9.16.12: Mr. Netanyahu - Partisanship Takes a Holiday

During today's panel, Bob Woodward commented that creating policy in an effort to control angry people just isn't realistic.  We can not do that in this country so how would it be expected that we can do it in other countries especially ones like Egypt and Libya.  The tragic death of Ambassador Chris Stevens wasn't even 12 hours old before it became political. As we all know, Mitt Romney issued a statement that was critical of the President before Mr. Romney had all the facts, and it was widely interpreted as the Republican candidate trying to score cheap political points in a time of genuine crisis.  We could editorialize more about Mr. Romney's wisdom, or lack thereof, in choosing to make this a political issue, but the bottom line is that Mr. Romney made a poor choice.  As a matter of fact, during the panel Congressman Peter King (R-NY) and NBC's Andrea Mitchell sparred over it, in which the congressman came up short in his argument.

Today's first guest, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, stated it correctly in saying that when there is a time of crisis, the United Stated should communicate with a united voice.  What Mr. Romney should have done was waited to get all the information, in the meantime stand behind the U.S. government and the President and let him do his job.  Then, after the crisis, Mr. Romney would then do well to critique the President's performance.  There's no other way to say it, but it's truly a shame that we're so divided here at home spurred by forces desperate for power that we can not speak with one strong voice to the rest of the world. 

As evidenced through the news coverage, Ambassador Rice explained that there was a protest in Benghazi sparked by a controversial video produced here in the United States and that in the context of the protest a coordinated attack by an extreme element (note: Ms. Rice prudently did not specifically mention Al Qaeda) occurred.  The protests have at this point spread across the entire Muslim world with a particularly dangerous flash point being Egypt, where as Jeffrey Goldberg explained, they are angry with everything (see map below).


 

Given that, the first priority is to protect our people and our interests as Ambassador Rice described.  To be sure, the United States hasn't done anything in the past decade that would endear itself to the people of this region so these priorities are in a continual statement of uncertainty.  Congressman Ellison (D-MN) said that pulling international aid away from these countries, particularly Egypt's $1.56 billion, would further inflame tensions.  A reassessment of funds is warranted but not at this time.  And in our interest as Ms. Rice pointed out is that the peace between Egypt and our only true ally in the region (Israel) be maintained.  Not to mention as Andrea Mitchell pointed out, is that Prime Minister Morsi in Egypt knows he needs the aid so it's in his interest to come to a solution as well.

This, of course, brings us to the interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who much more tempered in his responses, not charging that the United States is complicit when it comes to Iran's nuclear weapons ambition.  He explained that his comments earlier in the week were aimed at the general international community but it was clearly implicit that he was talking to the Obama Administration.  Congressman King, when pressed, said that 'yes' the Administration has thrown Israel under the bus so to speak, apparently not having its back in its aggressive posture with Iran.  He also said that Israel doesn't trust the United States at this point, implying that it is due to the actions of the Obama Administration, citing the fact that the President won't meet with Mr. Netanyahu when he is in New York for a gathering of the U.N. General Assembly.  In contrast, Bob Woodward stated that the President hasn't been weak when it comes to Middle East policy and on top of that, Jeffrey Goldberg said that it was in fact the Israeli Prime Minister that has mismanaged the relationship.  The fact of the matter is, as Mr. Netanyahu said, is that the President has said Israel has the right to defend itself.  In light of this, why should the United States coddle the Israelis?  The answer is they shouldn't.

The fact, and Mr. Netanyahu admitted as much, is that both Mr. Romney and Mr. Obama are equally committed to protecting Israel.  And what you can glean from all this is that Mr. King's assessment comes through a partisan lens making it seem more reactionary than reasoned.  In addition, Ms. Rice explained that the sanctions we've imposed on Iran have decimated their economy.  She explained that the Iranians' currency has dropped 40 percent and that their oil production is at an all-time low.  The latter is due in part that they don't have buyers for their oil and they don't have the refineries in country to process it into gasoline.  Imagine if the U.S. Dollar's value dropped 40 percent in this country; there would be shear panic.  All of this has lead to documented in-fighting within the Iranian government.  And going back to our statement about not being able to speak effectively to the international community because you are fractured at home is what is happening in Iran.

But we must weigh those conclusions against the Prime Minister's statement that in 6 months, the Iranians will be 90 percent of the way there [to having a nuclear weapon] so there have to be red lines (lines in the sand if you will) that the Iranians simply can not cross. In those terms, we understand the gravity of the situation, but then when Mr. Netanyahu then says that the Iranians zealotry overshadows its desire for self-preservation, it's the sort of fear mongering that makes the 90 percent claim suspect. 

Earlier in the week, it was clear that Mr. Netanyahu was being critical of the Obama Administration.  Today, he said that he and Israel cherish the bipartisan support they have from the United States.  He claimed the threat that his country faces from Iran is not a partisan issue, but a political one. At least it was true for today's interview.



Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN ); Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, Rep Peter King (R-NY); author of the new book "The Price of Politics," The Washington Post's Bob Woodward; the Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg; and NBC's Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent, Andrea Mitchell.