Netanyahu outlined impossible Iran deal, U.S. official says

[Jefferson23]

Prime minister's demands would be unacceptable not only to Iran, but also to other world powers involved in the nuclear negotiations, the senior official tells Haaretz.

By Barak Ravid | Mar. 4, 2015

*Which has always been their objective.

U.S. President Barack Obama didn’t watch Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s televised speech to Congress on Tuesday, though he read the transcript and was briefed on it afterward by one of his aides. A senior U.S. official said the White House had no contact with Netanyahu or his staff during the prime minister's visit to Washington.

Speaking before a joint session of Congress, Netanyahu warned of the against the deal being negotiated between world powers and Iran, saying it would not block Iran's way to obtain nuclear weapons, but pave way to a nuclear bomb.

Contrary to the expectations raised in briefings by Netanyahu’s staff before the speech, he revealed no classified details about the emerging agreement with Iran. American officials had publicly warned him not to divulge such information, “but we don’t know if our public warnings are the reason” why he didn’t, the official said.

The White House believes Netanyahu not only failed to present an alternative to the emerging agreement, but also presented unrealistic demands for what he would deem a better agreement.

in full: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.645224

[gratuitous]

1. Impossible? Nothing is impossible!

If a good many otherwise canny folk can expect the former Secretary of State to obey an e-mail regulation promulgated more than a year after she left the position, then by golly we can certainly square the circle of Netanyahu's unrealistic demands.

[sabrina 1]

2. Bibi wants the US to go to war with Iran. I have some advice for him, IF he feels that this is

necessary, he is free to use his own military to do so. But he doesn't get to use OURS. The President's approach to Iran is the correct one for OUR NATIONAL INTERESTS.

It's shameful he was allowed into this country after plotting to undermine this country's Foreign Policies.

[Jefferson23]

3. AIPAC Posts Biggest Lobbying Year in 2014 as Netanyahu Goes to Congress ( OpenSecrets )

Close to three dozen Democrats will boycott Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, angry that House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) invited the head-of-state without consulting President Obama.

The rift is emblematic of the tension between the White House and hard-line supporters of Israel on how to deal with Iran’s nuclear aspirations. The Obama Administration has urged patience as it attempts to finish negotiations with the Iranians, while Netanyahu is expected to warn against deals with Iran over its nuclear program. A preview his remarks was available Monday when Netanyahu spoke at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee policy conference.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the purpose of my address to Congress tomorrow is to speak up about a potential deal with Iran that could threaten the survival of Israel,” Netanyahu told AIPAC, the largest pro-Israel lobby in Washington by far and one that has been spending record amounts in recent years to influence a variety of interests including Iranian nuclear proliferation.

The slice of the Democratic caucus that is expected to miss Tuesday’s address is relatively small. What may be lost in the discussion surrounding the boycott is that Democrats have long been the favored party of pro-Israel interests. And just one of the Democrats named by Politico as planning to skip Netanyahu’s speech, Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii, was a top 20 recipient from those interests in 2014.

In that cycle, Democrats received $6.5 million from pro-Israel interests, while Republicans saw just over $5 million. That works out to 56 percent of the cash coming from pro-Israel groups going to Democrats and 44 percent to Republicans. The spread isn’t unusual: Democrats regularly receive over 60 percent of the cash from pro-Israel groups. The only cycle going back to 1990 that Democrats received less than 50 percent of these contributions was 2006, when they pulled in just 48 percent of the money — but Republicans got even less, just 40 percent.

https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2015/03/aipac-posts-biggest-lobbying-year-in-2014-as-netanyahu-goes-to-congress/

* One day, when we demand it..public funded elections. Our support is not based on the merits, never
has been.

[sabrina 1]

4. Foreign Govt Reps buying our Congress, both sides. If only the American people could afford to buy

that kind of influence.

And to think, we thought our votes counted for something.

Thanks, let's hope the contributions to the Dems drop even more.

Maybe then they can start acting in OUR national interests rather Israel's or any other foreign government.

[Jefferson23]

5. Public funded elections, we need to see all lobby groups diminished. n/t

[sabrina 1]

6. Absolutely, I totally agree. It's at the point now where the American people's concerns are of the

least interest to those we elect..

THAT should be the #1 priority from now on. Just voting isn't doing it. Vote only for those who are the most likely to restore this democracy.