Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking to joint seesion of Congress, May, 2011.
Yeah, it's a bit of old news, House Speaker John Boehner inviting Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu to speak before a joint session of congress, but beyond ignoring "protocol"-apparently no notice was given to the White House before the invitation was made-this was done by the Repubs to give the despicable Israeli PM a bully pulpit to voice the threat-nonexistent-Iran poses not just to Israel but the world and his attempt to try and scuttle the current P5plus1 negotiations taking place with Iran.
Pepe Escobar refers to Netanyahu as the senator from both houses, an appropriate designation considering most of his allies in the congress are in the pocket of AIPAC and the rest of the Israeli lobby that helps to underwrite the campaigns of these sycophants.
But it's not Iran that poses a threat to Israel or any other country in the world. That rests solely with the US and its lackey partner Israel.
But back to Bibi; the last time I saw this most disingenuous man was when I saw pictures of him marching arm in arm with other world hypocrites after the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris.
Oh sure show sympathy for the innocent cartoonists gunned down in Paris, but where's that concern for the innocent Palestinian's he ordered murdered with the IDF bombing campaign over Gaza last summer?
Which brings to mind the Senate voting to give Israel an additional $350 million to cover the cost of that assault and just to remind those progressives pushing to get Elizabeth Warren to run for president in 2016, she also voted with the other 99 knesset members-oh sorry Senate members-to add to the $3.5 billion it already authorizes each year to Israel. It was also progressive darling Warren who repeated the threat bare line "Israel has a right to defend itself" from Hamas rockets. Okay, but how about recognizing the absolute brutality Israel commits against the occupied Palestinian's in the West Bank. Also those Hamas rockets she highlighted in defending Israel apparently killed one Israeli compared to the 2000 mostly innocent Palestinian's the IDF killed in Gaza. That's hardly a "reciprocal response." C'mon Elizabeth, it should take more than financial acumen to qualify for president. But hey, "Queen" Hilary stands to get the Democratic nod anyway next year, so Israel is assured it'll either be her or some Republican stooge so nothing will change with regards to our "special" relationship.
But I digress; Not only will Bibi give the adoring mobs in Congress something to cheer about but will make it a twofer, giving his annual address at the annual AIPAC convention as well.
Is there really a need to say who else besides the AIPAC conventioneers will be attending that soiree?
What may be unusual this year, Obama has also taken to the AIPAC pulpit in the past, but with Bibi "spitting in his eye" not informing the prez of his intention to speak before the congress he'll probably be a no show.
The other interesting fact is Israel holds elections two weeks after Netanyahu speaks in Washington. So aren't these speaking engagements really just campaign stump speeches dressed up as invitations to speak abroad?
"Normally,"-what's normal today-foreigners running for elected office in their countries are not permitted to give speeches in the US prior to their elections as that would be considered inappropriate interference in their affairs.
But again, this is the Israeli PM we're talking about; the US is his "domestic territory". Let's not "quibble". Boehner surely didn't.