Or has his catering to the Reich Side cause temporal and situational blindness?
After so many years of shock mixed with dismay, I continue to be surprised by the GOP. The latest move, one perfectly countered by the White House, was to invite Bibi Netanyahu to speak before Congress, something calculated to be a slap at Obama and his foreign policy.
Actually, almost everything that comes out of the Speaker's office is calculated to be a slap at Obama, but few have such dangerous entanglements or potential connected to them.
There are several competing players, some behind the scenes, others plainly out in the open. It is worth viewing at this invite from several perspectives, and to view this as a potentially explosive event.
From the Church of Ineffable Stupidity:
Bibi is very much like some of our reactionary TeaBuggered Senators and Congressmen. An utter lack of empathy (unless it suits his immediate political purpose), combined with an innate feeling that MIGHT makes RIGHT, (If you ignore your military and don't keep it used at all times, it will go stale.) a racist-like hatred of and a willingness to demonize your "enemy" in public, and a hyperventilating stream of (un)consciousness that marks most Israeli and USA pols' statements about Iran.
For Bibi, an invitation to speak before the House of Representatives offers a great opportunity for him to push his war-mongering campaign (using US troops, money, blood, intel, and arms/jets/ships/cyberwar) against Iran, just as real progress is being made in negotiations with Teheran. It improves his somewhat questionable chances for re-election, and gives him a huge forum to spew crap.
For Boehner, it is a wonderful chance to try to embarrass the president. "Look who's coming over for dinner, Barack!" Even if Boehner is not the committed ideologue that some in his party are, he repeatedly has to throw them bones and raw meat, otherwise, his continued leadership may be at risk. It also allows Boehner to pay proper homage to Sheldon Adleson's estimated $30 BILLION DOLLARS that Shelly likes to waste on the likes of Newt, Romney, Sarah, and other GOPers. Given how Shelly demands utter, 100% pro-Israel political stances from those politicians that he purchases or leases, Boehner is understandably sensitive to the Pay to Play methodology that is the current post-Citizen's United reality that hangs like a poisonous fog over DC.
For other Israeli pols, this trip is both a danger and a potential advantage. Other trips and political maneuvering (like his trip to Paris after Charlie) have fallen flat and even lessened Bibi's home-based iffy popularity.
Unless a particular politician remains relatively uncorrupted by Shelly, AIPAC, or other providers of pressure and pro-Israeli lobbying, it is simply easier to accept the big bucks, kowtow to Bibi's policies and join in the probable move to threaten, even demand, war with Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, heck, even Belgium when Bibi is greeted with roars and cheering by the House. It will be an embarrassing, regrettable, even scary event. It could even cause a war that might get out of control across the globe. I suspect some of the more over the top congresscritters will give the impression that they are Israeli citizens, rather than elected American legislators sworn to uphold our constitution and laws, and to work on our behalf. Their oaths will appear rather hollow in March when Bibi arrives.
Even if Boehner is not convinced that invading Iran is a good move, too many in his party, especially potential presidential candidates have a lot of skin in the game, and Shelly's billions, plus Bibi's public approval will have some impact on the US presidential race.
Which makes Bibi, Shelly, the Kochs, Boehner, AND the Teabaggers happy. The only thing that would please them even more, would be if we simply declared war on Iran and stopped all negotiations with Teheran.
There is another side to the story. There are other groups that are far more clear-eyed, rational, and knowledgable about the real-politick nature of today's Muddle East. This includes some actual experts in the region, something that is sorely lacking in the House and Senate, especially on the Reich Side. These groups include:
White House
STATE
CIA
Mossad
plus, a whole shyteload of people who understand the region, the egos, the delicacy, and the need for honest nuke-based negotiations.
The idea of seeing a room full of hysterical, adoring Congresscritters cheering on Bibi like the One True Love of their pathetic lives scares and disgusts me. The Congressional display we are about to witless will be at best nauseous, and at worst, the first step into a horrific war that could stretch to every country in our tiny abused globe.
We know where State stands. They adamantly state that negotiations are working, that a even-handed, fair, and respectful approach will make even more progress, and possibly to a real, enforceable agreement that would benefit everyone, especially Israel, in the process.
We know where CIA stands. They have argued and deliberately leaked their studies, their analysis, and surprise, surprise, it matches what State is saying.
We know where the White House stands. Obama has privately and publically warned against any congressional interference because of the huge downside should the TeaBuggerers act as rationally and maturely as they have in the past.
The real surprise? The jaw dropping, unbelievable, eye-opening, shocking, hair on fire, crap your pants in surprise that just took place?
The Mossad intelligence agency has warned U.S. lawmakers that a new Iran sanctions bill in Congress would jeopardize the negotiations over the Islamic Republic's nuclear program, Bloomberg reported Wednesday. The warning went against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's stance on the matter.
Several U.S. senators have been pushing to pass new sanctions on Iran as talks between the Islamic Republic and six world powers over its nuclear program drag on. But U.S. President Barack Obama warned on Tuesday he would veto any bills to that effect, saying that such legislation "will all but guarantee that diplomacy fails. . . .
According to Bloomberg, Israeli intelligence agents have been briefing Obama administration officials and U.S. senators about their concerns, specifically with regard to a bill authored by Republican Mark Kirk and Democrat Robert Menendez. The proposed legislation would increase sanctions on Iran if a nuclear agreement isn't struck by June 30, or if Tehran fails to uphold its end of the deal. . .
Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday quoted an unidentified Israeli intelligence official as saying that adding sanctions now "would be like throwing a grenade into the process." According to the report in Bloomberg, initial warning from Mossad officials was delivered last week to a Congressional delegation visiting Israel.
Haaretz.
Never in my 57 orbits of this flat earth around that bright sky ball have I ever heard about the top intel group of one nation, deliberately contradicting and objecting to the political and military aims of its elected leader. Not just privately, which I am sure is rather more common. No, this was public. In person to US senators and congressmen. Even to the press. That makes it even more shocking and informative. And important.
It is amazing that Mossad thought that this issue was so important that it was worth a public display of disagreement. In the US.
Has there every been a foreign intel service that has acted like this? Has any other country's intel service warned another sovereign nation against following the advice and demands of that country's top politician? Can you imagine John Kerry or John Brennan flying to Russia, and telling Putin's Politburo not to listen to anything that Barack Obama was promoting during his next visit? To quote Joe Biden on the ACA, this is a HUGE Fucking Deal!
Perhaps, during the 4th crusade, 1202-4 CE, when the plan was to attack the middle east and retake Jerusalem via Egypt and throw all of those evil Saracens into the Red Sea, someone managed to convince the Crusade commanders that this was a a huge mistake, convincing them to attack Constantinople instead. (destroying christianity as a potent miliary-social-economic force in that region ever since)
The problem is that TeaBuggers, and too many in today's GOP are immune to facts, truth, and rational thinking. Despite having such a losing record on economics, politics, social issues, they continue to be elected, and they continue to ignore the damaging impact of their bad policy ideas. Sen. Ernst (TeaBugger- Iowa) is a prime example of someone who ignores facts whenever they conflict with her itty bitty, teeny tiny, insignificant, effectively shuttered mind. She is not alone.
If things go badly, (which is very likely) if Bibi convinces the US House and Senate to pass truly idiotic legislation, or somehow bind the Administration from doing its job diplomatically, and if this meeting changes our current path, all negotiations between Iran and the US are dead. If that happens, start building a bomb shelter in your back yard. You may need it. After all, Syria, Russia, Iran, and other key nations are finding a similarity of purpose, especially in the face of unfettered US aggression and war-like posturing.
What I would like to see is a protest. In Washington. In front of the Capitol. In front of Boehner. Visible and audible to Bibi, and to everyone in congress. I would like to see people stand up and complain about just how poorly Israel has been treating Palestine, and how it continues to make that whole region ever more unstable.
So how did the White House react to Boehner's done deal pronouncement about Bibi's visit in March? It was just perfect:
Obama administration officials insisted the reason for the apparent diplomatic snub was “long-standing practice and principle” that US presidents should not meet foreign leaders during re-election campaigns.
“Accordingly, the president will not be meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu because of the proximity to the Israeli election, which is just two weeks after his planned address to the US Congress,” national security council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said.
White House tells Boehner to go Cheney Himself.
Just as importantly, how will Israel react to this mess? Probably not quite like Bibi predicted or hoped. Other moves have backfired, and this one is a real doozy.
Lastly, how will Iran react? On the surface, with anger at Israel, especially after the cold blooded murder of a high ranking general by Israeli military. More rational folks will see through the crap and realize that this is a bad mix of bad domestic policy being pushed by a small group of insane Teabaggers, as it interacts with the complex, delicate, and critically important negotiations that continue between Iran and the West. Hopefully, they will be more understanding and open to facts than our Congress is.