The jingoistic nationalism surrounding Bibi Netanyahu's speech tomorrow in front of Congress has reached an epic level. The National Review Online, posted an article entitled Netanyahu, Not Obama, Speaks for Us, which exalts the right-wing Likudnik hardliner to almost an almost divine status. He is the defender of Western values (code for White values) while defending the planet from the right wing's Great Satan, Iran. Of course the perception of Iran has been convoluted to reflect the perspective of the ultra-right wing Israelis and Republicans who want nothing more than a holy war with Iran to expedite the Rapture.
This visit by a leader of a foreign country a few weeks before a national Israeli election is marred by unparalleled unorthodoxy with the invitation stemming from the GOP Speaker, John Boehner. By circumventing the State Department, Boehner continues the unprecedented level of disrespect for President Obama and his Administration, including Secretary of State Kerry. More than likely, Netanyahu is facing a tough election on March 17 in Israel, and he is using this trip as a boost to his stature.
Even if the conservative, right-wing zionists in America see him as the quintessential voice of Israel, we must remember he is as much a mandated leader of Israel as the G.O.P. is by way of the Midterms with record-low turnout. His Likud-Beiteinu Party won the election with little over 23% of the vote. There are plenty of other Israelis who do not support his hawkish policies. The NRO just gushes over this man who, with his controversial visit, has justifiably angered both Americans and Israelis.
Right now, nobody on the world stage speaks for civilization the way Netanyahu does. While Barack Obama babbles about the supposedly “legitimate grievances” of those who turn to jihad, Netanyahu talks like this: (clearly merging the Torah with government)
We heed the words of the Jewish prophets Isaiah, Amos, and Jeremiah to treat all with dignity and compassion, to pursue justice and cherish life and to pray and strive for peace. These are the timeless values of my people and these are the Jewish people’s greatest gift to mankind. Let us commit ourselves today to defend these values so that we can defend our freedom and protect our common civilization.Let us commit ourselves today to defend these values so that we can defend our freedom and protect our common civilization.
We can expect the Old Testament-laden rhetoric of the war-mongering Netanyahu to be met with infinite praise at a publication such as the NRO. But to suggest that the P.M. of Israel, who has violated protocol by accepting the invitation by the traitorous Speaker, SPEAKS for the rest of us, is just appalling. Their alleged claim that he is defending the world from their perceived danger of Iran's nuclear proliferation is actually debunked by a former chief of the Mossad.
Former Chief, Meir Dagan (who directed the Mossad from 2002 to 2010)
has been a fierce critic of Netanyahu’s approach to Iran, emerging as a key opponent of a potential Israeli military attack against its nuclear facilities. He says Netanyahu’s trip to Washington, over White House objections, is pointless and counterproductive.
Ahead of Benjamin Netanyahu’s contentious speech to Congress, Dagan says “the person who has caused the greatest strategic damage to Israel on the Iranian issue is the prime minister.”
If there's any doubt that the primary reason for this unctuous fawning over Netanyahu is the perceived audacity President Obama exhibited by criticizing Christianity, when he correctly reminded Americans that Christians have used religion to enact terror, passages like this leave no doubt:
As Barack Obama complains (with scant grasp of the historical context) about how Christians were such gosh-darn meanies a thousand years ago in the Crusades, Netanyahu protects the ability of Muslims today to have free access to the Old City of Jerusalem, even as Jews and Christians are prohibited from visiting the Temple Mount.
Are the fundamentalist Christians of the G.O.P. a little defensive? I think this NRO article leaves little doubt. Obviously, the truth hurts, especially when you need to validate your faith as being the one true religion. Just invite the leader of the "Holy Land" to speak in front of Congress and praise him like you would the return of the Messiah while portraying your own duly-elected president as the anti-Christ for being offended over a glaring lack of protocol. This will portray the leader of the Holy Land as being 'better' than our own president, which will enable Republicans to behave in the same hawkish, bellicose manner as the man who treats Palestinians as poorly as the G.O.P. treats the First Family.
