AFTER THE statement by Secretary Hillary Clinton over the weekend saying the U.S. is “not setting deadlines,” which if unmet would mean military action against Iran, Prime Minister Netanyahu responded heatedly in a news conference.
“The world tells Israel, `Wait. There’s still time,’” Netanyahu said Tuesday, according to The Associated Press. “And I say: `Wait for what? Wait until when?’ Those in the international community who refuse to put red lines before Iran don’t have a moral right to place a red light before Israel.” [CBS NEWS]
On Tuesday, the White House distributed to the press a readout of a call President Obama placed to Prime Minister Netanyahu.
President Obama spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu for an hour tonight as a part of their ongoing consultations. The two leaders discussed the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program, and our close cooperation on Iran and other security issues. President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu reaffirmed that they are united in their determination to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and agreed to continue their close consultations going forward. Contrary to reports in the press, there was never a request for Prime Minister Netanyahu to meet with President Obama in Washington, nor was a request for a meeting ever denied.
No one takes advantage of the American election cycle like Mr. Netanyahu.
Netanyahu acts as if Israel is the only country that will be affected if Iran manages to construct a bomb. I guess it will be a very, very small bomb just big enough to take out Israel. Maybe Israel can also make a very, very small bomb to add to their arsenal of very big bombs.
We are decades past the time when we should have let Israel know that while we are happy to continue to sell them weapons, we now consider the nation to be a mature one which can take care of itself, and our aid will now be directed toward the poorest of it’s population and not the government itself.
And if Israel wants to go after Iran, fine, but we will be sitting this one out. As Israel itself has said countless times, its security is it’s own business. Leave. Us. Out.
Raise your hand if you are sick to death of a Janus-faced country which demands aid and support but then denounces any effort to ask concessions in return.
Somehow I don’t like Israel setting American foreign policy when it comes to Iran. I’m not saying we should take our eye off Iran and let them proceed doing whatever they are doing but Netanyahu would love nothing better than to start a conflict with Iran, and would drag the US into it. I trust him about as far as I can throw an elephant. He’s a firebrand.
Bring back Tzipi Livni.
This is a blatant move by Netanyahu to involve himself in our election, and its disgraceful. Netanyahu knows Romney is a empty suit and if he becomes President he will do the dirty work for Israel. If Netanyahu can sway enough votes to Romney, both of them will have us in a shooting war with Iran and then all hell will break loose in the middle east.
All hell may break out in the ME after what has happened there today. We better be very careful. There are more than 1 billion Muslims around the world and I don’t know what kind of firebrands they have in other countries who might decide to sympathize with the Egyptian and Libyan fanatics.