As has been widely talked about for weeks, Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu will speak to Congress tomorrow. It is an outrageous breach of protocol because he is doing so without an invitation from The President of the United States and within two weeks of Israel’s elections.
Netanyahu has justified this by declaring that if he can’t stop President Obama from making the currently proposed deal with Iran on no nukes for dropping sanctions, it will fail and make Iran a nuclear power posing an existential threat to Israel.
What many are wondering is, with a string of erroneous predictions of dangers that would strike Israel if the U.S. didn’t do as he says, should Netanyahu’s declarations be trusted.
Thankfully, the diligent staff at PlanetPOV have assembled a list of Netanyahu’s top ten most vehement predictions so that readers can make up their own minds about this.
TOP TEN NETANYAHU DECLARATIONS
10. “I guarantee you that it (going to war in Iraq) will have enormous positive reverberations on the region.”
9. “Having Neil Patrick Harris host the Oscars will make it the most entertaining and highest rated Oscars in history.”
8. “Sarah Palin is a visionary choice for Vice President, I think Senator McCain’s chances of being elected are now assured as is his Presidency being followed by eight years of President Palin.”
7. “As soon as it is launched, New Coke will soon become so widely loved that people will immediately forget there ever was a Classic Coke.”
6. ” There is no safer, more dependable or pleasurable way to travel than on the Hindenburg and its flight to America tomorrow will only prove that.”
5. “It is unfortunate to have to say this but now that Ebola has come to America, two thirds of the population will be infected by March 2015 and with most of America dead, the nation and necessary service will be run by well trained orangutans.”
4. “King George is getting it right by taxing those in America as heavily as he is and not allowing them any political power. This can only result in their acceptance of his rule over them and British control of America for many centuries to come.”
3. “I only needed ten minutes on the manufacturing floor to be able to declare that everyone in America will soon be driving an Edsel.”
2. “There is no doubt that next year, in 2001, America will be traumatized and brought to its knees due to one devastating attack on it…on the upcoming January 1st when it becomes the year 2000 and the Y2K bug sends jets crashing into cities, nuclear power plants blowing up and VCRs permanently flashing ’12:00′.”
1. “I know many people are concerned about him but when I met Germany’s new Chancellor, Mr. Hitler, I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straight forward and trustworthy and we had a very good dialogue. I was able to get a sense of his soul. He’s a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country and I appreciate very much the frank dialogue and that’s the beginning of a very constructive relationship.”
(President George W. Bush later credited Netanyahu for using the same words when he met for the first time with Russian President Vladimir Putin.)
Wow, watching Netanyahu’s speech was really creepy, it was like the US had temporarily ceded its authority to a foreign leader. The Republicans boosted him up as if he was now a co-head of our government and their foreign policy leader.
It was never clearer how out of balance the U.S. relationship is with Israel and how a proven failure at solving conflicts, acting in a humane way towards minorities and promoting peace shouldn’t be given such blind and enthusiastic support nor should their faulty “advice” be given so much weight.
This was an embarrassing day for our country, to have given this lying warmonger so much deference and such a national stage. Cheers to all the Democrats who protested this speech and did not attend.
Creepy is the word for it, AdLib. I just finished watching it (and then doing a little searching for general reaction to it).
He definitely succeeded in throwing red meat to his fan club in the US. It was undeniably the perfect speech for this audience — no big words, graphics like Elie Wiesel, lots of emotion (not emotionS — since there was only one — fear). Simplistic ideas. No recognition of the fact that urging people to show courage in standing up to their aggressive neighbors might hit a nerve in Gaza.
A thoroughly classless stunt. Now he and his co-conspirator, John Boehner, can go have several glass of wine together in the hopes that a month from now they’ll each still have their respective jobs.
Kes, I think Netanyahu and Boehner are likely drinking champagne right now at what they see as a big success in disrespecting Obama, helping Netanyahu get re-elected and manipulating Americans into becoming more fearful and subservient to warmongering leaders.
But the Dem Senators and Congresspeople remain defiant and upset as many Americans are now. Check this out:
http://www.democraticleader.gov/newsroom/pelosi-statement-prime-minister-netanyahus-address-congress/
😆 Great minds!
I JUST finished posting this very same quotation on Morning Blog a minute ago.
I thought Nancy summed things up very nicely.
I know I’m on the right page now! 😉
Iran was watching this verrrry closely. I think they found it instructional.
Funk, in what way do you think they found it instructional? In how to help foster division between Israel and the U.S.? Netanyahu is doing that job for them better than they could.
Ad, a policy of talking to Iran and using diplomacy is far better than jumping into ANOTHER WAR! POTUS is doing the right thing the right way!
To me Boner should be ashamed of himself! So too should the Yahoo dude!
The sign is exactly what he has sold out to – the end of the world – with the Dominionists. I cannot believe he cannot see that Israel is doomed from HIS actions, and from his alliance with the very people who supported the Nazis (the Family on C Street) and who want Israel to fulfill THEIR fantasy about the end of the world.
Deciding that all out war will save you because Dominionsts say so is idiotic. Netanyahu has hammered the final nail in the coffin of Zionism.
Lie down with dogs. Rise up with no country to call your own.
CL – Lie down with racist, hypocritical dogs, indeed! And Netanyahu is such a fraud, in his speech he says, “The enemy of my enemy is my enemy!” and gets a standing ovation…yet he happily cleaves to the Dominionists and Republicans who ultimately root for the destruction of Israel and nearly all of its people to bring about The Rapture.
I’m sure he’s basking right now in his hubris, that he’s really pulled off this stunt to guarantee him re-election and whip those stupid Americans to his warmongering POV but I agree, in the end, he just created a fissure between many Americans and Democrats and Likud’s vision for a collaborative warmongering crusade in the ME.
It will be interesting to see how he fares in his own election. World opinion seems increasingly flowing against his position.
Iran is now fighting with Iraq against ISIS. The mobilization of many peoples against this common enemy – one beyond the capacity of most to remotely understand – is going to change the world. Bibi better catch up.
He has been drum beating “Iran will have a bomb in 205 years!!!” for well over TWENTY years. Iran, unlike Israel, has signed the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty and has submitted to the IAEA inspections. The degree of fearmongering and hypocrisy from Bibi is breathtaking.
Fold in his willingness to receive support from our extremists, and you have a recipe for another WMD hoax, this again perpetrated on the American people and ‘solved’ with American lives. NO MORE.
CL – I think a majority in the US and around the world see that the Prime Minister has no clothes. He’s a well rehearsed fake, he’s been spouting the same fear mongering for decades and has been wrong every time.
He doesn’t care, he seems to take pride in lying, as long as it works.
It will fail again this time and if a nuke agreement can be made with Iran and it works, that will put an end to any credibility for Netanyahu and the Likud fanatics in the future.
I think he’s more likely than not to win re-election but it will be far closer than he could ever have guessed (he’s the one who called the early election because he thought he’d win by a huge margin at the time he called it).
Agreed, AdLib. Only Rachel ‘outed’ Bibi on how often he’s said “IN FIVE YEARS” Iran would have nukes. Starting in 1992 onward. He’s mastered the Big Lie – tell it often enough, people believe it. Problem is, Iran subscribes to the Nuclear Non proliferation treaty, and subjects itself to the international inspections. Israel does NOT. The meme is wearing very thin.
I hope upon hope Bibi loses the election in two weeks. Could not happen to a nicer guy.
CL – Jon Stewart also laid Netanyahu out big time:
What a gift to the world it would be if Netanyahu lost along with his LieGood Party.
AdLib, I just finally had a chance to watch this Jon Stewart segment and it’s just brilliant.
His ability to be Jewish and still to see the humor in what’s going on is so awesome. He’ll be greatly missed. He’s such a totally unique voice. Thanks for posting this!
Classic, Adlib! I do think his comment in 2012 should be included:
“I’m looking forward to my first meeting with President Romney and having discussions about finding a Final Solution to the Palestinian Problem”
PPO – Netanyahu’s role models seem to have been Pinnoccio and 5 year old boys burning up ants with a magnifying glass.
One Netanyahu declaration I left out, “it’s clear that the Seattle Seahawks will win the Suprebowl this year, when the chips are down and with the game at stake in the last minutes, they’ll make the perfect decision to seal their victory.”
Funny, AdLib. Makes you wonder if this man has ever woken up with a happy thought, but I seriously doubt it. He needs the fear mongering because apart from killing innocent Palestinian children, women and the elderly and stealing their land to build illegal settlements, what else is he good at?
My personal favourites are #1 and #6 🙂
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TOO FAR
EVEN ISRAELI HAWKS ARE ANGRY AT NETANYAHU
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/03/01/even-israeli-hawks-are-angry-at-netanyahu.html
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How to look really foolish while pissing off important people back home just weeks before an election.
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Leaked cables show Netanyahu’s Iran bomb claim contradicted by Mossad
Gulf between Israeli secret service and PM revealed in documents shared with the Guardian along with other secrets including CIA bids to contact Hamas
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/23/leaked-spy-cables-netanyahu-iran-bomb-mossad
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Netanyahu’s address to Congress will be most important speech of his life
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/netanyahus-address-to-congress-will-be-most-important-speech-of-his-life/2015/02/28/679aa694-bd10-11e4-9dfb-03366e719af8_story.html
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THE CATASTROPHE BIBI IS COURTING
BY MICHAEL TOMASKY
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/03/02/the-catastrophe-bibi-is-courting.html
Kalima, like most demagogues, I doubt he believes most of the propaganda he spouts. It’s all just a game to types like Netanyahu, controlling others and whipping up his base with exaggerated claims of fear and constant pointing at whoever’s convenient as an enemy that needs to be feared…and thus the public needs to support him to protect themselves from their enemies.
Like any sociopathic leader, he may not feel genuine happy about anything but may get a lot of gratification from confronting any who don’t agree with him and trying to bully them into submission.
But Obama ain’t playin’ that game and neither is the rest of the world.
As the great articles you linked to say, Netanyahu has unwittingly guided many Americans and politicians in the US into reassessing our relationship with Israel.
It has gone on too long, our politicians slavish support for a government that has been cruelly and brutally oppressing so many human beings. Yes, there are those nations and people in the ME who want to see Israel destroyed but the Likud Party’s lifeblood is endless war and fear.
Netanyahu may win his re-election, albeit not as easily as he once thought but by merging with the GOP, Netanyahu will find out that he’s broken the spell there used to be over the US governent and it’s blind acceptance of whatever Israel does.
I was going to say that I am surprised that he has not yet cancelled this moronic PR(?) stunt. Of course, I am not. Funny list, although only in retrospect. The fact that we have survived through all of this dung is a testament to the spirit of humanity.
slm – As long as there are hateful, egotistical people who crave power, there will always be such things. But the real takeaway from this situation is that the adults in the room, Obama’s Admin, will prevail and frame these warmongers and petty politicians as just that.
Well Ad, you have done it again! You posted another excellent reason not to trust Netanyahu. Actually ten good reasons.
Well done and very funny. Not sure if number eight or ten is my favorite. May I claim co-favorites?
Nirek, you absolutely may! Thanks so much!