Ships passing in the night. Netanyahu lays out an alternative deal. Obama says Netanyahu said nothing new. Translation: War is closer.
Two ships passing in the night.
Netanyahu says: The alternative to a bad deal is a better deal.
Obama says: Netanyahu said nothing new.
Netanyahu says: This deal has a sunset provision. It guarantees the right of Iran to build a nuclear bomb in 10 years.
Obama says: I’m stopping Iran from building a nuclear bomb.
Netanyahu says: Inspectors can verify that Iran cheats, but can’t stop Iran from building a bomb.
Obama says: If we don’t make a deal with Iran now, Iran will just plough ahead with its nuclear pursuit.
Netanyahu says: It’s a Persian bazaar. If you back away from a bad deal now, Iran will be back to the table.
Obama says: No, it won’t.
Netanyahu says: Iran needs a deal more than the West does.
Obama says: It’s now or never.
Netanyahu says: This deal, with its sunset clause, means that after 10 years Iran has the right to build a nuclear bomb.
Obama says:
To that Obama has nothing too say.
Because the bottom line is that Obama conveys weakness in negotiations with Iran.
He accepts Iran’s switching the groundwork.
He accepts Iran’s demand that it be allowed a nuclear program.
He accepts that the original purpose of the negotiations, namely, to uproot Iran’s nuclear program, is cancelled.
He accepts Iran’s basic demands.
John F. Kennedy stood up to the USSR in a game of nuclear chicken.
Khrushchev folded.
This was 1962.
A long time ago.
But one thing hasn’t changed: the mentality of international bullies and dictators.
Iran would fold too, if the sanctions were sustained and stiffened.
Obama is busy, via his inept negotiator John Kerry, not keeping up the pressure on Iran to fold.
Obama is accommodating Iran’s demands.
Obama says: It’s unrealistic that we demand that Iran shut down its nuclear program.
Obama is forgetting: That’s why Iran is at the table: It’s suffering too much under sanctions to go on.
Obama says: Our plan will keep sanctions in place for 10 years.
Netanyahu says: Not good enough. We need to live in 10 years, too.
Netanyahu says: If Israel needs to stand alone, it will. But it will stand.
Translation.
Bottom line.
Israel is threatened in a way that the US is not.
Obama doesn’t live next door to Iran.
Obama doesn’t field Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists armed by Iran.
Obama’s out of office in less than two years. If his prognoses, prescriptions and plans go awry, he has nothing to lose except, maybe, his reputation. His “legacy.”
Netanyahu says: “Israel will stand,” meaning, even if Israel has to go to war.
Netanyahu says: I’m saying that the alternative to a bad deal is not war, but a better deal.
Meaning — simply, obviously, clearly, bluntly, painfully: If a better deal is not forthcoming, war might be forthcoming.
That’s the upshot of the exchange — the speech by Netanyahu, and the response by Obama.
Netanyahu says: For me, for my country, for my people, this is not a theoretical matter.
Netanyahu says: Thank you, Congress, for understanding.
Copyright © 2015 by the Intermountain Jewish News
