Terrific speech by Netanyahu to Congress

[Little-Acorn]

Ongoing now. Tune it in.

He is describing the history of people trying to annihilate Jews, reciting quotes from Iran's recent leaders saying they want to do exactly that, pointing out example after example of Iran and other dictators reneging on their word to play nice and restrict their nuclear research... all in the last ten years.

He stated flatly that the greatest threat to the United STATES and Israel, and the rest of the world, is a marriage between a fanatic militant Jihadi state, and nuclear weapons.

Pointed out that just because Iran is helping us fight ISIS, that doesn't mean they are our friend. They and ISIS are competing for the title of Supreme Islamic Jihadi State. "If you defeat ISIS but let Iran get the Bomb, you win the battle but lose the war."

And there's plenty more.

And he hasn't said a word about attacking Iran or any offensive military operations by the West.

Tune it in.

Why can't Western leaders be this cognizant and frank?

[darin]

I thought he pussed-out by 'thanking' Obama...he should have called POTUS on the carpet for the President's BULLSHIT.

[tailfins]

I thought he pussed-out by 'thanking' Obama...he should have called POTUS on the carpet for the President's BULLSHIT.

I think it was a "corporate-style" thank you, similar to when one says to a failed job candidate "thank you for your time".

[NightTrain]

I thought he pussed-out by 'thanking' Obama...he should have called POTUS on the carpet for the President's BULLSHIT.

Unfortunately, he still has to be a politician.

Obama has the power to make things extremely difficult for Israel, and publicly insulting him would have felt great but would have had serious consequences.

Everyone knows what Netanyahu thinks of our bumbling idiot.

[Kathianne]

Unfortunately, he still has to be a politician.

Obama has the power to make things extremely difficult for Israel, and publicly insulting him would have felt great but would have had serious consequences.

Everyone knows what Netanyahu thinks of our bumbling idiot.

Besides, everyone there and most of those watching know exactly how this administration has treated its allies and enemies. Indeed, Benny made clear in his words, that the 'relationships' are between countries, not leaders.

'10 years is a long time in politics, a blink of an eye in our lives and those of our children.' He took the higher road-in public.

[NightTrain]

Just saw the whole speech online - missed part of it before.

That was a very impressive speech. He's a gifted orator, especially considering English isn't his first language.

He covered the Iranian threat nicely - and his message is now known to all Americans who haven't bothered to keep history in mind when considering current events. Iran is a huge factor in the destabilization of the Middle East and it's no secret that it exports terrorism all around the world.

I didn't know Iran tried to kill the Saudi Ambassador and plotted to bomb the Saudi embassy and the Israeli embassy in Washington in 2011... don't know how I missed that.

Circumventing Obama and bringing Israel's message directly to Congress was a brilliant maneuver and shed light on the insane direction Obama is lurching toward. Hopefully this will derail Obama's clueless negotiations with Iran.

It will be interesting (and amusing, I'm sure) to see what the Iranian response will be. They just got a 10 million candlepower spotlight aimed into their dark little corner.

[Kathianne]

Just saw the whole speech online - missed part of it before.

That was a very impressive speech. He's a gifted orator, especially considering English isn't his first language.

He covered the Iranian threat nicely - and his message is now known to all Americans who haven't bothered to keep history in mind when considering current events. Iran is a huge factor in the destabilization of the Middle East and it's no secret that it exports terrorism all around the world.

I didn't know Iran tried to kill the Saudi Ambassador and plotted to bomb the Saudi embassy and the Israeli embassy in Washington in 2011... don't know how I missed that.

Circumventing Obama and bringing Israel's message directly to Congress was a brilliant maneuver and shed light on the insane direction Obama is lurching toward. Hopefully this will derail Obama's clueless negotiations with Iran.

It will be interesting (and amusing, I'm sure) to see what the Iranian response will be. They just got a 10 million candlepower spotlight aimed into their dark little corner.


He certainly is a gifted orator, though much of his education was in American English:


...Between 1956 and 1958, and again from 1963 to 1967,[16] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Netanyahu#cite_note-ynetnews.com-16) his family lived in the United States in Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheltenham_Township,_Pennsylvania), a suburb of Philadelphia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia), where he attended and graduated fromCheltenham High School (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheltenham_High_School) and was active in a debate club (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debate). To this day, he speaks fluent English (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language) and has retained hisPhiladelphia accent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_accent).[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Netanyahu#cite_note-Gresh-17) ...

...After his army service, Netanyahu returned to the United States in late 1972 to study architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Institute_of_Technology). He returned to Israel in October 1973 to serve in the Yom Kippur War (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_Kippur_War) for a 40-day period.[20] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Netanyahu#cite_note-20)While there, he fought in special forces raids along the Suez Canal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Canal), as well as leading a commando team deep into Syrian territory. He then returned to the United States and eventually completed an S.B. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scienti%C3%A6_Baccalaureus) degree[18] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Netanyahu#cite_note-MITDegrees-18) in architecture[21] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Netanyahu#cite_note-21) in 1975 and earned an S.M. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scienti%C3%A6_Magister)[18] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Netanyahu#cite_note-MITDegrees-18) degree from the MIT Sloan School of Management (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIT_Sloan_School_of_Management) in 1977. Concurrently, he studied political science at Harvard University (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_University)...

[aboutime]

What I find interesting, and very informative about how OBAMA, and many Dems boycotted the speech is;

Now the ENTIRE WORLD knows who, and what Obama, and the DEMS really are.

Most of all. The people of ISRAEL no longer need to remind anyone how much they DISTRUST Obama.

It was a great speech that exposed HONEST FACTS, TRUTHFULLY, which Obama, and the Dems have been trying to hide for years.

Finally Obama can now use his Own SHOVEL ready excuses to dig his way around, and out of his LIES.

[Olivia]

Remember Obama said "I will stand with the Muslims" Netanyahu sent Obama a message today! With or without obama's support Netanyahu will do what is necessary to protect Israel. I liked that he acknowledged The holocaust survivor Wiesenthal. I hope I spelled his name right. Great speech made by a real man, a real world class leader!

[Kathianne]

Remember Obama said "I will stand with the Muslims" Netanyahu sent Obama a message today! With or without obama's support Netanyahu will do what is necessary to protect Israel. I liked that he acknowledged The holocaust survivor Wiesenthal. I hope I spelled his name right. Great speech made by a real man, a real world class leader!
Night is probably the most powerful book I ever used with my literature classes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elie_Wiesel



Eliezer "Elie" Wiesel KBE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_British_Empire) (/ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English)ˈ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)ɛ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)l (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)i (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key) w (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)ɪ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)ˈ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)z (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)ɛ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)l (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)/ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English);[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elie_Wiesel#cite_note-2) born September 30, 1928)[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elie_Wiesel#cite_note-britannica.com-3) is a Jewish-American (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Jews)[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elie_Wiesel#cite_note-britannica.com-3) professor and political activist. He is the author of 57 books, including Night (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_(book)), a work based on his experiences as a prisoner in the Auschwitz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auschwitz_concentration_camp), Buna, and Buchenwald (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buchenwald_concentration_camp) concentration camps (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentration_camp).[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elie_Wiesel#cite_note-AP-4) Wiesel is also the Advisory Board chairman of the newspaper Algemeiner Journal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algemeiner_Journal).

When Wiesel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Peace_Prize) in 1986, the Norwegian Nobel Committee (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_Nobel_Committee) called him a "messenger to mankind," stating that through his struggle to come to terms with "his own personal experience of total humiliation and of the utter contempt for humanity shown in Hitler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler)'s death camps," as well as his "practical work in the cause of peace," Wiesel had delivered a powerful message "of peace, atonement and human dignity" to humanity.[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elie_Wiesel#cite_note-5)...

[gabosaurus]

Republicans may have enjoyed the speech. It didn't go down very well in Israel. But perhaps they are just anti-semitic. :p

http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Netanyahu-damages-Israel-US-relations-392783

[aboutime]

Republicans may have enjoyed the speech. It didn't go down very well in Israel. But perhaps they are just anti-semitic. :p

http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Netanyahu-damages-Israel-US-relations-392783


Gabby, the ZIONIST in Kalifornication has spoken.

[Kathianne]

Republicans may have enjoyed the speech. It didn't go down very well in Israel. But perhaps they are just anti-semitic. :p

http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Netanyahu-damages-Israel-US-relations-392783


The speech wasn't aimed at Israel, which Obama knew all along. It was aimed at US Congress and approving any agreement. It was also aimed at Iran.

Oh and the author of the jpost piece? Found at bottom,
The author is a member of Knesset for the Zionist Union.

[aboutime]

The speech wasn't aimed at Israel, which Obama knew all along. It was aimed at US Congress and approving any agreement. It was also aimed at Iran.

Oh and the author of the jpost piece? Found at bottom,


Kathianne. What people like gabby will never mention is. Like our Liberal, Democrat, hate crowd here in the USA. Israel also has some programmed liberal thinking idiots who are convinced Obama fits in with great things like SLICED BREAD.

[LongTermGuy]

`.....I'd like to see them name names.... who actually boycotted it?

`The entire black caucus.... plus Elizabeth "Pocahontas" Warren... and Al "Stuart Smalley" Franken boycotted.....

****Anybody find the list yet?

And what was..Vice President Joe Biden...doing in Guatemala? Rounding up deported illegal aliens? .....

`Oh....wait I have it....:laugh:...Here ya go...


http://thehill.com/homenews/house/23...tanyahu-speech (http://thehill.com/homenews/house/232160-whip-list-dems-skipping-netanyahu-speech)


`....I'm having a difficult time remembering who al franken is...... is this the guy?`

http://servv89pn0aj.sn.sourcedns.com/~gbpprorg/judicial-inc/89al_f4.jpg


`.....But I used to watch Beth Warren on Saturday afternoons`:laugh:


http://images.sodahead.com/polls/003195865/2212678468_warren_tonto_answer_1_xlarge.jpeg

[pete311]

As usual you guys swoon over a superficial speech. Dig a little deeper.
https://www.stratfor.com/weekly/netanyahu-obama-and-geopolitics-speeches

[aboutime]

As usual you guys swoon over a superficial speech. Dig a little deeper.
https://www.stratfor.com/weekly/netanyahu-obama-and-geopolitics-speeches


pete. You could save all of us from wasting time with you if, you just admitted how much you hate Israel, and Jews.

Bet all of your glasses are HALF EMPTY.

[Bilgerat]

https://scontent-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/11052530_653548784751908_678907379732271296_n.jpg? oh=2c5c9f84dc52f40fcef662c794e231d9&oe=5594B3DB

[gabosaurus]

http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/410/582/ded.jpg

[Elessar]

What I find interesting, and very informative about how OBAMA, and many Dems boycotted the speech is;

Now the ENTIRE WORLD knows who, and what Obama, and the DEMS really are.

Most of all. The people of ISRAEL no longer need to remind anyone how much they DISTRUST Obama.

It was a great speech that exposed HONEST FACTS, TRUTHFULLY, which Obama, and the Dems have been trying to hide for years.

Finally Obama can now use his Own SHOVEL ready excuses to dig his way around, and out of his LIES.

Boycotting and ignoring his presence was certainly indicative of just how arrogant and ignorant Obama and the hard-core Lib spoon-pounders are. Maybe if the Prime Minister had requested food stamps, welfare, and all the other "freebies" the Libs want to hand out...Obama and the boycotters might have shown up.

I am really beginning to believe..that deep down in....He is a Muslim at heart...

[Kathianne]

As I thought, Gabby didn't read or see the speech.

[gabosaurus]

I actually did read the text of the speech. It's not anything he hasn't said before. I don't trust Netanyahu for a second. I don't believe he is concerned about anyone except himself. Neither do his political opponents.

[Kathianne]

I actually did read the text of the speech. It's not anything he hasn't said before. I don't trust Netanyahu for a second. I don't believe he is concerned about anyone except himself. Neither do his political opponents.

Pray tell, where did he say that there should be bombs falling? Indeed he argued that if a better deal couldn't be reached, Iran should be 'contained' by sanctions-something Obama has said is his goal-containment.

[LongTermGuy]

http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/410/582/ded.jpg


http://global3.memecdn.com/stupid-liberals_o_3070817.jpg

[darin]

I actually did read the text of the speech. It's not anything he hasn't said before. I don't trust Netanyahu for a second. I don't believe he is concerned about anyone except himself. Neither do his political opponents.

Facinating. Utterly amazed, clinically. Studying your mindset would be a lot of fun - to see how you formed ass-backward viewpoints on most things in life.

Liberals FEAR leadership because leadership demands standards.

[jimnyc]

I actually did read the text of the speech. It's not anything he hasn't said before. I don't trust Netanyahu for a second. I don't believe he is concerned about anyone except himself. Neither do his political opponents.

Coincidentally, that's what Obama said. I wonder where you got those words. :rolleyes:

Obama and other dem idiots also said he offered no alternative. Huh? I thought it was a good idea when he stated that if they wanted to be treated like normal countries, to act like them. That they should cease threatening to destroy Israel. That they dismantle their capabilities and centrifuges. It's simple stuff as he pointed out with comparison - a race car driver can't race without a car - take away their capabilities. But Obama wants to just put a hold on things for 10 years where they can get right back to a bomb in about a year. Netanyahu is spot on. And Gabby simply repeated what she heard from the complaining and pathetic Democrats.

Think about it, a world leader hasn't even left the chamber yet and they are whining all over the place. Pelosi literally acted like a little child who didn't get what she wanted. Watching her facial expressions and how she got up at the end made me want to sit in the balcony section and drop an anvil on her head.

[Kathianne]

From the speech, for Gabby:


...We can insist that restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program not be lifted for as long as Iran continues its aggression in the region and in the world. Before lifting those restrictions, the world should demand that Iran do three things. First, stop its aggression against its neighbors in the Middle East. Second, stop supporting terrorism around the world. And third, stop threatening to annihilate my country, Israel, the one and only Jewish state.

If the world powers are not prepared to insist that Iran change its behavior before a deal is signed, at the very least they should insist that Iran change its behavior before a deal expires. If Iran changes its behavior, the restrictions would be lifted. If Iran doesn’t change its behavior, the restrictions should not be lifted. If Iran wants to be treated like a normal country, let it act like a normal country.

My friends, what about the argument that there’s no alternative to this deal, that Iran’s nuclear know-how cannot be erased, that its nuclear program is so advanced that the best we can do is delay the inevitable, which is essentially what the proposed deal seeks to do? Well, nuclear know-how without nuclear infrastructure doesn’t get you very much. A racecar driver without a car can’t drive. A pilot without a plan can’t fly. Without thousands of centrifuges, tons of enriched uranium or heavy water facilities, Iran can’t make nuclear weapons.

Iran’s nuclear program can be rolled back well-beyond the current proposal by insisting on a better deal and keeping up the pressure on a very vulnerable regime, especially given the recent collapse in the price of oil. Now, if Iran threatens to walk away from the table — and this often happens in a Persian bazaar — call their bluff. They’ll be back, because they need the deal a lot more than you do. And by maintaining the pressure on Iran and on those who do business with Iran, you have the power to make them need it even more.

My friends, for over a year, we’ve been told that no deal is better than a bad deal. Well, this is a bad deal. It’s a very bad deal. We’re better off without it.

Now we’re being told that the only alternative to this bad deal is war. That’s just not true. The alternative to this bad deal is a much better deal. A better deal that doesn’t leave Iran with a vast nuclear infrastructure and such a short break-out time. A better deal that keeps the restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program in place until Iran’s aggression ends. A better deal that won’t give Iran an easy path to the bomb. A better deal that Israel and its neighbors may not like, but with which we could live, literally.

...

[Gunny]

I thought he pussed-out by 'thanking' Obama...he should have called POTUS on the carpet for the President's BULLSHIT.

Agreed. However, diplomacy has a price. Not pissing off the people who have the power is one such.

The only reason Obama's still alive is because of the alternative -- whacko, woman-grasping Joe. Obama needs to just get it over with and go head and join ISIS.

[Olivia]

Coincidentally, that's what Obama said. I wonder where you got those words. :rolleyes:

Obama and other dem idiots also said he offered no alternative. Huh? I thought it was a good idea when he stated that if they wanted to be treated like normal countries, to act like them. That they should cease threatening to destroy Israel. That they dismantle their capabilities and centrifuges. It's simple stuff as he pointed out with comparison - a race car driver can't race without a car - take away their capabilities. But Obama wants to just put a hold on things for 10 years where they can get right back to a bomb in about a year. Netanyahu is spot on. And Gabby simply repeated what she heard from the complaining and pathetic Democrats.

Think about it, a world leader hasn't even left the chamber yet and they are whining all over the place. Pelosi literally acted like a little child who didn't get what she wanted. Watching her facial expressions and how she got up at the end made me want to sit in the balcony section and drop an anvil on her head.


That " you don't have an alternative" is the same lame argument Obama used on Republicans regarding obamacare. Truth is the Republicans had/have several viable alternatives! Democrats are just dumb.

[Perianne]

http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/410/582/ded.jpg

gabosaurus, while I don't always agree with you, I appreciate your sense of humor. (if only you were conservative…..)

[fj1200]

As usual you guys swoon over a superficial speech. Dig a little deeper.
https://www.stratfor.com/weekly/netanyahu-obama-and-geopolitics-speeches

Cliff notes?

[Elessar]

gabosaurus, while I don't always agree with you, I appreciate your sense of humor. (if only you were conservative…..)

I like Gabby. She is interesting, even if I do not see eye-to-eye with her.

At least she has manners - unlike many hard-core LIBs!

[gabosaurus]

Netanyahu wants everything on his plate and nothing for anyone else. How can any nuclear armed state be threatened by a state without nuclear capability?
As for Iran being the leader in supporting Middle East terrorism, that is total BS. Saudi Arabia supports terrorism to a greater extent than anyone. Why doesn't Netanyahu speak out against the Saudis?
This was a campaign speech, pure and simple. It is Netanyahu telling his countrymen that he will protect them, and that support from the US depends on him winning re-election.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OARfLqo-vl4/VPcsVlrURbI/AAAAAAACGTc/1nwWR9WSoyw/s1600/NETANYAHU-911-QUOTE.jpg

[BoogyMan]

Republicans may have enjoyed the speech. It didn't go down very well in Israel. But perhaps they are just anti-semitic. :p

http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Netanyahu-damages-Israel-US-relations-392783

That was written by a member of the Zionist Union party, of course it didn't go down well with him. A little knowledge of the actual players goes a long way, gabs.

[BoogyMan]

This is how, gabs.

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7040&stc=1


Netanyahu wants everything on his plate and nothing for anyone else. How can any nuclear armed state be threatened by a state without nuclear capability?
As for Iran being the leader in supporting Middle East terrorism, that is total BS. Saudi Arabia supports terrorism to a greater extent than anyone. Why doesn't Netanyahu speak out against the Saudis?
This was a campaign speech, pure and simple. It is Netanyahu telling his countrymen that he will protect them, and that support from the US depends on him winning re-election.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OARfLqo-vl4/VPcsVlrURbI/AAAAAAACGTc/1nwWR9WSoyw/s1600/NETANYAHU-911-QUOTE.jpg

[gabosaurus]

Last time I checked, members of the Zionist Union party were still eligible to vote.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/after-netanyahus-speech-zionist-union-still-leads-poll/

[Kathianne]

Netanyahu wants everything on his plate and nothing for anyone else. How can any nuclear armed state be threatened by a state without nuclear capability?
As for Iran being the leader in supporting Middle East terrorism, that is total BS. Saudi Arabia supports terrorism to a greater extent than anyone. Why doesn't Netanyahu speak out against the Saudis?
This was a campaign speech, pure and simple. It is Netanyahu telling his countrymen that he will protect them, and that support from the US depends on him winning re-election.

Saudi Arabia is not taking over other countries, overtly or by proxy. Iran is. Saudi Arabia does operate under Sharia, it does grow those that may well join jihad, such as bin Laden. It does export their extreme version of Islam, Wahhabism. These folks may well be the end of the Sauds.

Support from US does not engender pro-Netanyahu votes. Indeed, his poll ratings have risen with Obama & Co. derision.

[BoogyMan]

Last time I checked, members of the Zionist Union party were still eligible to vote.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/after-netanyahus-speech-zionist-union-still-leads-poll/

Yes, they are. But you spoke as if they were the preponderance of Israel and the truth is pretty far away from that stake you stuck in the ground. :)

[revelarts]

I like Israel and hope they live in peace, but i As i said in another thread I don't like the idea of foreign leaders addressing congress, I don't care who invites them.
as to why, well #1 foreign leaders can only articulate foreign interest.
They don't need to do that in some special session of our congress. if they want their interest known they can go to the President, to the U.S. media, or even have their "think tanks" write PUBLIC reports to send to congressmen to review. And finally sadly their lobbyist on K st. (which is another problem).
We don't need foreign leaders holding court in OUR congress.

I say, let him speak at the Churches, synagogues, or a football stadium. All cool but not in the halls of our legislators.
sorry. i don't even care if i agree with him or not he's a foreigner. Just as foreign as any illegal alien who can't vote when it comes down to it.

But the BASIC problem with A foreign leader holding court to "OUR" elected congressional representatives.
and Boehner should have known it. is that it's unconstitutional.
where's my TEA party tri-corner hats to straiten Boehner out on this one.
Quote:

<tbody>
...There is one key job, however, that the founding fathers assigned to the president alone. The Constitution says that the president “shall receive ambassadors and other public ministers” from foreign governments.
Why did the founders do that? According to Stanford University professor Jack Rakove, who won the Pulitzer Prize for his book on the subject, they entrusted that responsibility to the president for a specific reason: to facilitate bilateral negotiations on complicated matters on behalf of the United States.

Congress has the authority to declare war. The House and Senate hold the purse strings and represent the will of the entire nation. War is also a public, unilateral decision. It required only a “simple and overt declaration,” James Madison wrote in the notes he took at the Constitutional Convention.

In contrast, the president is charged with making peace — and “peace [was] attended with intricate and secret negotiations.” So the founders placed the president in charge of meeting with foreign ministers on delicate matters requiring discretion.

The founding fathers would be horrified by Boehner’s current actions. They had a passion for checks and balances. Madison, the father of the Constitution, distrusted power in the hands of mortal men. He feared both mob and monarchical rule....

Obama is attempting to negotiate an end to the Iranian nuclear crisis.....Boehner disapproves. Or at least he wants Congress and the American public to hear Netanyahu’s advice on the matter at a formal meeting in the U.S. Capitol. Yet inviting the Israeli prime minister is an express — and entirely novel — breach of the Constitution.

Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson was first to reprimand a foreign dignitary for appealing to Congress over the head of the executive. When Edmond-Charles Genet, who represented the revolutionary government of France, sought congressional support in 1793 for a policy opposed by President Washington, Jefferson brought him up short. Even though Jefferson himself had great sympathy for France’s viewpoint.

The president, Jefferson wrote, “must be left to judge for himself what matters his duty . . . may require him to propose to the deliberations of Congress.” Or, as Washington said on another occasion, the Constitution designated him the “sole channel of official intercourse” with foreign nations... Why Boehner’s invite to Netanyahu is unconstitutional (http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2015/03/01/netanyahu-invite-is-a-symptom-of-boehners-grudge-match-against-the-u-s-constitution/)

</tbody>

so even if we LIKE what the foreign leader says ... it's unconstitutional for him to say it to congress to sway them.

any of my Constitution lovin' buds on the right want tell me why it's OK for Boehner to break the constitutional bounders for BiBi or ANY foreign leader? or is this ANOTHER place where we can JUST ignore the founding fathers and the constitution.. for the greater good?
I suspect it is.
--but the 2nd amendment that can't be touched, it's the constitution:flyflag:!!!---

OK yeah i agree with the 2nd amendment but umm... never mind what ever

[revelarts]

more articles on the constitutional problem here.

http://originalismblog.typepad.com/the-originalism-blog/2015/01/is-netanyahus-address-to-congress-unconstitutionalmichael-ramsey.html


irst, Congress has no Article I, Section 8 to host a foreign leader. (Moreover, the necessary and proper clause, the usual refuge of Congress when it lacks an express power, isn’t available here, because Congress isn’t passing a law. The power is only to “make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper…”). Second, reception of foreign leaders is an exclusive power of the President. Article II, Section 3, provides that “he [the President] shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers.” In this situation, Prime Minister Netanyahu, appearing as the official representative of his country, should be classed as a “public Minister.” (The alternative would be a strange result: that the President would receive the Israeli ambassador, but not Israel's head of government). The President’s power here is properly understood as exclusive – both because that is how the reception power has traditionally been regarded since the Washington administration and because that is the implication of specifically calling it out in Article II. Consider the other presidential powers specifically identified in Article II: to make treaties (subject to Senate approval); to nominate judges, ambassadors and other executive officers; to make recess appointments; to execute the law; to commission officers of the United States – all are exclusive. So too is the reception power, which is granted in parallel with these powers.
Of course, a foreign leader may appear before Congress at the invitation of the President (as has happened many times in the past). The President’s reception and communication powers include the power to decide how an ambassador or foreign minister shall be received and with whom he should communicate; the President might think an appropriate reception should include an appearance before Congress. I see no constitutional difficulty with that determination. The present case is different, though, because Congress cannot rely on the President’s reception power for authorization.
As described in The Executive Power over Foreign Affairs (http://www.yalelawjournal.org/article/the-executive-power-over-foreign-affairs), George Washington as President asserted his role as the “sole channel of official intercourse” with foreign nations. (Letter from Washington to the Emperor of Morocco, Dec. 1, 1789, cited at 111 Yale L.J., p. 317; further discussion of the point at pp. 318-322). Notably, Washington quarreled with French ambassador Edmond Genet in 1793, who sought to enlist U.S. support for France in its conflict with Britain. When Washington insisted on neutrality, Genet attempted to communicate directly with Congress, which he suspected was more sympathetic to France than the President. Washington, through Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, responded sharply:...



http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2015/01/25/is-netanyahus-address-to-congress-unconstitutional/


......House Majority leader Boehner indirectly addressed this issue in a comment I heard on the news the other day. He suggested that given that President Obama has been ignoring Congress’ constitutional prerogatives, as by unilaterally rewriting immigration law, Congress can retaliate by ignoring the president’s constitutional prerogatives.

But two constitutional wrongs don’t make a right, and since I give Obama a hard time when he acts unconstitutionally and contrary to the separation of powers, I hereby give Boehner a hard time for inviting Netanyahu despite the absence of any apparent constitutional authority to do so.


UPDATE: A few points arising out of some comments I’ve received.

(1) Just because no one has standing to sue to stop something, doesn’t meant that that something is constitutional. Our elected representatives have an obligation to obey the Constitution even when the courts can’t and won’t get involved, and, for that matter, even when no one is looking.

(2) Here’s the logic of the “unconstitutional” position: (a) the power to receive ambassadors and public ministers a foritiori includes the power to receive foreign heads of state when they are here on diplomatic business; (b) this power is lodged by Constitution in the executive, and, explicitly given to the executive, Congress can’t exercise it unless at the invitation of the president. There is good reason for this, because while Congress has a role in foreign policy, direct diplmoatic relations with foreign governments are exclusive in the executive, so the nation speaks with one voice–Congress could not have its own State Department, for example; and (c) Netanyahu is coming to speak to Congress on a formal diplomatic mission, not for mere private conversation or consultation, and thus the president has to give his assent, or at least Congress shouldn’t do it over the president’s objection. None of these three points is unassailable, but they do strike me as likely being right.
.....



and another
http://opiniojuris.org/2015/01/22/boehners-netanyahu-invite-unconstitutional/

[aboutime]

Nobody in Washington can UNRING the Netanyaho BELL!

They can complain as much as they want about protocol, or other Liberal Excuses till those cows come home. But...HE MADE THE SPEECH. Can anyone reverse that now?

[DLT]

Ongoing now. Tune it in.

He is describing the history of people trying to annihilate Jews, reciting quotes from Iran's recent leaders saying they want to do exactly that, pointing out example after example of Iran and other dictators reneging on their word to play nice and restrict their nuclear research... all in the last ten years.

He stated flatly that the greatest threat to the United STATES and Israel, and the rest of the world, is a marriage between a fanatic militant Jihadi state, and nuclear weapons.

Pointed out that just because Iran is helping us fight ISIS, that doesn't mean they are our friend. They and ISIS are competing for the title of Supreme Islamic Jihadi State. "If you defeat ISIS but let Iran get the Bomb, you win the battle but lose the war."

And there's plenty more.

And he hasn't said a word about attacking Iran or any offensive military operations by the West.

Tune it in.

Why can't Western leaders be this cognizant and frank?

Without reading this entire thread.....I would love to see a video of Netty's speech. Is there one that you know of? I only heard/saw parts of it via talk radio and Fox News.

Once the leftists get rid of those venues by way of their fascist censorship, we will never hear a damned thing again except for their ad infinitum lies and propaganda.

From what I heard, Netty was spot on and made logical sense....which blatantly, by comparison, shows what an insane approach the Obama leftists are taking re: Iran's nuke policy. Insane like a fox, that is, since Obama's senior advisor is obviously pro-Iran.

[aboutime]

DLT.....Here it is....
http://youtu.be/wRf1cdw4IAY


It got better after HARRY REID's WAKE..:laugh2: