The message Obama gave to the flagship Israel lobbying organization -- on which he's expected to elaborate when he hosts Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for talks on Iran's nuclear program on Monday -- was simple: His track record on everything from unprecedented levels of military cooperation with Israel to repeatedly running diplomatic interference for it at the U.N. leaves no grounds for doubt that "when the chips are down, I have Israel's back." He vowed to take military action, if that was necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, but at the same time noted that Iran, by common U.S.-Israeli assessment, hasn't yet decided to build an atom bomb. And he made the case that Israel is far better served, right now, by a strategy of pressure and diplomacy that might dissuade Iran from cross that fateful line, than by threatening or launching a war with potentially disastrous consequences without necessarily solving the problem.
"Already, there is too much loose talk of war," Obama warned. "Over the last few weeks, such talk has only benefited the Iranian government, by driving up the price of oil, which they depend upon to fund their nuclear program. For the sake of Israel's security, America's security, and the peace and security of the world, now is not the time for bluster; now is the time to let our increased pressure sink in."
President Obama pointed out that his Administration has imposed unprecedented political, economic and diplomatic pressure on Iran, vowed more, and declared his willingness to use the ultimate sanction -- military force -- should Iran cross the red line of building a nuclear weapon. Having clarified and declared his willingness to use force, as his critics have demanded, he nonetheless set the red line at a point that won't necessarily satisfy them -- Iran building nuclear weapons, rather than having the means to do so. Still, having signaled his willingness to put U.S. blood and treasure on the line to stop Iran becoming a nuclear-armed state, he pivoted to demand that those serious about Israel's best interests allow more time and political space for sanctions and a ramped up diplomatic effort to resolve the issue without a potentially disastrous war.
But Obama was making the case that those most concerned with Israel's security were obliged to resolve the Iran nuclear issue without war if that was possible. And bashing the drums of war does little to help that effort.
Haaretz reports that earlier plans for the two sides to issue a joint statement after the Obama-Netanyahu White House meeting appear to have been shelved. Still, Obama also gave Netanyahu plenty to cheer about, declaring his support for Israel's freedom of action and his support for its right and capability to "defend itself, by itself".....snip~
http://news.yahoo.com/eve-israel-mee...073500869.html
The Israeli President believes Obama is serious? (Peres) Anything unusal about shelving the the joint Statement? It appears the media seems to be saying that Obama has made all this progress with the Israelis. That they Understand him now.
Israel has always had the right to make their own strike and decide to defend itself. So isn't that a useless statement by Obama? Considering the Israeli Government had already released a Statement saying that they did not Need to Inform us so as to reduce any attacks upon us if they did strike. How is this giving Netanyahu something to cheer about?
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