If you were a member of Congress, would you attend Netanyahu's speech?

[IceSpear]

I'm pro-Israel and a zionist, but I would not.

Netanyahu is flagrantly interfering with US politics as he has for some time.  He acts like the Republican governor of Israel.  During the 2012 election, he essentially endorsed Romney and now he's trying to punk our President, by trying to play Congress against Obama.  It's ridiculous.  We defend Israel, not the other way around.  You can't strong-arm the President of the United States, even if you're our closest ally.  Bibi needs to follow the sage advice of professional wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, "Know your role and shut your mouth."

This.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

Yes (R ), and I would aggressively lobby my colleagues to do the same using whatever influence I might have.

Hopefully you wouldn't be a member of Congress, since you repeatedly demonstrate in your postings on here that you are a foreigner who places your allegiance to Israel above your allegiance to America.

Please stop. This idea that Jews are foreigners who care more about Israel than their own nation is very common anti-Semitic rhetoric.

Anyway, No (D)

I think it's rather antisemitic to assume there aren't any American Jews who feel just that way. There are many American Jews who value Israel above America certainly not the majority, but many. And there are also millions upon millions of Evangelical Christians who value Israel more than they value America America. Pointing this out and criticizing it is not antisemitic, it's pro-American.

How in the hell could that be anti-semitic?

It doesn't matter whether American Jews support Israel or not. Calling an American Jew a "Foreigner" is not only anti-semitic, it is one of the oldest tropes in the anti-semitic playbook. Accuse the Jew of disloyalty as precedent for stripping them of their citizenship for real.

The mask slips more and more each day.

So you believe every single American Jew puts America before Israel?

This is really weird and I have no idea how you could possibly be misconstruing the conversation this much.

1. America and Israel's interests do not differ in this situation. The President - a lame duck who was repudiated by the voters in the last midterm election - has different interests from Israel. This is the equivalent of claiming that anyone opposed to the Iraq war in 2007 was un-American.

2. Claiming that American Jews - whether they value Israel's security highly or not - are foreigners is ALWAYS anti-semitic.

There are a American Jews with dual citizenship who serve in the IDF. They value Israel more than America, they've made it clear, they'll sometimes even freely admit it, and calling a spade a spade is not antisemitic. That word used to mean something. Now anytime certain Zionists are even slightly offended they scream that term and expect the world to flock to their aid and give them sympathy.

You also still didn't answer the question.

There was a question? I just saw a lot of scurrilous implications about American Jews based on a centuries-old trope implying that we're foreign agents in our own country.

As anti-semitism streaks to a high not seen in decades, we're sure as hell not going to be quiet as the old libels come into fashion. And again, because a lame-duck President's interests diverge from Israel's doesn't mean the US and Israel are on opposite ends. That will become clear when Obama's vetoes are overridden if need be.

[MalaspinaGold]

Yes (R ), and I would aggressively lobby my colleagues to do the same using whatever influence I might have.

Hopefully you wouldn't be a member of Congress, since you repeatedly demonstrate in your postings on here that you are a foreigner who places your allegiance to Israel above your allegiance to America.

Please stop. This idea that Jews are foreigners who care more about Israel than their own nation is very common anti-Semitic rhetoric.

Anyway, No (D)

I think it's rather antisemitic to assume there aren't any American Jews who feel just that way. There are many American Jews who value Israel above America certainly not the majority, but many. And there are also millions upon millions of Evangelical Christians who value Israel more than they value America America. Pointing this out and criticizing it is not antisemitic, it's pro-American.

How in the hell could that be anti-semitic?

It doesn't matter whether American Jews support Israel or not. Calling an American Jew a "Foreigner" is not only anti-semitic, it is one of the oldest tropes in the anti-semitic playbook. Accuse the Jew of disloyalty as precedent for stripping them of their citizenship for real.

The mask slips more and more each day.

So you believe every single American Jew puts America before Israel?

This is really weird and I have no idea how you could possibly be misconstruing the conversation this much.

1. America and Israel's interests do not differ in this situation. The President - a lame duck who was repudiated by the voters in the last midterm election - has different interests from Israel. This is the equivalent of claiming that anyone opposed to the Iraq war in 2007 was un-American.

2. Claiming that American Jews - whether they value Israel's security highly or not - are foreigners is ALWAYS anti-semitic.

There are a American Jews with dual citizenship who serve in the IDF. They value Israel more than America, they've made it clear, they'll sometimes even freely admit it, and calling a spade a spade is not antisemitic. That word used to mean something. Now anytime certain Zionists are even slightly offended they scream that term and expect the world to flock to their aid and give them sympathy.

You also still didn't answer the question.

There was a question? I just saw a lot of scurrilous implications about American Jews based on a centuries-old trope implying that we're foreign agents in our own country.

As anti-semitism streaks to a high not seen in decades, we're sure as hell not going to be quiet as the old libels come into fashion. And again, because a lame-duck President's interests diverge from Israel's doesn't mean the US and Israel are on opposite ends. That will become clear when Obama's vetoes are overridden if need be.

If you think the democrats would cooperate on overriding Obama's veto on anything Iran related, I have a bridge to sell you...

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

Yes (R ), and I would aggressively lobby my colleagues to do the same using whatever influence I might have.

Hopefully you wouldn't be a member of Congress, since you repeatedly demonstrate in your postings on here that you are a foreigner who places your allegiance to Israel above your allegiance to America.

Please stop. This idea that Jews are foreigners who care more about Israel than their own nation is very common anti-Semitic rhetoric.

Anyway, No (D)

I think it's rather antisemitic to assume there aren't any American Jews who feel just that way. There are many American Jews who value Israel above America certainly not the majority, but many. And there are also millions upon millions of Evangelical Christians who value Israel more than they value America America. Pointing this out and criticizing it is not antisemitic, it's pro-American.

How in the hell could that be anti-semitic?

It doesn't matter whether American Jews support Israel or not. Calling an American Jew a "Foreigner" is not only anti-semitic, it is one of the oldest tropes in the anti-semitic playbook. Accuse the Jew of disloyalty as precedent for stripping them of their citizenship for real.

The mask slips more and more each day.

So you believe every single American Jew puts America before Israel?

This is really weird and I have no idea how you could possibly be misconstruing the conversation this much.

1. America and Israel's interests do not differ in this situation. The President - a lame duck who was repudiated by the voters in the last midterm election - has different interests from Israel. This is the equivalent of claiming that anyone opposed to the Iraq war in 2007 was un-American.

2. Claiming that American Jews - whether they value Israel's security highly or not - are foreigners is ALWAYS anti-semitic.

There are a American Jews with dual citizenship who serve in the IDF. They value Israel more than America, they've made it clear, they'll sometimes even freely admit it, and calling a spade a spade is not antisemitic. That word used to mean something. Now anytime certain Zionists are even slightly offended they scream that term and expect the world to flock to their aid and give them sympathy.

You also still didn't answer the question.

There was a question? I just saw a lot of scurrilous implications about American Jews based on a centuries-old trope implying that we're foreign agents in our own country.

As anti-semitism streaks to a high not seen in decades, we're sure as hell not going to be quiet as the old libels come into fashion. And again, because a lame-duck President's interests diverge from Israel's doesn't mean the US and Israel are on opposite ends. That will become clear when Obama's vetoes are overridden if need be.

If you think the democrats would cooperate on overriding Obama's veto on anything Iran related, I have a bridge to sell you...

If it came down to Obama basically giving Iran the store in exchange for a ten-year promise before they go ahead on a bomb, as rumored, Schumer and Menendez would be able to whip up 11 more votes.

They're not going to destroy the party to please a president with less than two years to go.

[Indy Texas]

1. America and Israel's interests do not differ in this situation.

The biggest actual threat to American strategic interests in the Middle East is ISIS, which Iran opposes.

The biggest perceived threat to Israeli strategic interests in the Middle East is Iran.

It does not make sense for the US to relentlessly isolate and punish Iran at this time. It would be as though Winston Churchill came to America and warned us not to work with the Soviet Union to defeat fascism because they were totalitarian communists.

This is one of those messy, Kissingeresque "enemy of my enemy is my friend" moments - for the US, not Israel, because Israel literally doesn't have any friends except the United States (and whose fault is that?).

The fact that you really, truly believe that Iran would actually preemptively attack Israel even if it did obtain nuclear weapons is proof of how full you are of that Likudnik Kool-Aid.

[MalaspinaGold]

Yes (R ), and I would aggressively lobby my colleagues to do the same using whatever influence I might have.

Hopefully you wouldn't be a member of Congress, since you repeatedly demonstrate in your postings on here that you are a foreigner who places your allegiance to Israel above your allegiance to America.

Please stop. This idea that Jews are foreigners who care more about Israel than their own nation is very common anti-Semitic rhetoric.

Anyway, No (D)

I think it's rather antisemitic to assume there aren't any American Jews who feel just that way. There are many American Jews who value Israel above America certainly not the majority, but many. And there are also millions upon millions of Evangelical Christians who value Israel more than they value America America. Pointing this out and criticizing it is not antisemitic, it's pro-American.

How in the hell could that be anti-semitic?

It doesn't matter whether American Jews support Israel or not. Calling an American Jew a "Foreigner" is not only anti-semitic, it is one of the oldest tropes in the anti-semitic playbook. Accuse the Jew of disloyalty as precedent for stripping them of their citizenship for real.

The mask slips more and more each day.

So you believe every single American Jew puts America before Israel?

This is really weird and I have no idea how you could possibly be misconstruing the conversation this much.

1. America and Israel's interests do not differ in this situation. The President - a lame duck who was repudiated by the voters in the last midterm election - has different interests from Israel. This is the equivalent of claiming that anyone opposed to the Iraq war in 2007 was un-American.

2. Claiming that American Jews - whether they value Israel's security highly or not - are foreigners is ALWAYS anti-semitic.

There are a American Jews with dual citizenship who serve in the IDF. They value Israel more than America, they've made it clear, they'll sometimes even freely admit it, and calling a spade a spade is not antisemitic. That word used to mean something. Now anytime certain Zionists are even slightly offended they scream that term and expect the world to flock to their aid and give them sympathy.

You also still didn't answer the question.

There was a question? I just saw a lot of scurrilous implications about American Jews based on a centuries-old trope implying that we're foreign agents in our own country.

As anti-semitism streaks to a high not seen in decades, we're sure as hell not going to be quiet as the old libels come into fashion. And again, because a lame-duck President's interests diverge from Israel's doesn't mean the US and Israel are on opposite ends. That will become clear when Obama's vetoes are overridden if need be.

If you think the democrats would cooperate on overriding Obama's veto on anything Iran related, I have a bridge to sell you...

If it came down to Obama basically giving Iran the store in exchange for a ten-year promise before they go ahead on a bomb, as rumored, Schumer and Menendez would be able to whip up 11 more votes.

They're not going to destroy the party to please a president with less than two years to go.

You quite exaggerate a difference in opinion between the president and members of congress that simply isn't there.
And keep in mind that while Schumer and Menendez may whip for votes, Feinstein and Reid, with the help of the president, will much more effectively whip the other way.

[Cory]

Definitely.  It's like asking if Ho Chi Minh or Robert Mugabe were coming to make speeches, in their respective epochs.  How could miss that?  In all seriousness, I think that if you're a member of the US congress, you should make it your business to listen to all speeches from all potentially influential people in the world.  I wouldn't hold it against my congressmember if he didn't make it, but I'd not miss it for the world.  I would consider it part of my education as a statesman to observe, first hand, the substance of what Netanyahu is putting out there for public consumption.  

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

1. America and Israel's interests do not differ in this situation.

The biggest actual threat to American strategic interests in the Middle East is ISIS, which Iran opposes.

The biggest perceived threat to Israeli strategic interests in the Middle East is Iran.

It does not make sense for the US to relentlessly isolate and punish Iran at this time. It would be as though Winston Churchill came to America and warned us not to work with the Soviet Union to defeat fascism because they were totalitarian communists.

This is one of those messy, Kissingeresque "enemy of my enemy is my friend" moments - for the US, not Israel, because Israel literally doesn't have any friends except the United States (and whose fault is that?).

The fact that you really, truly believe that Iran would actually preemptively attack Israel even if it did obtain nuclear weapons is proof of how full you are of that Likudnik Kool-Aid.

Exactly. Look at this map. Hardly any relevant countries don't have embassies with Iran. The USA, Egypt, Israel, and Canada are the only that would really stand out if you were to plot GDP vs. distance.

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

No (I). I don't support needlessly antagonizing a country that has been mistreated to the point of war just because Israel demands their way or the highway.


Israel has been creating more problems for us than solving them for the past 40 years. I actually do hope Obama fulfills conservative's fears and puts them in their place. There is no solid evidence that Iran is actually trying to build a nuclear weapon, and Israel has been claiming that "Iran is only a few months/years away from having one" for the past 20 years.

Israel has the right to exist, but not to fearmonger and ask us to be their lapdog for every war they want. I'm sick of all the Israel apologism for their destructive behavior.

[RI]

No chance. Israel is at least as bad as any of those they're fighting or want to be fighting.

[King]

I just saw a muted TV showing it and everything about it looks scary and wrong. I'm embarrassed for everyone in attendance. This man is not elected by the United States nor a citizen and should not be allowed to be giving this kind of speech to Congress.

[King]

The execution of this is looking even worse than the idea.

[Lief 🗽]

Yes. This is horrifying. To have the war criminal leader of a belligerent rogue state come to the United States Congress and earn standing ovation after standing ovation. This is probably the worst thing the Republicans have ever done.

[Cassius]

Of course, given that I thought I was a rather eloquent and, dare I say, moving speech.

[Oakvale]

Apologies for the effective empty quote but,

Yes. This is horrifying. To have the war criminal leader of a belligerent rogue state come to the United States Congress and earn standing ovation after standing ovation. This is probably the worst thing the Republicans have ever done.

[The Other Castro]

How long before he forms an exploratory committee for the Republican nomination?

[Mr. Illini]

No (D) (Isn't keen on being marched to war by a foreign leader)

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Yes (D)

[King]

It's just not right. A foreign head of state just gave a State of the Union speech in Congress. It doesn't matter what state he is a head of or what the content of his speech is or if it were noble. It could have been De Gaulle giving an impassioned speech about getting the Nazis out of his France and it still would have been wrong.

I was neutral on the idea and this whole issue but having seen it I now know for a fact that it was wrong to do this. Ending of Raiders of the Lost Ark-tier wrong.

[H. Ross Peron]

Hell no (D)

Good to see more and more are backing out.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

No (I/R). I don't support needlessly antagonizing a country that has been mistreated to the point of war just because Israel has decided to become a little b*tch about everything and demands their way or the highway.


Israel has been creating more problems for us than solving them for the past 40 years. I actually do hope Obama fulfills conservative's fears and puts them in their place. There is no solid evidence that Iran is actually trying to build a nuclear weapon, and Israel has been claiming that "Iran is only a few months/years away from having one" for the past 20 years.

Israel has the right to exist, but not to fearmonger and ask us to be their lapdog for every war they want. I'm sick of all the Israel apologism for their destructive behavior.

"In their place"?  What place is that? 

America sure as hell shouldn't be taking it's orders from Netanyahu, but if America was in their place don't tell me we wouldn't be doing the exact same thing as they are. Israel isn't stupid to be concerned about Iran even if their approach is counterproductive.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

No (R). I wouldn't waste my time listening to Netanyahu blither on about how Obama is not 100% subservient to his whims.

[TNF]

No (I/O)

[Joe Republic]

Of course I would have (D).  Republicans, such as Joe Wilson and Samuel Alito, shouldn't have a monopoly on openly disrespecting whoever has been invited to address Congress.  I'd like to have the opportunity too.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It's a curious double dubious interference isn't it? Bibi getting involved in the American political process, and the Congressional Republicans getting involved in the Israeli election.