivi) as a salesman for the casino world -as he did on a state visit to Japan.

[Yosef ben Matitya]

Chicago Sam | March 03, 2015 at 03:02 PM
'Obama is a narcissist' really? a perfect match then for the Beev.

'Anyone who can joke around play golf after an American is beheaded minutes after giving a brief interview with the press is a slimy human being.'
That? or Dubya continuing his visit to a kindergarden upon hearing of 9/11

'In short, Obama behaves more like Che Guevara and Castro than he does Abe Lincoln. I think this thug ought to be impeached...'
My My, what are we to make of the Beev and his patron croupier? Il Duce y Generalissimo Franco?

[Yosef ben Matitya]

So exactly how are we to get tougher on Iran? Go to war?
Boehner is having fun, but Obama and Kerry actually have to practice diplomacy in the real world.

invhand | March 03, 2015 at 03:04 PM

u r right, invhand. a shame.

[Ron]

What the Israelis fail to understand is that nobody likes them. Nobody would sacrifice a grain of sand in order to help them. Yet they feel so entitled to receive help.
It isn't that personal. I bet that nobody would help the Turks either if they couldn't have a direct gain from it. Or for that matter, any nation whose existence is a burden for others is basically doomed from the start.
Maybe the USA like that Iran will be the ruling power of the Middle East. The Arabs couldn't take care of themselves and the Iranians (Persians) have a chance to return to their glory. Yes, Israel will be basically a province of the empire, threatened to be destroyed if it disobeys, but who gives a damn?
We Jews should hope for the most powerful Israel that can be, and basically pray... If only we were not as diplomatically challenged as we are we could even find our way through different types of strength... But as of now the only strength of Israel is its army

[Arthur Green]

Shmarya, for some reason you're always on the wrong side of everything these days-how can you be so blind? Obama has been undermining and working against Israel since the beginning-When will Liberal Jews of America wake up?

[Yosef ben Matitya]

.... how can you be so blind? Obama has been undermining and working against Israel since the beginning-When will Liberal Jews of America wake up? Arthur Green | March 03, 2015 at 04:53 PM

You got it wrong yourself AG, it is the American republican jews, and Israeli right wingers, are delusional paranoids, dangerous to their own selves and own existence. Makes one think of the disastrous messianic behavior of R' Akiba ben Yosef and his Failed Messiah, Bar Koziba.
Check out Lafontaine's fables on the Frog that wanted to be larger than the Ox (also Aesop's The Frog and the Ox) . He ended up exploding in the process.
Who does the Beev think he is?

[Joseph]

In '92 Netanyahu warned Knesset that Iran would have the bomb in just a few years. In '96 he said the "clock was running out." In 2009 he said that they would have nuclear weapons in just a year or two. He repeated the same allegation in 2010.

And some people still think he's credible??? Go figure.

[Alter Kocker]

Unfortunately, the Republican Party has a vested interest in having that region go to war. Simply put, Israel is a secondary consideration in this. If they survive, fine. If not, then its just Jews. The important part of this is where the Republican Party's controllers can latch onto oil producing land. That is all the middle-east means to Boehner and his ilk. Israel is nothing but a pawn. The idiots that believe the great friend of Israel would be a Republican President, are absolutely delusional. Israel is cannon fodder.

[Yosef ben Matitya]

And some people still think he's credible??? Go figure.

Posted by: Joseph | March 03, 2015 at 05:35 PM

yeah! just like the boy who cried Wolf.

[Yosef ben Matitya]

Posted by: Alter Kocker | March 03, 2015 at 05:35 PM

thanks, AK, very well and clearly put!

[SimoneF]

Anyone who believes that Netanyahu's speech was anything more than electioneering is a sucker. Big time.

[Jeff]

"That? or Dubya continuing his visit to a kindergarden upon hearing of 9/11."

Not to mention running off to his ranch in Crawford at every given opportunity while young men and women were dying in a war started by Cheney.

[Friar Yid]

Chicago Sam- You could make many of the same comments about Bush or Bibi. The bottom line is that anyone egotistical enough to think they should be leader of a country-- and willing to kiss enough butt and make enough deals to get there-- is going to be pretty slimy. You're kidding yourself if you think Obama is different from most politicians.

[JamesMadison]

The moronic posts by Yosef Ben Matitya on this thread surely takes the cake! When was the last time someone strung together so many stupid comments? It's gotta be some kind of record! Obviously this site attracts only the best and the brightest...

[Yisroel]

It's amazing how much ignorance you hear from some people on their posts. I have no idea where to start...

It's like people don't read what they wrote to see how much stupidity they're spewing. Like Joseph about Netanyahu's warnings. You really aren't too smart I see.

Do you think Iran is not trying to get nuclear weapons? Do you think that the P5+1 are doing all of this for nothing? The IAEA is also delustional? What exactly do you believe? Or did you never think about those obvious questions and just get all emotional.

By the way, this is the least of it, but I don't have all day...

[Yosef ben Matitya]

Obviously this site attracts only the best and the brightest...

Posted by: JamesMadison | March 03, 2015 at 07:37 PM

since you seem neither of the best or the brightest, why don't u leave?

[Gobsnacked]

JamesMadison

you're right.

May I point out to you that one of the comment rules on this page is

5. Try to argue using facts and logic.

Do you have some difficulty in understanding this?

[JamesMadison]

Gob- that rule assumes that the other party is using logic as well, something that Yosef is clearly not doing. The idiocy in his posts are so Damm obvious it just needed mentioning, not a learned exposition.

[JamesMadison]

His only point in all his posts was to call Bibi "bivi". Somehow he thinks it makes him clever...zzz

[AndrewMelville]

Netan Yahoo forgets that he is a beggar. Obama should pull on choke collar to show him who is master. A UN censure would do wonders to focus the Israeli electorate to unseat this stupid war criminal.

[Yisroel]

AndrewMelville, what war criminal? Are you high on something?

[Steven]

Sorry to say but there is a host of flaws in your reasoning. Who says Bibi would be reelected and who knew what the terms were going to be this bad. The Senate must ratify the agreement and it is important that all Americans should hear what is going on in order to put pressure on our elected representatives to stop this very flawed agreement. Your foreign policy analysis is wrong.

[Jewish Patriot]

Why is it that the leftist gay feminist progressive atheists take the side of the islamic throat cutting throwbacks ?

Well it goes to show you that liberalism is a mental disorder and a dangerous one at that !

[Jewish Patriot]

Sitting seventeen years in reverent Rite's church and you want me to believe that Obama loves America ?

[Devorah the now-mostly-secular]

I'm amazed at the level of pessimism everyone has about Israel, after more than 60 years. Were we "safer" in Israel in the 70s? The 80s? The 90s? The early days of the intifada?

It's incredibly difficult to destroy a nation with the strength of character we have, with the resolve, the passion, and the sheer will to live and to "make it". Those of you who doubt that were not here in the Gaza war. I was, and it removed any doubts about who we are as a nation and what our future is.

We complain a lot, and we do have what to complain about. But at the end of the day we are strong like no one else, and we will win.

[shmuel]

Obama is history. A sitting duck president who golfs way more than he leads. He's out of office in a year and a half and then a Republican takes over. No long term damage to Israel-US relations whatsoever.

[Steven in Uk]

I as mentioned before am an agnostic regarding Iran, and by the way would think twice about buying a used car from Bibbi!.

However Recal a story recounted by Yehuda Avner, former head of the Isreali cival service, and one time ambassdor to the United Kingdom.

He wrote of meeting Margreat Thacther, after the first Iraq war, when she was no longer in office. He enquired of her," you must now be pleased we destroyed the reactor after both you and Ragean told us not too?".

"She did not reply!.

[Joseph]

Posted by: shmuel | March 04, 2015 at 01:42 AM

It was Reagan who blocked arms sales to Israel after Lebanon 1. Bush sr. put a moratorium on a 10 year loan package to Israel, jailed Pollard, wanred Israel not to lift one finger in self defense during desert storm, and stood by while his Sec State responded to Jewish concerns with hiis infamous "Fuck the Jews" statement.

Dubya forces Israel to withdraw from Lebanon while Hizbollah is raining missiles on them, forces Israel to allow Hamas candidates to run in PA elections, as well as pressuring Israel into the Gaza withdrawal. He also declared publicly that the startting point of any negotiation would be the 1949 armisrice lines.
And yet you brainwashed morons really believe Republicans are gung-ho pro-Israel? None of you have cited a single factual change in Israel's safety or security status that can be directly attriibutes to Obama.

[nachos( the original one)]

Why should American blood be spilled for Israel, when your own orthodox Jews refuse to serve in the army?

[Charles]

How can any real Jew possibly support Obama over Israel? SMH

[Jeff]

Yosef, your remarks here have been spot on. Ignore the trolls and right wingers; they have only their hysteria and herd mentality to fall back upon. "Liberalism is a mental illness", blah, blah.

There's a reason studies have shown that liberals, on average, score higher on intelligence tests than conservatives.

Hey, frumchiks - if Obama is Amalek (or whoever), how come your Invisible Friend hasn't struck him down yet? Maybe you guys haven't been praying hard enough.

[Yoni]

Response is now online: http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2015/03/03/tsr-dnt-kosinski-white-house-reaction-to-netanyahu-speech.cnn/video/playlists/top-news-videos/

[Alter Kocker]

This is real simple: Both the Republican Party and Netanyahu have stepped in it. The Republicans look like fools and Netanyahu has come off looking like a political opportunist. The end is that Netanyahu has screwed up Israeli relations with the US, how that plays at home is academic. I believe that his coalition which he is trying to remake with the Haredi parties is doomed to failure. Whether or not he emerges as Israel's Prime Minister, or as an opposition MK, Netanyahu's gambit did not pay off.

[Jeff]

"Whether or not he emerges as Israel's Prime Minister, or as an opposition MK, Netanyahu's gambit did not pay off."

He needs to leave or to be removed from office. All else aside, his constant pandering to the Haredim and his interference with all attempts to wean them off the dole will drive Israel into bankruptcy.

[Yisroel]

Jeff, one thing is definitely clear without a doubt. You are a hateful, bitter, angry, person who is lost in your head that has some logic but mostly delusions.

You should read over your comments with an honest and open mind (I know you can't...) and see how much hate and trauma is in it. You like to talk about higher intelligence. But you are clearly a sick and angry person.

[Charles]

Jeff, one thing is definitely clear without a doubt. You are a hateful, bitter, angry, person who is lost in your head that has some logic but mostly delusions.

You should read over your comments with an honest and open mind (I know you can't...) and see how much hate and trauma is in it. You like to talk about higher intelligence. But you are clearly a sick and angry person.

You nailed it! Jeff is a left wing loonie who cannot stomach anyone with a different opinion. His life is filled with hate. I really do feel sorry for him.

[Yisroel]

By the way Jeff, I agree with some of what you write. Like I don't believe in the Hareidim not participating in society more and other things.

But you're clearly hate and anger filled. No respect for others and humanity. Some of your comments are fit for the most hateful emotionless people. They are truly sick.

And Shmarya falls into the same category.

Any healthy and sane person, regardless of their background and beliefs, that would read either of your posts (like a collage of 20 from each of you) would say immediately that both of you are full of anger, hate, and bitterness.

[anchell]

. . . how could anyone really think the republicans really have Israel's best interest at heart.

Their rendition of goon governance has set America image so far back, no one but for their most staunch conservative allies may ever consider tem trust worthy again. And Israel is being viewed by many of the same peoples as being willing accomplices.

America's social infrastructure is close to being in tatters. It's citizens continues to be an over sight of good governance. And whenever help is offered, the same war for oil republicans yell bloody murder.

If optics means anything, then to engage Iran with aggression would be a colossal overreach.

Regimes come and go, and it is in Israel's best interest to assess the current leadership, mood and temperament of Iran and Iranians in deciding how to move forward.

Waging war is history repeating itself and, ultimately, not the solutions we are seeking.

[Jeff]

"Any healthy and sane person... "

Uh huh.

[Steven in uk]

Could it not be said, "Obama Himself instigated the secrence of events?.

He asked David Cameron to lobby congress on his behalf ,regarding the preposed deal with Iran.

Therefore he set in motion a prescident, for which the Republicans resented and felt obliged to retaliate.

Natanyahu having recived the invite, was giving poisoned charrce, he know the high risks in accepting, however could not be seen showing fright in the face of those who referred to him as "chicken s... .

Ps I am nutrual In both American and Israeli politics.