Ynet's National Security Correspondent urges prime minister to consider the consequences of his address, in the face of such strong opposition from the Obama administration. To the honorable prime minister,
I turn to you as a concerned Israeli citizen who, like you, is losing sleep over Iran's attempt to go nuclear. But I ask you, for the sake of Israel's security, do not go through with this speech you are set to deliver on Tuesday before a joint session of the US Congress.
Go to Washington DC, talk to AIPAC, meet Congressional leadership from both sides of the aisle, and give a string of interviews. On the way home, stops in Berlin, Paris and London, and hold meetings with Merkel, Hollande and Cameron. Don't forget Putin in Moscow – although your chances with him are slim.
Such a diplomatic offensive - blending public and classic diplomacy - like that of the other partners of the nuclear talks, has a good chance of preventing or at least improving the bad deal currently being hatched with Iran. Such a mission would not harm Israel's interests, unlike the speech you plan to give on the Hill despite of opposition by the US president, his government officials and senior Democrats.
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You know better than me that according to the Constitution and the principle of the division of government it is the executive – the president and his government – who have the prerogative to sign international deals with foreign states. Just like the deal currently being negotiated with Iran does not demand Congressional confirmation. So why give Obama an excuse? He will obviously not want to appear to be caving in to the pressure you and your Republican allies have exerted, and might as a result even choose to compromise further and reach a deal with the Iranian Ayatollahs.
You see Mr. Netanyahu, the Republicans in both houses are currently trying to push through a special bill that would force Obama to bring any deal with Iran to congressional vote. It is far from certain such a bill would even pass. But even if it does, it will mean only one thing: That Obama will not be able to make good on his promise to the Iranians to remove the sanctions imposed by the US.
The other five powers (Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany), the partners to these sanctions which were levied as part of the UN and the current round of negotiations with Iran, would still be free to act as they see fit. There is no doubt at this point that these five will gradually start lifting the sanctions regardless of what the US Congress decides or how loud you (and Gulf state leaders) scream foul. Russia and China even stand to gain economically in such a scenario.
And when that happens, the economic pressure on Iran will significantly decrease, and with it the chance of delaying an Iranian bomb by 10 or 15 years. Without the Europeans and China, the sanction offensive collapses. Therefore, it is so very important that you, Mr. Netanyahu, address Europe, and do not ignore them so insultingly, as you will when focus on the US. In doing so, you are acting like an American politician, not like a statesman on the international stage.
One possible win from your Congress address is an additional sanctions "package", stronger and more devastating than its predecessors, so as to force Iran to compromise; or to put it more accurately – Congress could force Obama to impose additional sanctions – while talks are in progress or right after they collapse. But the chances of such a scenario have already dropped to nearly zero. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7...632114,00.html
The military ship San Giorgio off Libya
Navy ships off the coast of Libya , officially engaged in an exercise but - according to the newspaper La Stampa that he anticipated the news - "ready to intervene in case of need."The ships should stop at the border of the territorial waters of Tripoli. Italian naval group is part of the "San Giorgio", started from Brindisi, who has embarked in La Spezia the raiders of the battalion San Marco , the power elite army.According to the newspaper, the arrival of the Italian ship off the coast of Libya would be required to protect the strategic and commercial interests of Italy, beginning Greenstream, the underwater pipeline of 'Eni , which runs for 520 kilometers in the Mediterranean , from the compression station Mellitah up to the terminal of Gela, Sicily. So far, the structure is protected by 20 000 men of the guard loyal to the legitimate government of Tobruk but, given the precarious balance of the area, the Italian naval force would be ready to intervene.The government Renzi has ruled out any military operation and in fact the St. George and the convoy should stay in Italian waters but, concludes the article in the Turin daily, "in recent weeks the Navy is stepping maneuvers in the Mediterranean and from March 2 to return perform the ' Open Sea exercise in the waters of the Tyrrhenian and interrelated with , with the deployment of a large part of the available units. It will be an opportunity to flex its muscles in the face of a crisis very delicate. "For the General Claudio Graziano, Chief of Staff of Defense "exercise Offshore is repeated over time. Evidently exercises and training also play the role of deterrence. Other surveillance activities and protection are always in place - he said - then there is the readiness and preparation to execute policy directives and to ensure security. "http://www.si24.it/2015/02/28/la-nave-militare-san-giorgio-al-largo-della-libia-pronta-a-intervenire-in-caso-di-necessita/82144/
Originally Posted by danielboon
Hwæt! Wé Gárdena in géardagum þéodcyninga þrym gefrúnon· hú ðá æþelingas ellen fremedon. - Listen! We of the Spear-Danes in the days of yore, of those clan-kings heard of their glory. How the worthy princes performed courageous deeds.