Netanyahu Says Obama Administration Has No 'Moral Right' to Restrain Jewish State

[jsr]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444017504577645441683187620.html

Israel Blasts U.S. Over Iran
Netanyahu Says Obama Administration Has No 'Moral Right' to Restrain Jewish State
By JOSHUA MITNICK And JAY SOLOMON

TEL AVIV—The rift between top U.S. and Israeli leaders appeared to deepen Tuesday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leveled the sharpest attacks in years by an Israeli leader against Washington, over differences on how to address Iran's nuclear program.

Later Tuesday, both governments said President Barack Obama wouldn't agree to an Israeli request for a meeting between the two leaders at the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York this month. The Israelis said their request was refused; the White House said there was a scheduling conflict and there could be a meeting elsewhere at another time.

The rupture was the result of months of growing Israeli frustration with Mr. Obama's approach to Iran, in which he has stressed diplomacy and punitive sanctions. Mr. Netanyahu has exhorted the Obama administration in vain to set "red lines" that, if crossed, would trigger a U.S. military response.

The blowup is likely to prompt both sides to try to patch over their differences. Nonetheless, the falling-out comes at a fragile moment for Mr. Obama, both in his re-election bid and in the international furor over Iran's nuclear program.

[Agony]

1. 3 billion bucks worth of we can decide whatever "moral right" is appropriate.

[yellerpup]

2. If Netanyahu wants to start a war

then those in this country who are all hot-to-trot to fight Iran should go to Israel and enlist. No matter how many missles are fired, no matter how much money is spent, the problem will eventually have to be solved by diplomacy.

[randome]

11. Congress should offer them a tax break to go.

After all, it's only money that counts, right?

[yellerpup]

19. Any member of Congress who thinks starting a war with Iran

is a good idea -- especially those who have never served in the military/experienced war -- should be encouraged to go. I'd incentive-ize that.

[jberryhill]

3. WTF is stopping you, Bibi?

[notadmblnd]

4. Israel needs to do its own dirty work

[sharp_stick]

5. In that case

I suppose we don't have a moral right to protect it either. Good luck there BiBi, you take care now ok.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

6. By all means, fuckface, do what you want. But don't expect us to help.

Make your own damn red line. But you're buying the paint this time around.

[OutNow]

7. Hey, no problem - the US should just close its checkbook

and tell Netanyahu to go for it. But as long as we are funding the Israeli state by Billions every year we get to have a say.

[orwell]

8. Netanyahu is seeing red lines...

...because preferred Con lapdog Mittens is starting to fade in the polls.

Time for Bibi to start a little "international incident" to help boost Mitten's foreign policy cred.

Sometimes this stuff is too transparent...

[msongs]

9. welfare recipient bites the hand that feeds him nt

[treestar]

10. After all the aid we've given

Yes, we do.

And what is this fit over a scheduling matter?

[Thrill]

12. Beating the war drums

Everyone that will take BiBi's side in this, won't send their own kids to fight. I bet Mittens won't send any of his boys

[progressivebydesign]

13. Sheldon Adelson meddling MUCH???

Why is it that America is supposed to bow down to Israel, again? Honestly.. I know of no other country that expects America to fund it, protect it, and do whatever it wants. Is it the campaign donations?

[Junkdrawer]

14. Could someone diagram that sentence? I could swear Netanyahu confirmed....

statements which, if made by ANYONE else, would be considered antisemitic.

[outsideworld]

15. i am convinced that

Israel wants to cost obama the election .I mean its no secret the prime minster is in bed with Mitt Romney

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. You'd be wrong

Yhis is 100% internal. He needs a war for very internal, read stability of government, reasons.

He is a RW loon with a chip going back to Entebe, and the death of his brother, the size of planet Earth.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. Netanyahu is a RW loon

Many INTERNAL reasons he needs a war.

[Honeycombe8]

17. Oh, my. This is not good, from any angle. nt

[Odin2005]

20. Then we should take away the money we give you, Nut-n-Yahoo.

[area51]

22. +1

The giveaways to Israel must stop; we have a medical emergency in this country with 100,000 people dying per year due to lack of health care.

So STFU Bibi and go fsck yourself.

[Douglas Carpenter]

21. Netanyahu is just trying to sway the November election by attempting to create a rift for Obama

He knows that this puts Obama in a precarious "damned if you do - damned if you don't" situation. He knows that this is a rare chance to possibly influence the results of an election or at least put the President in a difficult position. Although in final analysis Obama has consistently backed the Israeli state on just about everything and actually backed off from any hope of advancing a peace agreement with his earlier criticism of settlement expansion in the Occupied Palestinian Territories - And although, I doubt that Netanyahu is preparing to actually carry out a military strike against Iran - there is still a slight hint of critique coming from this administration and Netanyahu is not about to tolerant even the slightest hint of back talking and insolence from any American president.