Martin Barillas:Obama Said Netanyahu’s Speech was a “Mistake.”
http://www.speroforum.com/a/FMLLKPBDAA7/75633-Netanyahu-contradicts-Obama-on-Iran-policy?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=PYCKVNVHKM28&utm_content=FMLLKPBDAA7&utm_source=news&utm_term=Netanyahu+contradicts+Obama+on+Iran+policy#.VPgnveHIhyI
“House Minority leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was present for Netanyahu’s address but did not greet him as he came into the chamber nor as he left. Afterwards, she released a statement saying that the speech was “an insult to the intelligence of the United States.”
On his return to Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that as a result of his March 2 speech to a joint session of Congress in Washington, “many around the world heard what Israel has to say about the bad deal with Iran.” President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and 60 Democrats of both chambers of Congress were absent at the speech where Netanyahu spoke amidst standing ovations and cheers. Pushing back against critics of the speech (including Obama), Netanyahu said that there are indeed practical alternatives to the current negotiations between the US and Iran over the latter’s nuclear weaponization program.
Despite criticism from Obama, who said that Netanyahu added “nothing new” to the debate over the negotiations, the Israeli premier said that new restrictions on Iran would extend the time needed by the Islamic Republic to build a nuclear weapon. In addition, Netanyahu said he called for not lifting sanctions unless Iran ceases its hostility towards neighboring countries and stops threatening to destroy Israel. He added that both Democrats and Republicans understand that Obama is negotiating a bad deal with Iran.
On March 2, following Netanyahu’s speech, Obama told journalists that “as far as I can tell, there was nothing new” in Netanyahu’s address. “The prime minister didn’t offer any viable alternatives,” Obama said. He also asked Congress to hold up on criticizing his administration until a deal can be reached. He added that he would only agree to a deal that prevents Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
House Minority leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was present for Netanyahu’s address but did not greet him as he came into the chamber nor as he left. Afterwards, she released a statement saying that the speech was “an insult to the intelligence of the United States.”
State Department deputy spokesperson Marie Harf said on March 3 that Netanyahu’s proposal to Congress on talks with Iran is “not in any way a realistic alternative.” She also appeared to contract the Israeli leader. “After my short visit to the United States, I return to Israel knowing that many around the world heard what Israel has to say about the impending deal with Iran,” Netanyahu said in a statement to reporters as he flew back to Israel. “In my speech before the Congress, I presented a practical alternative, which would impose tougher restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program, extending Iran’s breakout time by years,” he said. Netanyahu said world powers should not treat Iran “like a normal country” until it “acts like a normal country.” He went on to describe its support for worldwide terrorism.
For her part, Harf said of his proposal “that’s a wholly unrealistic and, frankly, simplistic argument,” Harf said. Iran changing “everything under the sun in an ideal world” cannot be the US negotiating position of the United States, she said. Harf said that she would “love” Netanyahu to specify the amount of time he would like the “breakout” time extended by the US for Iran.
Before he left the United States, Netanyahu met with some of his critics among the Democrats. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California that his assertion that he spoke for the entire Jewish people was a “rather arrogant statement.”
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