Obama called Netanyahu this morning. The White House Press Secretary’s readout is cool. There is not a word offered to save Netanyahu from his embarrassing speech before the UN, and the White House uses the vague “do what we must” to stop Iran language that Obama used at the U.N. Nothing about red lines.
President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke today as part of their regular consultations, and to follow up on Secretary Clinton’s meeting with the Prime Minister. The two leaders discussed a range of security issues, and the President reaffirmed his and our country’s unshakeable commitment to Israel’s security. The two leaders underscored that they are in full agreement on the shared goal of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. The Prime Minister welcomed President Obama’s commitment before the United Nations General Assembly to do what we must to achieve that goal. The two leaders took note of the close cooperation and coordination between the Governments of the United States and Israel regarding the threat posed by Iran – its nuclear program, proliferation, and support for terrorism – and agreed to continue their regular consultations on this issue going forward.
And Romney called him this afternoon!
A friend writes: “During a CNN segment just now on the ‘cool’ Bibi-Obama relationship, the anchor (Suzanne Malveaux) was magically tipped off about the following: ‘Breaking, I’ve actually just been told that Netanyahu and Romney are on the phone at this moment.’ Romney is really playing that Bibi card.” And vice versa.
Bibi’s “worst bloody thing that could happen to Israel” sketch at the UN wasn’t a patch on Dudley Moore and Peter Cook
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88iiMUKepSE
This administration statement is not news — that is simple routine boiler plate. News would have been the cancellation of that “consultation”. This practice, nevertheless, is demeaning for the US to continue paying obeisance to that pipsqueak country. Soon, let us all hope, it will be terminated. Now that would be news.
Something is missing in Netanyahoo’s discourse, then again what is left out may point to the lack of credibility in claiming Iran is on the cusp of developing and using a major nuclear weapon.
Iranian state sponsored\financed terrorism and the fact that if they have fissile material they can make a dirty bomb for their buddies in Hezbollah. Either of these two alone are strong enough to make a case for attack on Iran, further sanctions, or at least hey lets talk about what do to prevent either from happening\continuing.
Why the emphasis on something they don’t have and are not likely to be able to deliver effectively even if they are able to develop the weapon? Maybe its a stupid point, but it looks strange to me and I am asking does the emphasis on what is not there actually indicate something else.
And why is Netanyahoo limited to poster board while presenting such a serious subject? Kennedy had better props in 1962. Khrushchev used a shoe to greater effect in 1960.
ah, I’ve just been tipped off, magically of course, the action against Iran will be named Operation Farce or Hay Fever, they are as yet undecided.
Romney jokes about Netanyahu’s UN bomb graphic:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021434416
Unsure if this video of rabbis meeting Iranian President in NYC has been posted here yet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bCw-oWp1wf8