Thanks Bibi & Boehner: Senate Democrats Agree To Rally Around Obama on Iran. Even Menendez!

[sabrina 1]

Before the subversive plot, hatched by Netanyahu and Israeli Ambassador to the US, Ron Dermer, to enlist Boehner and his Republican Cohorts to undermine President Obama's (and five other nations') efforts to resolve the Iran Nuclear Program issue peacefully, it looked like they also had the support of Democrats.

Leading the Democratic support for sanctions against the President's wishes, was Senator Menendez who co-sponsored a bill tightening sanctions against Iran, in defiance of the President's policies.

And then came Bibi's and Boehner's ill-advised,undercover scheme to invite Netanyahu to try to influence Congress to vote for that Bill, which Obama had threatened to veto.

The, now infamous, 'Invitation' was not revealed to the WH or to Kerry.

And here is what that outrageous stunt actually accomplished:

Senate Democrats agree to hold off on new Iran sanctions bill



He (Menendez) said he and his Democratic colleagues ‘remain hopeful’ that there will be a diplomatic solution to the Iran nuclear issue. Photograph: J. Scott Applewhite/AP

US Senator Robert Menendez, co-sponsor of legislation that would tighten sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, said on Tuesday he and other Democratic senators would not back passage of the bill until after March 24 and only if there is no framework agreement with Tehran.

“Many of my Democratic colleagues and I have sent a letter to the president telling him that we will not support passage of the Kirk-Menendez bill on the Senate floor until after March 24 and only if there is no political framework agreement,” Menendez said at a Senate Banking Committee hearing.

Just a few weeks ago this would have been impossible, no matter how many calls we made or letters we wrote, and regardless of the President's stated wishes.

But the cabal of co-conspirators accomplished what appeared to be impossible all by themselves.

Condemned here, in Israel and by the five nations, the UK, Germany, France, China and Russia who are working with Obama, the scheme not only failed spectacularly, but Netanyahu's hubris has, it is being reported, given his opponents in Israel's upcoming elections a slight advantage.

There are some things that really do not sit well with the American People, one of them is the appearance that a foreign leader dares to interfere with US National Security Interests in violation of the elected President's stated policies.

One more impossible feat accomplished by the anti-peace, pro-war conspirators, maybe an even more remarkable accomplishment, Fox News hosts finally showed respect for President Obama, on the air. It was a step too far, even for Fox:

Fox News Host, Chris Wallace Slams Netanyahu Over ‘Egregious Snub’ Of Obama

“To make you get a sense of really how, forgive me, wicked this whole thing is,” Wallace continued. “Secretary of State John Kerry met with the Israeli Ambassador to the United States for two hours on Tuesday, and Ron Dermer, the ambassador, according to the State Department, never mentioned the fact that Netanyahu was in negotiations, and finally agreed, to come to Washington, not to see the president but to go to Capitol Hill, speak to a joint session of Congress and criticize the president’s policies.”

“I have to say, I’m shocked,” he added.

Wallace further predicted that Netanyahu might face political backlash in Israel over this “very risk political strategy,” which could damage Israel’s relationship with the United States.

Apparently he was correct in his predictions regarding the backlash in Israel.

The Fox news anchor, Shepard Smith agreed with Wallace and added, “It seems like [Netanyahu's government thinks] we don’t pay attention and that we’re just a bunch of complete morons, the United States citizens, as if we wouldn’t pick up on what’s happening here.”

I hate to agree, Shepard, but one can hardly blame them for thinking this if they watch Fox: they think that 'we're just a bunch of complete morons, the United States citizens

So Bibi and Boehner, thanks again, keep up the good work!

[LittleBlue]

1. Amazing that this is even an issue

In 2015, making efforts toward peace are controversial. The Orange One should ousted as speaker. And I hope Bibi is defeated in the elections.

[Fred Sanders]

2. Boehner would have to resign if the media was not circling the wagons for him.

[sabrina 1]

13. War mongers have a free rein in this country. Our corporate media will never go after them.

Which is a shame. Imagine if we actually had a free press?

[sabrina 1]

3. Ten years of right wing fear mongering, and it's ironic to see the Fox Hosts finally getting a

glimmer of how the war mongers view the American, but missing their own awful role in the world's diminished respect for this country.

Propaganda works. And the Left must do a better job of exposing the for-profit war mongers and turn around this country's perception, as a result of all the lies, that War = Strength when the opposite is true.

Obama's efforts for peace is a demonstration of actual strength.

Choosing to negotiate for Peace rather than War takes a lot of character and this message has been so muted for so long that we are now a country that jumps at the opportunity for violence. And that choice has been a spectacular failure.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

11. yes, isn't it disgusting that they decry this treason....

Blinking innocently with no awareness whatsoever of the irony....and certainly not admitting their complicity.

[sabrina 1]

12. I have to say that Fox more than any other media outlet in this country, are responsible for our

involvement in Iraq and for pushing this country into forever wars.

It is also responsible for the image the world now has of America.

But maybe a candle has been lit in the dark for these two Fox employees.

It's hard to abandon years of indoctrination but their thoughtful reflections on Bibi and how he probably views Americans in general, is a flickering we haven't seen before.

We have to hand it to Netanyahu.

Who knows where we will go from here?

[muntrv]

4. Does the Logan Act apply to Boehner?

[sabrina 1]

5. A lot of people have asked that question. Thom Hartmann made a case for it on his radio show

recently. Among others. But I think it is very unlikely to happen. Though threatening to look into Boehner's participation in what was a foreign leader's attempt to undermine US stated policies on issues that directly affect OUR National Security, is not a bad idea.

When even Faux is shocked, I don't think there is anything to lose politically by making Boehner squirm a little and wonder if Dems are finally growing enough of a spine to engage in the same dirty politics his side has been engaged in for so long.

What wasn't clear in the law, as far as I could see, was whether it applied to elected officials or just ordinary citizens.

Otoh, the Speaker doesn't have the authority to decide US Foreign Policies alone in cahoots with foreign leaders.

[KoKo]

6. Great Post...

Thanks Sabrina!

[karynnj]

7. It is great when really despicable behavior is punished - not rewarded.

The great thing is that it may have given more visibility to the multinational nature of the effort to use diplomacy.

[sabrina 1]

8. With Menendez willing to NOT vote for his own bill, this kind of ends the claim that Bibi's speech

was going to be made to a Joint Session of Congress. At least he has agreed to wait, which is what the President wanted. Also Dems deny knowing about the visit, though they claimed otherwise.

I hope someone gets to Harry Reid now, who more or less dismissed the controversy and stated how nice Netanyahu had been to him and the 'he is a head of state' so 'we'll probably listen to the speech'. He's kind of on the wrong side of this. The WH was REALLY angry over it, rightfully so imo.

Maybe some calls to Sen. Reid would help.

[JI7]

9. where is the troll that has been going around

Saying how dems will side with bibi. And how it's Obama who looks bad ?

Maybe going back to defending police harassment of black kids.

[sabrina 1]

10. Well, I don't know about the troll, but Dems WERE going along with it until this scheme was revealed

Dems 'began to waver' in their support for sanctions AFTER they saw the backlash from the WH and from Israel and Obama's allies from the five nations who have been working on this with him.

Rather than go away, outrage has only grown so Menendez, who no one thought could be dissuaded, clearly sees how serious a slap in the face to the US this was and has agreed to wait, worse, says he won't vote on his own bill if it does come up on the floor.

Republicans may be stupid enough to bring it to the floor, but we have learned that several Republicans are also wavering so that might not happen now.

Sherrod Brown was on the floor asking for them to consider waiting today.

Last week we were asking that Dems not go along with this, but it didn't seem likely.

Whether Bibi will still come to the US or not, we don't know. But he is being slammed at home so we'll see.