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| In unusual snub, Obama to avoid meeting with Netanyahu |
| 2012-09-11 |
| In a highly unusual rebuff to a close ally, the White House said on Tuesday that President Barack Obama would not meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a U.S. visit later this month, as tensions escalated over how to deal with Iran's nuclear program. The apparent snub, coupled with Netanyahu's sharpened demands for a tougher U.S. line against Iran, threatened to plunge U.S.-Israeli relations into crisis and add pressure on Obama in the final stretch of a tight presidential election campaign. An Israeli official said the White House had refused Netanyahu's request to meet Obama when the Israeli leader visits the United States to attend the U.N. General Assembly, telling the Israelis "the president's schedule will not permit that." White House spokesman Tommy Vietor denied Netanyahu's request had been spurned, insisting instead that the two leaders were attending the General Assembly on different days and would not be in New York at the same time. Netanyahu has had a strained relationship with Obama, but they have met on all but one of his U.S. trips since 2009. The president was on a foreign visit when the prime minister came to the United States in November 2010. By withholding a meeting, Obama could alienate some Jewish and pro-Israel voters as he seeks a second term in the November 6 election. Republican rival Mitt Romney has already accused Obama of being too tough on Israel and not hard enough on Iran. The White House's decision could signal U.S. displeasure with the Israeli leader's intensifying pressure for Obama to set specific red lines on Iran. Word that the two men would not meet came on the same day that Netanyahu said the United States had forfeited its moral right to stop Israel from taking action against Iran's nuclear program because it had refused to be firm with Tehran itself. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #11 TOPIX > WHITE HOUSE: NO RIFT WID ISRAEL OVER IRAN. * SAME > WHITE HOUSE DENIES NETANYAHU SNUB. * LUCIANNE > OBAMA SPOKE TO NETANYAHU FOR AN HOUR THIS EVENING. Benji + Bammer making amends, or the MSM-Net being premature, although as per Benji's statements it doesn't appear he + Bammer made good??? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2012-09-11 23:47 |
| #10 And I suppose DWS will be along shortly to explain that it's only because Obama likes Netanyahu so dang much. |
| Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain 2012-09-11 23:05 |
| #9 WORLD NEWS > NETANYAHU: WORLD POWERS WHO REFUSE TO SET RED LINES ON IRAN HAVE NO RIGHT TO ASK ISRAEL TO HOLD OFF ON ATTACK. * SAME > TOP ISRAELI OFFICIAL: US REFUSAL TO SET "RED LINES" HELPS IRAN REACH NUCLEAR GOALS. * DAILY TIMES.PK > US HAS NO RIGHT TO BLOCK ISRAEL [attack]ON IRAN: NETANYAHU, arguing that the US has forfeited or abrogated its normal right by refusing itself to be firm on Iran. * TOPIX > [Israel] US BACKS OFF ON IRAN ULTIMATUM. versus * DEFENCE.K/FORUMS > IFF IRAN BUILDS BOMB, US WILL HAVE A YEAR [roughly] TO ACT: PANETTA. * NEW POLL: MAJORITY OF AMERICANS [70%] OPPOSE MILITAY STRIKE ON IRAN, according to new poll survey by the Chicago Council for Global Affairs. > 70% oppose non-UN sanctioned milstrike agz Iran, while 51% oppose even iff strike was UN-sanctioned. > 59% oppose the US mil intervening on behalf of Israel iff Israel unilaterally attacks Iran. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2012-09-11 22:04 |
| #8 IMO ... This is possibly one of the worst decisions by the US administration in 2012. Do they really expect no consequences with Israel?? |
| Posted by: Raider 2012-09-11 21:25 |
| #7 Besides, Bibi probably keeps handing him his a$$ on a platter every time they tangle. |
| Posted by: gorb 2012-09-11 20:13 |
| #6 Bibi should publicly meet with Romney and proclaim how the Democrats do not deserve the Jewish vote. |
| Posted by: Water Modem 2012-09-11 19:51 |
| #5 Unlike most politicians, O doesn't have the stones to look someone he's screwed in the eye, shake his hand and pretend nothing ever happened. |
| Posted by: Greash Lumumba3611 2012-09-11 19:36 |
| #4 Looks like the WH is once again again in "damage control". That sound the Bammer + Admin is hearing is the sound of the Jewish-American vote in November flying away, + prolly many of the pro-Israel Catholic + Protestant, etal. vote as well. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2012-09-11 19:36 |
| #3 Obama is BFF with his new mate Morsi |
| Posted by: Fester Clunter7205 2012-09-11 18:13 |
| #2 Forget about it Bibi, Champ isn't going to attend national security meetings and he isn't going to deal with anything before election time. He is voting "Present" despite not being present. Obama is a caricature of a President. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2012-09-11 18:10 |
| #1 Can't have it both ways, Barry. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2012-09-11 18:07 |