It comes as no surprise that the Obama administration’s negotiations with Iran are throwing Israel under the bus and could end up forcing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make a unilateral decision about how to deal with Iran’s nuclear program. Iranian lawmaker and cleric Muhammad Nabavian says negotiations with the United States are “90 percent complete” and the nuclear deal is reportedly set to be enacted on January 20. However, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has been using their lobbying power in the U.S. Senate in an attempt to derail the deal.
Washington Times – The Senate measure, sponsored by Sens. Robert Menendez, New Jersey Democrat; Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat; and Mark Kirk, Illinois Republican, would impose potent new sanctions if the final agreement accords Iran the right of peaceful enrichment. That probably would destroy Mr. Obama’s ability to reach an agreement. Iranian President Hasan Rouhani already is under pressure from his country’s hard-liners to abandon his own willingness to seek a deal. The Menendez-Schumer-Kirk measure would undercut him and put the hard-liners back in control.
Further, the legislation contains language that would commit the United States to military action on behalf of Israel if Israel initiates action against Iran. This language is cleverly worded, suggesting U.S. action should be triggered only if Israel acted in its “legitimate self-defense” and acknowledging “the law of the United States and the constitutional responsibility of Congress to authorize the use of military force,” but the language is stunning in its brazenness and represents, in the view of Andrew Sullivan, the prominent blogger, “an appalling new low in the Israeli government’s grip on the U.S. Congress.”
Jay Carney has promised that if the measure was to pass that Obama would veto it. Obama has pledged to Netanyahu that America has Israel’s back, but I fail to see how negotiating with Iran and leaving Israel out in the cold is having their back. Perhaps, as Cal Thomas mentioned, what he meant was that he has Israel’s back and a knife with which to stab them. That certainly appears to be what he is doing. The deal Netanyahu described as an “historic mistake” will only lead to Iran continuing to pursue their goal of nuclear weaponry, while lying to the United States and the international community about their activities.
Iran’s Nabavian said, “We are not looking for a nuclear bomb, but having a nuclear bomb is necessary to put down Israel.” Nabavian also claimed that Iran would be able to build a nuclear bomb in “two weeks” if it can get “270 kilograms of 20 percent enriched uranium, 10 tons of 5 percent and 20 thousand centrifuges.” But they’re not looking for a nuclear bomb. And if you like your plan, you can keep it.
Cal Thomas also pointed out how foolish it is to trust Iran.
North Korea promised former President Jimmy Carter during his 1994 visit to Pyongyang it would close a nuclear reactor at Yongbyon in exchange for food and humanitarian aid. The reactor was subsequently re-opened. Memo to the Obama administration: tyrants lie.
Unlike North Korea, an officially atheist state, Iranian mullahs have repeatedly said they have a religious duty to annihilate Israel, not to mention America. How do secular diplomats negotiate with people who, in their minds, would be violating “Allah’s will” by making deals with the “great Satan”?
There are several possible reasons why Obama would negotiate with Iran and foolishly trust them to uphold their part of the deal. There is one reason I have not seen mentioned in any article or column and I believe that if it is not the main reason, it is definitely something Obama would consider to be a bonus. A deal with Iran that lifts sanctions and allows them to continue their pursuit of a nuclear bomb under the guise of cutting back their nuclear program would most certainly be throwing Israel under the bus and, at the same time, giving the diplomatic middle finger to Netanyahu. It’s no secret that Obama and Netanyahu dislike each other intensely.
In late November, Obama reportedly asked Netanyahu to “take a breather” from criticizing the deal with Iran, but Netanyahu appears to have no intentions of doing so. At a Hanukkah celebration at the Western Wall last month, Netanyahu stated that Israel will act alone, if necessary, to ensure that Iran never develops nuclear weapons.
The Obama administration has also been leaking information about Israeli military activities. Also last November, an Obama administration official revealed to the Associated Press that it was Israeli aircraft that attacked a military site in Syria, destroying Russian-made SA-125 missiles and other military equipment that Israel believed would end up in the hands of Hezbollah. Israeli media and officials were greatly annoyed with the leaks, with one observing that leaks “could increase the pressure on Syria to retaliate against Israel.” It wasn’t the first time the Obama administration leaked information about Israeli military activities.
With the Syrian chemical weapon ‘crisis’ almost leading to military action which almost certainly would have pulled in Israel, the administration stoking the Syrian coals by leaking Israel military info, and the nuclear deal with Iran that seems designed to allow them to complete a nuclear weapon, it appears highly probable to me that the Obama administration is surreptitiously attempting to get Israel involved in a military conflict. But towards what end?
At a time when American leadership is hostile to Israel, openly in one manner, secretly in another, it is well that Israel has the leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu. With the Obama administration painting Israel into the corner, Israel’s survival may require decisive action on the part of its leader. Netanyahu has made it clear that Israel is prepared to protect itself. Last year while visiting Auschwitz he said, “The leaders of the Allies knew about the Holocaust in real time. They understood exactly what was happening in the death camps. They were asked to act, they could have acted, and they did not. To us Jews the lesson is clear: We must not be complacent in the face of threats of annihilation. We must not bury our heads in the sand or allow others to do the work for us. We will never be helpless again.”
As long as Obama is president, Israel will be on their own. Yes, Obama has talked of being Israel’s friend because he needed the support of American Jews, but he is a lame duck now and doesn’t need them anymore. If his goal truly is to get Israel embroiled in a military conflict, helping Iran achieve their nuclear ambitions by means of a sham deal may just force Netanyahu’s hand. If Iran is about to complete a nuclear bomb, he will have no choice. Maybe then, if it gets that far, we might just be able to find out what Obama is up to.
With friends like the Obama administration, Israel has no need of other enemies. Watching their back to make sure what Obama is doing will keep them plenty busy.
I have thought about this a bit and I can’t make my mind up. One one hand, I don’t trust Obama in the least to do what is right. I do not believe his intentions are good at all.
On the other hand, some of the actions Obama has taken, such as foolishly trusting Iran to keep their word, makes me wonder if there isn’t a good deal of stupidity and nativity mixed in with his “not so good” intentions.
Either way, Israel is in a tough position and may find it necessary to take action to defend themselves. Action which I’m sure Obama will criticize because it will expose his Iran deal for the farce that it is.