NEW YORK DAILY NEWS / EDITORIAL / Saturday, February 14, 2015

President Obama should listen to the prime minister, too

In just over two weeks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to address a joint session of Congress. Welcome, Mr. Prime Minister.

Leader of a country that is a close U.S. ally yet is accorded near disdain by President Obama, Netanyahu is coming to speak about the Jewish state’s very survival. The House and Senate — in full — should hear him out.

That members of both bodies plan to boycott Netanyahu’s appearance is a marker of how disgracefully low and shallow America’s politics have become.

There is upset among Democrats because Netanyahu’s message is sure to directly challenge Obama’s nuclear negotiating posture with Iran as a crucial deadline for framing a deal looms.

Well aware that Netanyahu will pull no punches, Obama has huffed that Republican House Speaker John Boehner broke protocol by inviting Netanyahu and puffed that the White House does not invite world leaders who are standing for election so as to avoid appearing to meddle in politics elsewhere.

Thus prodded, at least 20 members of Congress, including at least two members of New York’s delegation, are planning to stay home. Little minds see a Republican plot to embarrass Democrats; poisoned ones play the race card.

“It’s not simply about President Obama being a black man disrespected by a foreign leader,” said Georgia Rep. Hank Johnson.

Vermont Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders have led the Democratic boycott charge. New York Reps. Charlie Rangel of Manhattan and Greg Meeks of Queens have joined in.

Consistent with the grave consequences that could befall Israel if Obama fails to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program — as he seems highly unlikely to do — Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand plan to attend. As do most members of the city’s House delegation.

This is a moment to put global security and solidarity ahead of petty, partisan one-upmanship.

For what is perceived in Washington as a political struggle between two strong-willed leaders is rightly seen in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as a life-and-death issue.

Obama is on the verge of a fateful March 1 deadline for agreeing on a preliminary framework for a deal with Tehran by July.

If Iran is left with thousands of spinning centrifuges, as reports suggest will be the case, the mullahs could stockpile enough weapons-grade uranium to create a warhead in six months to a year.

If an agreement lifts economic sanctions in one fell swoop as the mullahs demand, rather than peeling them back slowly as Tehran demonstrates compliance, the rush to the bomb will happen that much faster.

Should Iran go nuclear, it will be emboldened to enlarge its widening scope of influence across the Middle East. And foment Hamas and Hezbollah terrorism.

And endanger Israel, the nation that Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said must die.

On Twitter, the so-called supreme leader told the world: “This barbaric, wolflike & infanticidal regime of Israel which spares no crime has no cure but to be annihilated.”

Even Iran’s supposedly moderate president, Hassan Rouhani, has called Israel a “festering Zionist tumor.”

As Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel wrote Friday to members of Congress and the President:

“I plead with you to put aside the politics that have obscured the critical decisions to be made. Surely it is within your power to find a solution that will permit Israel’s prime minister to deliver his urgent message.”

A friend in need is sending up a emergency flare. All should respond with complete attention.

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/edito...63?comment=true
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The comments under this editorial are brutal. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders are leading the boycott charge. Damn free speech and damn dialogue, the feelings of president Obama have been hurt. The Fuhrer feels dissed.


This diss will not stand!

But Chuck Schumer plans to attend. Good for him! I bet we get Alan Dershowitz in our corner on this one as well. The survival of the Nation of Israel is hanging in the balance and the turds from VT want to play false protocol politics.

For the counter points to the breach of protocol fraud being foisted on America by the administration, the dems and the lapdog press see this article in American Thinker

"It's time to pushback on the lies of the Netanyahu speech boycott movement"

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2015...t_movement.html

TM