[h=1]Bibi’s grand slam: Boxing in Obama on Iran’s nukes[/h] By John Podhoretz
March 3, 2015 | 8:54pm
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives at a joint session of Congress in Washington. Photo: Getty
[h=3]MORE FROM[/h] [h=6]John Podhoretz[/h]
[h=5]Hillary's boring: Worse for her, the 2016 Republicans aren't[/h] [h=5]Anti-Semitic horrors don't exist in Obama's world[/h]
On Tuesday, Bibi Netanyahu gave the speech of his life before a joint session of Congress — and he has Barack Obama to thank for it.
Yes, the very same Barack Obama who hates Bibi, the same Obama who was furious the speech was being given at all, walked the bases full for Netanyahu and served up the sucker pitch he hit for a grand slam.
For six weeks, the president and his team have been letting it be known just how angry they are that the leader of the House of Representatives invited the Israeli prime minister to speak about the threat from Iran.
The enraged leaks and overt hostility toward the head of state of an ally have been unprecedented.
The White House even tried to engineer a mass Democratic boycott of the speech, an effort that either (take your pick) met with success because 50 members of his party agreed to it, or was a failure because 75 percent of elected Democrats on Capitol Hill defied him and chose to attend.
What did all of this do? It made the Netanyahu speech the most important political event of 2015 by far.
It elevated Netanyahu’s powerful case against a nuclear deal with Iran to the highest level possible — so that the leader of a country of 8 million people roughly the size of New Jersey now possesses as much authority to discuss the issue as the leader of the free world.
Obama’s own national security mouthpiece, Ben Rhodes, has said the White House views a deal with Iran as the “biggest thing President Obama will do in his second term on foreign policy.”
Obama’s fit of pique against Netanyahu has led to a man-to-man showdown that will likely complicate that “biggest thing” immensely.
Netanyahu yesterday laid out, calmly and comprehensively, the reasons the deal is likely to be a bad one — and he had not only an audience of Americans vastly larger than he would’ve had if the president hadn’t had his hissy fit, but also the ear of the audience that matters most in this regard.
That audience is the United States Senate.
And his audience heard him.
Tuesday afternoon, after Netanyahu scored his success, Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mc*Connell announced he’ll bring up a piece of legislation requiring Senate consideration of any Iran deal for 60 days.
We can assume that the entire Republican caucus, 54 members in all, will be on board.
The bill will likely garner a healthy number of Democratic votes as well, led by the example of New Jersey’s Robert Menendez, the Senate’s most resolute voice on Iran.
But Obama will certainly veto any such legislation. It will take 67 votes to override a presidential veto.
Those who oppose a bad deal with Iran saw encouraging signs that this veto override might happen before the Netanyahu speech. McConnell clearly believes Bibi has made that all the more likely.
Almost from the outset, I thought the speech was a bad political idea — on the grounds that Netanyahu should’ve understood just how enraged the whole plan would make the president, whose hostility to Israel is nearly unprecedented.
Well, I was wrong.
I forgot I was talking about Barack Obama here, whose own political smarts extend as far as his own brilliance in getting himself elected and no further.
The president thought (and I thought) he could use the coming speech to set up a confrontation with Bibi that would make his job of selling the Iran deal easier.
It might have worked if the speech had been a dud. You know, like Obama’s own State of the Union, delivered on the very same spot six weeks ago.
But it wasn’t. It was a triumph — because, unlike Obama, Netanyahu had something of surpassing importance to say, and he said it with force, with strength, with conviction and with grace.
March 3, 2015 | 8:54pm
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives at a joint session of Congress in Washington. Photo: Getty
[h=3]MORE FROM[/h] [h=6]John Podhoretz[/h]
[h=5]Hillary's boring: Worse for her, the 2016 Republicans aren't[/h] [h=5]Anti-Semitic horrors don't exist in Obama's world[/h]
On Tuesday, Bibi Netanyahu gave the speech of his life before a joint session of Congress — and he has Barack Obama to thank for it.
Yes, the very same Barack Obama who hates Bibi, the same Obama who was furious the speech was being given at all, walked the bases full for Netanyahu and served up the sucker pitch he hit for a grand slam.
For six weeks, the president and his team have been letting it be known just how angry they are that the leader of the House of Representatives invited the Israeli prime minister to speak about the threat from Iran.
The enraged leaks and overt hostility toward the head of state of an ally have been unprecedented.
The White House even tried to engineer a mass Democratic boycott of the speech, an effort that either (take your pick) met with success because 50 members of his party agreed to it, or was a failure because 75 percent of elected Democrats on Capitol Hill defied him and chose to attend.
What did all of this do? It made the Netanyahu speech the most important political event of 2015 by far.
It elevated Netanyahu’s powerful case against a nuclear deal with Iran to the highest level possible — so that the leader of a country of 8 million people roughly the size of New Jersey now possesses as much authority to discuss the issue as the leader of the free world.
Obama’s own national security mouthpiece, Ben Rhodes, has said the White House views a deal with Iran as the “biggest thing President Obama will do in his second term on foreign policy.”
Obama’s fit of pique against Netanyahu has led to a man-to-man showdown that will likely complicate that “biggest thing” immensely.
Netanyahu yesterday laid out, calmly and comprehensively, the reasons the deal is likely to be a bad one — and he had not only an audience of Americans vastly larger than he would’ve had if the president hadn’t had his hissy fit, but also the ear of the audience that matters most in this regard.
That audience is the United States Senate.
And his audience heard him.
Tuesday afternoon, after Netanyahu scored his success, Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mc*Connell announced he’ll bring up a piece of legislation requiring Senate consideration of any Iran deal for 60 days.
We can assume that the entire Republican caucus, 54 members in all, will be on board.
The bill will likely garner a healthy number of Democratic votes as well, led by the example of New Jersey’s Robert Menendez, the Senate’s most resolute voice on Iran.
But Obama will certainly veto any such legislation. It will take 67 votes to override a presidential veto.
Those who oppose a bad deal with Iran saw encouraging signs that this veto override might happen before the Netanyahu speech. McConnell clearly believes Bibi has made that all the more likely.
Almost from the outset, I thought the speech was a bad political idea — on the grounds that Netanyahu should’ve understood just how enraged the whole plan would make the president, whose hostility to Israel is nearly unprecedented.
Well, I was wrong.
I forgot I was talking about Barack Obama here, whose own political smarts extend as far as his own brilliance in getting himself elected and no further.
The president thought (and I thought) he could use the coming speech to set up a confrontation with Bibi that would make his job of selling the Iran deal easier.
It might have worked if the speech had been a dud. You know, like Obama’s own State of the Union, delivered on the very same spot six weeks ago.
But it wasn’t. It was a triumph — because, unlike Obama, Netanyahu had something of surpassing importance to say, and he said it with force, with strength, with conviction and with grace.
has the p-5 +1 changed their mind yet? 
has Mr.Netanyahu considered a speech to other members? .....how about a trip to Russia? If Putin says no, any other way to get into the Kremlin?.......................China?
http://www.timesofisrael.com/march-4-2015-netanyahu-obama-congress-iran/
US Secretary of State John Kerry says external factors or politics will not distract from the ongoing nuclear talks with Iran, Reuters reports.
Any deal will have the necessary access and verification measures and will increase the “breakout” time needed for Iran to build a bomb, he says, according to the report.
The US’s top diplomat also stresses that significant gaps remain and challenges lay ahead in the run-up to a political framework by the March 24 target date.
Kerry’s comment comes after he directly refuted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assertion that he presented a “practical alternative” to the current talks during his Congress speech yesterday.
..................
has Mr.Netanyahu considered a speech to other members? .....how about a trip to Russia? If Putin says no, any other way to get into the Kremlin?
.......................China? http://www.timesofisrael.com/march-4-2015-netanyahu-obama-congress-iran/
US Secretary of State John Kerry says external factors or politics will not distract from the ongoing nuclear talks with Iran, Reuters reports.
Any deal will have the necessary access and verification measures and will increase the “breakout” time needed for Iran to build a bomb, he says, according to the report.
The US’s top diplomat also stresses that significant gaps remain and challenges lay ahead in the run-up to a political framework by the March 24 target date.
Kerry’s comment comes after he directly refuted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assertion that he presented a “practical alternative” to the current talks during his Congress speech yesterday.
..................
Flashback, Right again:
SNELLVILLE, Ga. – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney warned voters here Sunday that if President Obama were elected to a second term, “Iran will have a nuclear weapon and the world will change.”
SNELLVILLE, Ga. – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney warned voters here Sunday that if President Obama were elected to a second term, “Iran will have a nuclear weapon and the world will change.”
[h=1]Netanyahu speech divides Dems[/h]
That view wasn’t shared by other top Democrats, who praised Netanyahu’s message as both powerful and necessary amid a time of rising terrorist threats in the Middle East.Rep. Joseph Crowley (N.Y.), vice chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said it was “a very strong speech” in defense of Israel’s position.
Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, called it a “powerful, strong, factual, inspiring” address that “sent a very strong message to the entire world.”
And Rep. Steve Israel (N.Y.), chairman of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, said it was “a brilliant speech” that did “a very effective job” warning Congress of the risks surrounding Obama’s Iran negotiations.
“I was skeptical about the deal going in, I’m just as skeptical after the speech, and I think a significant number of my colleagues are where I am,” Rep. Israel said. “He changed minds. The question is: How many minds did he change?”
That view wasn’t shared by other top Democrats, who praised Netanyahu’s message as both powerful and necessary amid a time of rising terrorist threats in the Middle East.Rep. Joseph Crowley (N.Y.), vice chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said it was “a very strong speech” in defense of Israel’s position.
Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, called it a “powerful, strong, factual, inspiring” address that “sent a very strong message to the entire world.”
And Rep. Steve Israel (N.Y.), chairman of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, said it was “a brilliant speech” that did “a very effective job” warning Congress of the risks surrounding Obama’s Iran negotiations.
“I was skeptical about the deal going in, I’m just as skeptical after the speech, and I think a significant number of my colleagues are where I am,” Rep. Israel said. “He changed minds. The question is: How many minds did he change?”
has the p-5 +1 changed their mind yet?
has Mr.Netanyahu considered a speech to other members? .....how about a trip to Russia? If Putin says no, any other way to get into the Kremlin?
http://www.timesofisrael.com/march-4-2015-netanyahu-obama-congress-iran/
US Secretary of State John Kerry says external factors or politics will not distract from the ongoing nuclear talks with Iran, Reuters reports.
Any deal will have the necessary access and verification measures and will increase the “breakout” time needed for Iran to build a bomb, he says, according to the report.
The US’s top diplomat also stresses that significant gaps remain and challenges lay ahead in the run-up to a political framework by the March 24 target date.
Kerry’s comment comes after he directly refuted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assertion that he presented a “practical alternative” to the current talks during his Congress speech yesterday.
..................
It's great to have a country led by someone who treats his neighbors like they're in a game of Risk, murders his political opponents, and helps Iran cheat in its drive to attain nukes. (That's Russia, for the Schmucks with earflaps in here) What a farce. Problem is the entire UN is a farce. If you removed all the countries that keep their people enslaved from the UN you'd have 2 dozen members states left.
Yo Guesser, is Stewart right?
Jon Stewart mocked the response to Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to a joint session of Congress, telling the audience it it was the "longest blowjob a Jewish man has ever received."
“The in-chamber response to this speech was by far the longest blowjob a Jewish man has ever received” referring to the standing ovation and applause showered on the Prime Minister by most in attendance. He went on to comment, “whether or not Netanyahu achieved his goals of sabotaging a deal with Iran or mistakenly opened up a rift in U.S.-Israeli relations.”
Stewart called Netanyahu's appearance "The Festival of Slights."
The comedian further told his audience, Netanyahu "comes here, publicly slaps Obama in the face, and the president’s response is, 'It’s OK, everyone should know I’m buying him gloves so when he hits me, it doesn’t hurt his hand as much.'"
Stewart also sided with Obama on whether it was appropriate for Speaker of the House John Boehner to invite Netanyahu without clearing it through the White House first. Saying if the reverse had happened, Republicans would've called it "sedition and treason":
"They would’ve gone fucking bananas," he said. "Republicans would have demanded the inviters be arrested for sedition and treason. For God’s sakes, just for France not joining our coalition, Republicans officially had the word ‘French’ removed from Capitol Building fries.”
Jon Stewart mocked the response to Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to a joint session of Congress, telling the audience it it was the "longest blowjob a Jewish man has ever received."
“The in-chamber response to this speech was by far the longest blowjob a Jewish man has ever received” referring to the standing ovation and applause showered on the Prime Minister by most in attendance. He went on to comment, “whether or not Netanyahu achieved his goals of sabotaging a deal with Iran or mistakenly opened up a rift in U.S.-Israeli relations.”
Stewart called Netanyahu's appearance "The Festival of Slights."
The comedian further told his audience, Netanyahu "comes here, publicly slaps Obama in the face, and the president’s response is, 'It’s OK, everyone should know I’m buying him gloves so when he hits me, it doesn’t hurt his hand as much.'"
Stewart also sided with Obama on whether it was appropriate for Speaker of the House John Boehner to invite Netanyahu without clearing it through the White House first. Saying if the reverse had happened, Republicans would've called it "sedition and treason":
"They would’ve gone fucking bananas," he said. "Republicans would have demanded the inviters be arrested for sedition and treason. For God’s sakes, just for France not joining our coalition, Republicans officially had the word ‘French’ removed from Capitol Building fries.”
[h=1]Top 10 Points from Netanyahu’s Speech to Congress Proving He’s Mad[/h]The speech Netanyahu gave to the U.S. Congress today is nothing less than the case for war against Iran. Voters should not, under any circumstances, allow this to hold any weight at all with policy makers – as they did with Iraq in 2003.
Here’s our rundown of the Top 10 points from his speech proving that Netanyahu has lost the plot…
Number One
“I deeply regret that some perceive my being here as political.”
Despite his opening rhetoric praising Obama, Netanyahu and the U.S. President have been known to be in what some have dubbed a hate-hate relationship. This accelerated after Obama won his second-term election, setting Netanyahu’s Republican and Neocon-friendly agenda back at least another four years. His speech in Congress has been seen as a massive breach in diplomatic protocol; so of course his presence is political and it would be crazy to think otherwise.
Number Two
“The remarkable alliance between Israel and the United States has always been above politics and it must always remain above politics.”
Contrary to popular belief Israel and United States are not, at least officially, allies. There is no treaty between the two states detailing any mutual obligations, which stems back to American ties with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; as it would be much harder for the Saudis to work with the U.S. if they were ‘officially’ tied to Israel. If it so wished, the United States could drop Israel literally overnight. So, it might be crazy to assume an alliance, especially with the presence of the tensions mentioned above.
Number Three
“In 1979 Iran was hijacked by religious zealots.”
Interestingly, Netanyahu failed to mention Operation Ajax. This was a covert operation led by the American CIA and British MI6 to ‘hijack’ Iran from the rule of the democratically elected Mohammad Mossadegh, who had refused foreign companies access to Iran’s oil fields, and install the Shah; who promised to do the opposite. Calling the 1979 Iranian revolution a ‘hijacking’ is crazy, it wasn’t pretty, but it is one of the few documented cases of a legitimate revolution against Anglo-American domination and the reason why Iran is constantly framed as an enemy to this day.
This popular bit of historical fantasy also ignore the US and Britain’s role in the installation of the Ayatollah Komeini in 1979. As the deposed Shah himself lamented some years later:
“If you lift up Khomeini’s beard,” he said, “you will find Made In England written under his chin.”
We’ll refer any further questions on this matter over to Zbigniew Brzezinski.
Number Four
“Backed by Iran Assad is slaughtering Syrians, backed by Iran Shi’ite militias are rampaging through Iraq, backed by Iran Houthis are seizing control of Yemen; threatening the strategic straights at the mouth of the Red Sea. Along with the Straight of Hormuz, that would give Iran a second choke point on the world’s oil supply.”
Where do we start with this one? Assad is fighting off an invading army of foreign terrorists, and has said himself that civilian casualties are the unfortunate reality of war – like they would be in any country facing the same situation. Netanyahu’s comments mentioning ‘strategic’ points should be recognised as carefully assembled talking points for a war agenda. He is implying that such ‘strategic’ elements should not be allowed to be under Iranian control. It is crazy to think that Iran should not have a sphere of influence like every other powerful country on Earth.
The denial of a sphere of influence is what this rift is really all about.
Number Five
“Iran is now gobbling up the nations! We must all stand together to stop Iran’s march of conquest, subjugation and terror.”
Now we’re really getting into the depths of Netanyahu’s special breed of crazy. Where exactly is this ‘march of conquest’ occurring? Netanyahu makes reference to Iranian support for Assad and Hezbollah, but in what way is this any different from American support for the Kiev coup-installed leaders and rebels in Syria?
If we want to talk about conquest, we should really examine the case of Israel’s conquest via the building of illegal settlements on Palestinian land; some would go as far to argue that the entire state of Israel is itself an illegal entity.
Number 6
“Don’t be fooled, the battle between Iran and ISIS doesn’t turn Iran into a friend of America. Iran and ISIS are competing for the crown of militant Islam … In this deadly ‘game of thrones’ there is no place for America or Israel.”
By invoking the title of a popular TV series, ‘Game of Thrones‘, Netanyahu and his controllers are undoubtedly attempting to appeal to a wider, perhaps non-politically inclined, dumbed-down audience; in the hope that this quote will run in headlines to attract the a few young clicks of the general public.
Psychological factors aside, Iran’s competition for the crown of Islam is actually waged with Saudi Arabia. It would be crazy to think that Iran cannot help in the fight against ISIS, in fact, now that is the recommended course of action from numerous mainstream analysts. So when you factor in Saudi Arabia and Qatar’s support of ISIS and al Nusra terrorists, then Iran is genuinely at war with Saudi Arabia now. So even by Washington’s measure, Iran is on the right side of the War Against ISIS, but Saudi Arabia may not be.
Number Seven
“Like North Korea, Iran too has defied international inspectors … like North Korea Iran broke the locks and shut off the cameras … Iran not only defies inspectors, it also plays a game of hide and cheat with them … Right now Iran could be hiding more facilities we don’t know about.”
When discussing a hidden nuclear program, no discussion can be complete without mentioning Israel itself. The Israelis have ‘been stealing nuclear secrets and covertly making bombs since the 1950s‘. This fact is conveniently ignored by Western powers. When does Netanyahu plan on allowing IAEA inspections of his nuclear facilities and weapons? Not only is it crazy, but, it’s also immensely hypocritical to try and hold Iran to some gold-standard of nuclear activities when the Israelis themselves fail meet the same standards.
It’s also worth noting that with regards to North Korea, there is still scant, if any proof that North Korea actually has a functioning nuclear weapons arsenal, even though many US politicians insist the regime in Pyongyang is some sort of existential threat to the US.
Number Eight
“I don’t believe Iran’s radical regime will change for the better after this deal … its voracious appetite for aggression grows with each passing year.”
More over-the-top, loaded language. We’ve already discussed above that Iran is far from aggressive, and unlike Israel, it has not repeatedly attacked or invaded its neighbors ‘preemptively’. An ‘appetite for aggression’ is what Netanyahu himself seems to have. Consider last summer’s IDF attack on Gaza under Operation Protective Edge. The original aim of this was to stop homemade rocket fire from Gaza into Israel, which expanded into a ground invasion aimed at destroying “secret tunnels” used to infiltrate Israel. Approximately 2,300 Gazans were killed, over 500 of those were children, and over 50,000 homes were also destroyed by the IDF. If Netanyahu doesn’t see that as aggression, he’s either hiding his own hypocrisy, or he’s crazy.
He doesn’t even like it when Iran is fighting ISIS:
“When it comes to Iran and ISIS, the enemy of your enemy… is your enemy!” , quipped Netanyahu
The ravings of a madman? He’s just making it up as he goes along.
Number Nine
“Stop threatening to annihilate my country, Israel, the one and only Jewish state … If Iran wishes to be treated like a normal country let it act like a normal country.”
Just because Israel is the only ‘Jewish State’ does not necessarily mean that it is the best Jewish state it could possibly be. Moreover, a normal country, in the Westphalian sense, is a nation state that has exclusive control over its territory and domestic political decisions; it is sovereign. Iran is a sovereign state. So what does Netanyahu mean by a ‘normal country’? One that bends to the will of the Anglo-American oligarchy? One that holds 4.5 million Palestinians in a giant open prison system? One could make the argument that Israel is not a sovereign state, at least to some extent, due to its vast dependence on foreign aid; which invariably influences its domestic political decisions. Attempting to frame Iran as out of the ordinary is simply crazy, just look at how booming and modern Tehran is today.
In addition to this, is the painful truth that Iran has not threatened to annihilate Israel. 21WIRE explained recently:
“Israel and its neoconservative supporters are still claiming that “Iran has vowed to wipe Israel off the map”. Netanyahu has repeatedly claimed that, “Iran vows to annihilate Israel.” This is a lie. In fact,this lie will eventually go down in history as one of the biggest lies ever. In both 2005 in Tehran and again in New York City in 2007, Iran’s then President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave speeches that Israel has used this lie in order to justify its permanent war stance against Iran. In both cases, his words were not only taken out of context, but misquoted altogether. The rumors were quickly transformed into justifications for war, with catastrophic implications. Predictably, Netanyahu used these straw man incidents to sound the international alarm that somehow Iran is “preparing another holocaust for the Jewish state”, and even called for Ahmadinejad to be tried for war crimes for “inciting genocide”.
Then it happened again. In November 2014, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei went on a nonsensical Twitter rant, assailing Israel and the United States. Sure, it was a mad social media rant, but hardly a basis for the type of preemptive strike being talked about by Republican members of the US House and Senate. Again, this was immediately seized upon by the Israeli lobby and the reactionary right-wing in the US, who both claimed (once again) that “Iran has vowed to wipe Israel – AND the US off the map!” Of course, when you actually go and read the Twitter rant (which no one seems to have actually done) it’s pretty clear that nothing even remotely threatening was said".
Number Ten
“I can guarantee you this. The days when the Jewish people remained passive in the face of genocidal enemies, those days are over … I can promise you one more thing, even if Israel has to stand alone Israel will stand. But I know that Israel does not stand alone, I know that America stands with Israel, I know that you stand with Israel.”
Hold on a second. When were the ‘days when the Jewish people remained passive’? The methods and organization of the Nazis in their hostilities against the Jewish populations were indeed historic in their brutality, yet, not all Jewish people ‘remained passive in the face of genocidal enemies’, and to use such a sweeping statement is crazy as it dishonours both their name and actions. The Jewish resistance mounted a valiant and fierce resistance during uprisings that occurred in numerous ghettos and concentration camps, while some Jews even managed to assassinate Nazi leaders. The picture below shows members of Jewish militia operating in the Vilinus Ghetto.
Also of importance here is Netanyahu’s assertion of what he believes to be guaranteed American support if he were to attack Iran. As mentioned above, there is no formal alliance and American hegemony is slowly, but surely, on the decline. Netanyahu would be crazy to assume American support for such actions, and even crazier if he thinks American lives should be sacrificed for his genocidal and suicidal ambitions.
Conclusion
Sick of Netanyahu’s crazy tendencies and wild hyperbole? Currently, due to his own failing policies, leading to a disastrous economic situation at home, he is set to lose the next Israeli election in two weeks time. His over-step this week may also help contribute to that end.
We’re surprised we didn’t hear something along the lines of the ‘Axis of Evil‘, although we did come relatively close with the comments documented above. Netanyahu’s rhetoric is from what should be a by-gone era of ‘War on Terror’ fear-mongering. Do not under any circumstances allow this speech to be used to push the world into yet another war.
In closing, we offer some food for thought to American constituents. If your congressman was standing in applause looking, in the words of George Galloway, ‘foolish, craven and suckered’, then you might know who is sending them money. On the other hand, if your congressman was one of the ‘nifty fifty‘ who refused to attend, be sure to reach out and thank them for doing so; make sure they know those actions of war-avoidance are what will get them reelected next term.
Here’s our rundown of the Top 10 points from his speech proving that Netanyahu has lost the plot…
Number One
“I deeply regret that some perceive my being here as political.”
Despite his opening rhetoric praising Obama, Netanyahu and the U.S. President have been known to be in what some have dubbed a hate-hate relationship. This accelerated after Obama won his second-term election, setting Netanyahu’s Republican and Neocon-friendly agenda back at least another four years. His speech in Congress has been seen as a massive breach in diplomatic protocol; so of course his presence is political and it would be crazy to think otherwise.
Number Two
“The remarkable alliance between Israel and the United States has always been above politics and it must always remain above politics.”
Contrary to popular belief Israel and United States are not, at least officially, allies. There is no treaty between the two states detailing any mutual obligations, which stems back to American ties with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; as it would be much harder for the Saudis to work with the U.S. if they were ‘officially’ tied to Israel. If it so wished, the United States could drop Israel literally overnight. So, it might be crazy to assume an alliance, especially with the presence of the tensions mentioned above.
Number Three
“In 1979 Iran was hijacked by religious zealots.”
Interestingly, Netanyahu failed to mention Operation Ajax. This was a covert operation led by the American CIA and British MI6 to ‘hijack’ Iran from the rule of the democratically elected Mohammad Mossadegh, who had refused foreign companies access to Iran’s oil fields, and install the Shah; who promised to do the opposite. Calling the 1979 Iranian revolution a ‘hijacking’ is crazy, it wasn’t pretty, but it is one of the few documented cases of a legitimate revolution against Anglo-American domination and the reason why Iran is constantly framed as an enemy to this day.
This popular bit of historical fantasy also ignore the US and Britain’s role in the installation of the Ayatollah Komeini in 1979. As the deposed Shah himself lamented some years later:
“If you lift up Khomeini’s beard,” he said, “you will find Made In England written under his chin.”
We’ll refer any further questions on this matter over to Zbigniew Brzezinski.
Number Four
“Backed by Iran Assad is slaughtering Syrians, backed by Iran Shi’ite militias are rampaging through Iraq, backed by Iran Houthis are seizing control of Yemen; threatening the strategic straights at the mouth of the Red Sea. Along with the Straight of Hormuz, that would give Iran a second choke point on the world’s oil supply.”
Where do we start with this one? Assad is fighting off an invading army of foreign terrorists, and has said himself that civilian casualties are the unfortunate reality of war – like they would be in any country facing the same situation. Netanyahu’s comments mentioning ‘strategic’ points should be recognised as carefully assembled talking points for a war agenda. He is implying that such ‘strategic’ elements should not be allowed to be under Iranian control. It is crazy to think that Iran should not have a sphere of influence like every other powerful country on Earth.
The denial of a sphere of influence is what this rift is really all about.
Number Five
“Iran is now gobbling up the nations! We must all stand together to stop Iran’s march of conquest, subjugation and terror.”
Now we’re really getting into the depths of Netanyahu’s special breed of crazy. Where exactly is this ‘march of conquest’ occurring? Netanyahu makes reference to Iranian support for Assad and Hezbollah, but in what way is this any different from American support for the Kiev coup-installed leaders and rebels in Syria?
If we want to talk about conquest, we should really examine the case of Israel’s conquest via the building of illegal settlements on Palestinian land; some would go as far to argue that the entire state of Israel is itself an illegal entity.
Number 6
“Don’t be fooled, the battle between Iran and ISIS doesn’t turn Iran into a friend of America. Iran and ISIS are competing for the crown of militant Islam … In this deadly ‘game of thrones’ there is no place for America or Israel.”
By invoking the title of a popular TV series, ‘Game of Thrones‘, Netanyahu and his controllers are undoubtedly attempting to appeal to a wider, perhaps non-politically inclined, dumbed-down audience; in the hope that this quote will run in headlines to attract the a few young clicks of the general public.
Psychological factors aside, Iran’s competition for the crown of Islam is actually waged with Saudi Arabia. It would be crazy to think that Iran cannot help in the fight against ISIS, in fact, now that is the recommended course of action from numerous mainstream analysts. So when you factor in Saudi Arabia and Qatar’s support of ISIS and al Nusra terrorists, then Iran is genuinely at war with Saudi Arabia now. So even by Washington’s measure, Iran is on the right side of the War Against ISIS, but Saudi Arabia may not be.
Number Seven
“Like North Korea, Iran too has defied international inspectors … like North Korea Iran broke the locks and shut off the cameras … Iran not only defies inspectors, it also plays a game of hide and cheat with them … Right now Iran could be hiding more facilities we don’t know about.”
When discussing a hidden nuclear program, no discussion can be complete without mentioning Israel itself. The Israelis have ‘been stealing nuclear secrets and covertly making bombs since the 1950s‘. This fact is conveniently ignored by Western powers. When does Netanyahu plan on allowing IAEA inspections of his nuclear facilities and weapons? Not only is it crazy, but, it’s also immensely hypocritical to try and hold Iran to some gold-standard of nuclear activities when the Israelis themselves fail meet the same standards.
It’s also worth noting that with regards to North Korea, there is still scant, if any proof that North Korea actually has a functioning nuclear weapons arsenal, even though many US politicians insist the regime in Pyongyang is some sort of existential threat to the US.
Number Eight
“I don’t believe Iran’s radical regime will change for the better after this deal … its voracious appetite for aggression grows with each passing year.”
More over-the-top, loaded language. We’ve already discussed above that Iran is far from aggressive, and unlike Israel, it has not repeatedly attacked or invaded its neighbors ‘preemptively’. An ‘appetite for aggression’ is what Netanyahu himself seems to have. Consider last summer’s IDF attack on Gaza under Operation Protective Edge. The original aim of this was to stop homemade rocket fire from Gaza into Israel, which expanded into a ground invasion aimed at destroying “secret tunnels” used to infiltrate Israel. Approximately 2,300 Gazans were killed, over 500 of those were children, and over 50,000 homes were also destroyed by the IDF. If Netanyahu doesn’t see that as aggression, he’s either hiding his own hypocrisy, or he’s crazy.
He doesn’t even like it when Iran is fighting ISIS:
“When it comes to Iran and ISIS, the enemy of your enemy… is your enemy!” , quipped Netanyahu
The ravings of a madman? He’s just making it up as he goes along.
Number Nine
“Stop threatening to annihilate my country, Israel, the one and only Jewish state … If Iran wishes to be treated like a normal country let it act like a normal country.”
Just because Israel is the only ‘Jewish State’ does not necessarily mean that it is the best Jewish state it could possibly be. Moreover, a normal country, in the Westphalian sense, is a nation state that has exclusive control over its territory and domestic political decisions; it is sovereign. Iran is a sovereign state. So what does Netanyahu mean by a ‘normal country’? One that bends to the will of the Anglo-American oligarchy? One that holds 4.5 million Palestinians in a giant open prison system? One could make the argument that Israel is not a sovereign state, at least to some extent, due to its vast dependence on foreign aid; which invariably influences its domestic political decisions. Attempting to frame Iran as out of the ordinary is simply crazy, just look at how booming and modern Tehran is today.
In addition to this, is the painful truth that Iran has not threatened to annihilate Israel. 21WIRE explained recently:
“Israel and its neoconservative supporters are still claiming that “Iran has vowed to wipe Israel off the map”. Netanyahu has repeatedly claimed that, “Iran vows to annihilate Israel.” This is a lie. In fact,this lie will eventually go down in history as one of the biggest lies ever. In both 2005 in Tehran and again in New York City in 2007, Iran’s then President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave speeches that Israel has used this lie in order to justify its permanent war stance against Iran. In both cases, his words were not only taken out of context, but misquoted altogether. The rumors were quickly transformed into justifications for war, with catastrophic implications. Predictably, Netanyahu used these straw man incidents to sound the international alarm that somehow Iran is “preparing another holocaust for the Jewish state”, and even called for Ahmadinejad to be tried for war crimes for “inciting genocide”.
Then it happened again. In November 2014, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei went on a nonsensical Twitter rant, assailing Israel and the United States. Sure, it was a mad social media rant, but hardly a basis for the type of preemptive strike being talked about by Republican members of the US House and Senate. Again, this was immediately seized upon by the Israeli lobby and the reactionary right-wing in the US, who both claimed (once again) that “Iran has vowed to wipe Israel – AND the US off the map!” Of course, when you actually go and read the Twitter rant (which no one seems to have actually done) it’s pretty clear that nothing even remotely threatening was said".
Number Ten
“I can guarantee you this. The days when the Jewish people remained passive in the face of genocidal enemies, those days are over … I can promise you one more thing, even if Israel has to stand alone Israel will stand. But I know that Israel does not stand alone, I know that America stands with Israel, I know that you stand with Israel.”
Hold on a second. When were the ‘days when the Jewish people remained passive’? The methods and organization of the Nazis in their hostilities against the Jewish populations were indeed historic in their brutality, yet, not all Jewish people ‘remained passive in the face of genocidal enemies’, and to use such a sweeping statement is crazy as it dishonours both their name and actions. The Jewish resistance mounted a valiant and fierce resistance during uprisings that occurred in numerous ghettos and concentration camps, while some Jews even managed to assassinate Nazi leaders. The picture below shows members of Jewish militia operating in the Vilinus Ghetto.
Also of importance here is Netanyahu’s assertion of what he believes to be guaranteed American support if he were to attack Iran. As mentioned above, there is no formal alliance and American hegemony is slowly, but surely, on the decline. Netanyahu would be crazy to assume American support for such actions, and even crazier if he thinks American lives should be sacrificed for his genocidal and suicidal ambitions.
Conclusion
Sick of Netanyahu’s crazy tendencies and wild hyperbole? Currently, due to his own failing policies, leading to a disastrous economic situation at home, he is set to lose the next Israeli election in two weeks time. His over-step this week may also help contribute to that end.
We’re surprised we didn’t hear something along the lines of the ‘Axis of Evil‘, although we did come relatively close with the comments documented above. Netanyahu’s rhetoric is from what should be a by-gone era of ‘War on Terror’ fear-mongering. Do not under any circumstances allow this speech to be used to push the world into yet another war.
In closing, we offer some food for thought to American constituents. If your congressman was standing in applause looking, in the words of George Galloway, ‘foolish, craven and suckered’, then you might know who is sending them money. On the other hand, if your congressman was one of the ‘nifty fifty‘ who refused to attend, be sure to reach out and thank them for doing so; make sure they know those actions of war-avoidance are what will get them reelected next term.
Obumble's foreign policy at work.
Sunday Times: Israel, Saudi Arabia cooperating to plan possible Iran attack
Saudis would allow Israel use of air space and provide drones, rescue helicopters and tanker planes, report says.
“Once the Geneva agreement is signed, the military option will be back on the table. The Saudis are furious and are willing to give Israel all the help it needs,” the Times quoted the source as saying.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.558512
Sunday Times: Israel, Saudi Arabia cooperating to plan possible Iran attack
Saudis would allow Israel use of air space and provide drones, rescue helicopters and tanker planes, report says.
“Once the Geneva agreement is signed, the military option will be back on the table. The Saudis are furious and are willing to give Israel all the help it needs,” the Times quoted the source as saying.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.558512
Saddest thing is you don't even know you're a Jew hater. Zbig knows he is. George Galloway? Now there's a MANIACAL Jew hater for ya. What hate site did you get this from? DH you need to run into a wall head first as hard as you can. It's your only shot to unscramble that brain.
#474 seriously some of the sickest nazi shit posted in here since sd2 vomited in this room.
John Stewart's take on Netanyahu, LOL.
http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/13ry42/bibi-s-big-adventure
http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/13ry42/bibi-s-big-adventure
He has made friends here. With the sick, racist, extreme right wing cult that dominates this hell hole. He fits in perfectly. If telling normal, sane people that they are anti Semites, and fake Jews, or whatever other vile invective the Slimy Blood Sucking Tout employs, because they don't agree with his insane views, so much the better, it gets him more points from the sickos.
