Monday, January 26, 2015
From: Gary L. Bauer
Protocol?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to get pummeled in Israeli and American media for accepting Speaker John Boehner’s invitation to address a joint session of Congress. What is the prime minister supposed to do? Congress has been overwhelmingly supportive of Israel, whereas Obama has been increasingly hostile.
The core argument the Obama White House is making against Netanyahu’s accepting the invitation from Speaker Boehner is that it violated protocol. But Obama has ignored protocol and the separation of powers time and time again.
- March 2010 — Obama walked out of a White House meeting and refused to have his picture taken with Prime Minister Netanyahu.
- May 2011 — Obama delivers a speech demanding Israel return to its pre-1967 borders, which many believe to be indefensible. In fact, they are sometimes referred to as “Auschwitz borders.”
- September 2012 — Obama refuses to meet with Netanyahu in New York during a U.N. conference.
- During last summer’s war with Hamas, Obama’s FAA accomplished what Hamas could not — stopping flights into Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport
- The Obama White House also delayed shipments of desperately needed weapons to Israel.
- Last October, high-level administration officials referred to Netanyahu as a “chickensh*t” and a “coward.”How about the president’s protocol with Congress? When Obama traded five Taliban leaders for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, he not only violated protocol, he broke the law.The president changed decades of established policy toward communist Cuba without even consulting Congress. In spite of repeated expressions of congressional will to keep the terrorist detention facility at Guantanamo Bay open, Obama continues his efforts to shut it down by freeing accused jihadists.
In spite of the Constitution’s clear delineation of powers between the three branches of government — executive, legislative and judicial — Obama routinely demands that Congress bend to his will or he will act on his own, as he has done repeatedly on immigration and Obamacare. Legislating from the Oval Office is a clear violation of protocol.
A 21st Century Paul Revere
I’m not surprised that big media isn’t scrutinizing the White House’s argument about protocol. What is harder to understand is why people like Chris Wallace and Shepard Smith at Fox News joined the media mob in criticizing the Israeli prime minister and congressional leaders.
Netanyahu is facing overwhelming pressure to cancel the trip. His political opponents in Israel are using the flap as evidence that he has undermined Israel’s relationship with the United States.
Israel is a vibrant democracy and its politics can be rough. But I would say to my friends in the Israeli opposition: You don’t have a problem with the United States. You have a problem with our president. And no Israeli leader will have a smooth relationship with this president unless that leader surrenders to unreasonable demands which would undermine Israel’s security.
If I were the prime minister, I would speak before Congress and use the venue to praise the American people and our long history of opposing tyranny. I would remind members of Congress that Israel has stood with America time and again, not because of oil or economic interests but because we share the same values.
Netanyahu can also perform an invaluable service by playing the role of a 21st century Paul Revere. He should tell members of Congress that he is not here merely asking America to help Israel but to warn us that the ultimate target of a nuclear Iran is the nation the mullahs denounce as “the great Satan” — the United States of America.
GOP Campaign Begins
The 2016 Republican presidential primary is underway. Iowa conservatives hosted a cattle call of possible contenders at a weekend conference led by Rep. Steve King. Nearly a dozen likely candidates — John Bolton, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, Rick Perry, Rick Santorum, Donald Trump and Scott Walker — spoke to the audience of more than 1,000 conservative activists.
Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney, who lead the pack according to most polls, weren’t there. While it’s unlikely either man would have received a rousing reception from the conservative crowd, some pundits say New Jersey Governor Chris Christie earned points just for showing up.
Judging from most media reports, the biggest “winner” from this event was Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who greatly exceeded expectations.
The next big test of strength will come later this summer when the Iowa Republican Party holds its straw poll in Ames. The non-binding event has a mixed record of predicting caucus winners, but has in past years served to winnow the field. Stay tuned!
Meanwhile, the party has some fence-mending to do with grassroots activists after last week’s unforced error on abortion. You can read more about that issue in my latest opinion piece at The Daily Caller.
Remembering The British Bulldog
Saturday marked the 50th anniversary of the death of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. In the fall of 2013, Carol and I spent a week in England, tracing the footsteps of Winston Churchill, one of our heroes.
We visited the War Room, where Churchill directed Britain’s war efforts during the darkest hours of the Nazi Blitz. We also visited Chartwell House, where Churchill lived (when he was not prime minister) from 1924 until his death in 1965.
Today we are facing a crisis of confidence similar to that which gripped Great Britain in the 1930s. Then as now, feckless leaders refuse to recognize growing dangers. Their desire to seek “peace in our time” blinds them to the naked ambitions of our enemies.
Western Civilization desperately needs a Winston Churchill today. As we fight the good fight for our country and our values, I hope Churchill’s words inspire you as they inspire me:
“Never give in — never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.
Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”* * * * *
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