Seeking To Cool Tension With Israel, US Sending National Security Adviser, UN Envoy To AIPAC
Source: Associated Press
By MATTHEW LEE | Associated Press | 39 minutes ago in Politics
WASHINGTON (AP) In a bid to ease simmering tensions with Israel over a potential Iran nuclear deal and to make its case for one, the White House has decided against snubbing America's leading pro-Israel lobby and will send President Barack Obama's national security adviser and U.N. ambassador to address its annual policy conference.
The American Israeli Public Affairs Committee announced Thursday that national security adviser Susan Rice and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power will speak to its conference that begins this weekend
U.S. officials had floated the idea of sending a non-Cabinet level official to show displeasure with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress next week in which he will argue against an Iran deal.
In a break with protocol, the invitation for Netanyahu to speak was orchestrated by Republican congressional leaders without input from the White House or State Department, angering senior administration officials who believe it was politically motivated.
Read more: http://www.newser.com/article/fa301a02aec7416d8a03b1797ea95743/seeking-to-cool-tension-with-israel-us-sending-national-security-adviser-un-envoy-to-aipac.html
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Should be entertaining.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)It makes for interesting reading:
http://www.policyconference.org/article/confirmedSpeakers.asp
Rep Steve Israel is speaking there but has already announced he will not attend Bibi's speech to congress.
karynnj
(59,504 posts)It would be unreasonable for anyone to claim these women are not sufficiently important and working on the very issues that face Israel. Rice is as close an adviser as any on foreign policy. On Iran, she is in a great position to be here -- she is not directly involved in the negotiations, but she is certainly in a position to dispute Netanyahu on Iran.
Powers is extremely well positioned as the UN ambassador - ie the person who has had to save Israel from resolutions.
On the other hand, it means the administration does not walk back on Kerry and Biden being busy. AT a hearing before the House, Kerry referenced a long list of things that the State department had done for Israel - I would assume that the administration will insure that the people attending here all that was done.
Although Netanyahu does not like the administration, it is very clear that even just counting the removal of the Syrian chemical weapons and the Iran interim agreement added to the Iron Dome that Obama approved and put in the budget, the administration have done more for Israel's security than Netanyahu himself! From Netanyahu's own admissions, the interim agreement that he screamed against DID move Iran from about a two month to a one year breakout time. It would be very good if - in a straight forward manner - the administration took credit for that. These are the three most significant things helping Israel's security -- and they were all by the US.
BillZBubb
(10,650 posts)The servile deference to AIPAC by both parties.
karynnj
(59,504 posts)Both are incredibly strong women and one problem Rice faced when she was considered for Secretary of State is that she was anything but diplomatic.
AIPAC and Israel also really can't complain as they sent us their belligerent, obnoxious bull in a China shop PM.
BillZBubb
(10,650 posts)Why do they deserve special treatment? Whether or not Rice is servile isn't the issue. The Democrats sending a high ranking official there is.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)and to think,Europe is turning away from Israel in mass.
McKim
(2,412 posts)This is quite bizarre. Is AIPAC a sovereign nation that we send ambassadors to? What on earth!