04-21-2015, 10:07 PM
(04-21-2015, 08:39 PM)Jimbone Wrote: They may have been 'trolling' Netanyahu, but he was right and they knew it.
What? The White House knew that Netanyahu was right?
I don't know who you talk to in the White House Jimbone, but I believe that the White House and Netanyahu really do have a profound and sincere disagreement in regards to the Iran negotiations.
-We know that Netanyahu was not right about Iran being only 3 to 5 years away from being a nuclear state when he made that claim in 1992.
-We know that Netanyahu was not right in his 1995 book, “Fighting Terrorism,” when he again said that Iran was on 3 to 5 years away from being a nuclear state.
-We know that he was wrong again when he told Congress in 2002 that Iraq’s nonexistent nuclear program was in fact so advanced that the country was now operating “centrifuges the size of washing machines.”
-We know that it was misleading in 2012 when he told the United Nations that Iran was right on the verge of obtaining a nuclear weapon (a claim that was contradicted by Israeli intelligence which concluded that Iran was “not performing the activity necessary to produce weapons”).
Obviously, IMO, the White House knows at least as much as "we" (the literate general public) know when it comes to the nuclear capabilities of Iran, and the accuracy of Netanyahu's claims and predictions.
Still, the US is Israel's staunchest ally. We protect them in a region where they are surrounded by their enemies. We hand them 3.5 billion USD per year for defense. We contribute to their Iron Dome and national security. We don't insist that they make their nuclear arsenal available to international inspections like we do for other countries, etc...
Are they our allies? Yes, I do believe so. I don't think we should turn our backs on Israel, and I do think we should look to re-strengthen our diplomatic relationship with Israel.
But, the US's relationship with Israel should not be made or broken on the condition that we believe everything that Netanyahu himself claims. And, Benjamin Netanyahu shouldn't be dictating US or European foreign policy. I'm glad the P5+1 leaders are stronger than to let him do so.
IMO, the Iran deal is good for everyone, including the people of Israel. I understand why it's opposed by Netanyahu and some US Republicans -- differences of mindsets, opinions, and motivations. Understood.
But, to insist that "they knew he was right" -- in reference to the White House's (and the five other global leaders') view of Netanyahu's stance on negotiating with Iran -- makes no sense to me at all.
So, why do you think that the leaders of the US, Russia, China, France, Germany and the UK negotiated a deal which conflicts absolutely with Netanyahu's stance if "they knew he was right"?