by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
US presidents are front men for powerful interests running things – dark forces assuring their agenda is served.
In his book titled “The World As It Is,” former Obama regime deputy national security advisor for strategic communications and speechwriting Ben Rhodes was surprisingly candid in discussing the power of Israel to shape US foreign policy.
In 2012, Obama said dealing with Netanyahu was like grappling with Republicans, calling the Israeli prime minister dishonest.
Both leaders clashed over the Iran nuclear deal and other regional issues, neither leader trusting or liking the other.
Netanyahu is notoriously arrogant, offensive, duplicitous, thuggish, combative, overbearing, pompous, domineering, corrupt, insufferable and dangerous, an embarrassment to legitimate governance.
Haaretz editors once called him “ “a ticking cluster bomb, discharging its lethal load at time intervals and destroying the remains of Israel’s standing in the world,” adding:
His “campaign propaganda (and irresponsible policies) threat(en) Israel’s security…”
In November 2012, an open microphone caught former French President Nicolas Sarkozy saying “I cannot bear” Netanyahu. He called him “a liar.”
Obama responded saying: “You’re fed up, but I have to deal with him every day.”
Rhodes largely blamed Netanyahu for tense relations with Obama, accusing him of aligning with Republicans against the US president.
In 2012, when an address for Obama to deliver at AIPAC’s annual conference was being prepared, he was furious about having to cater to Netanyahu’s wishes, along with taking care not to offend him, Rhodes saying:
“This is as annoyed” as he saw him as president. “He was tired, and I could tell by the edits he was holding that he’d been working on them for several hours.”
“ ‘It’s not on the level,’ I said. ‘This is a phrase that we used, repeatedly, to describe the dishonesty we often felt surrounded by.’ ”
Rhodes called Netanyahu a “de facto member of the Republican caucus.” He discussed the strained relationship between both leaders mainly over Iran, the nuclear deal, the Palestinians, and so-called peace process – dead on arrival each time initiated.
He accused Netanyahu of failing to negotiate with Palestinians in good faith, adding he “us(ed) political pressure within the United States to demoralize any meaningful push for peace, just as he used settlements as a means of demoralizing the Palestinians.”
He blasted Netanyahu’s 2015 speech to a joint session of Congress, circumventing protocol, a brazen campaign stunt, using the address ahead of upcoming Israeli elections, along with his malicious effort to sabotage Iranian P5+1 talks.
Bipartisan neocons infesting Washington support Netanyahu’s extremism. So does Trump to his disgrace.
An earlier NYT full page ad denounced him, headlined: “No, Mr. Netanyahu – You do not speak for American Jews” – expressing opposition to his rage for war against the Islamic Republic and horrific mistreatment of Palestinians.
Rhodes candidly called his interference in US foreign policy unthinkable, clearly indicating his disdain for the Israeli leader.
The Jewish state exerts enormous influence over US Middle East policy, pushing US regimes to war on Iraq, Libya and Syria, wanting Iran attacked, supported by bipartisan extremists in Washington.
By appointing Bolton as national security advisor and Pompeo for State, Trump gave neocons total control over his geopolitical agenda, along with Israel. Wall Street runs domestic affairs for all US regimes.
Bolton and Pompeo allied with Netanyahu gravely threaten world peace and stability.
Greater aggression than already is likely ahead, along with the triumph of neoliberal harshness over social justice.
War in Syria is more likely to escalate than wind down, along with greater efforts to destabilize, undermine, and topple Iran’s government.
Kim Jong-un/Trump summit talks achieved nothing, no breakthroughs, no chance for improved relations because Bolton and Pompeo sabotaged their aftermath. Instead of stepping back from the brink on the Korean peninsula, war remains possible.
Trade war with China continues, harming both countries and the global economy. US sanctions war against Russia, China, Iran, North Korea and Venezuela heads toward getting nastier.
Unthinkable US/Russia belligerent confrontation is ominously possible if Trump regime hardliners push things too far.
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Blog!
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