Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech before a joint session of Congress yesterday received plaudits from legislators on both sides of the aisle, according to news reports and press releases.
National Journal quoted two Republican senators:
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said that he believes “we should do whatever is necessary to ensure that Iran never acquires nuclear weapon capability.” He pointed to legislation he has introduced that would tighten U.S. sanctions against Iran and push it closer to compromise. In his remarks, Netanyahu warned the Obama administration against lifting sanctions as negotiations continue.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla, agrees with Netanyahu on the value of sanctions, and said more should come. “Allowing Iran to retain its nuclear infrastructure even as it does not change its behavior is unacceptable,” he said.
Two Democratic politicians quoted in the article agreed that Netanyahu made an effective case about the dangers posed by Iran. Rep. Steve Israel (D – N.Y.) said that Netanyahu was “justified” in appearing before Congress and acknowledged, “I was skeptical about this deal going in. I’m just as skeptical going out.” Sen. Ben Cardin (D – Md.), who was one of the legislators who served as an escort to the prime minister, said that Netanyahu “made a very effective case about the dangers of Iran.” And while Cardin thought it was too early to judge the deal that is in the works, he conceded that “I thought he made a very effective point about how we should evaluate an agreement with Iran.”
Rep. Brad Sherman (D – Calif.) told The Los Angeles Times that Netanyahu “did a spectacular job’ of laying out the stakes for Israel if Iran were to attain nuclear weapons” and that now “President Obama has a responsibility to make his case.”
“Public opinion will affect what he does this month and Congress will critique what he does next month,” Sherman said. “If it’s a great deal, we might actually pass legislation that reduces sanctions. … If it’s a bad deal, we might pass additional sanctions and put them on the president’s desk.”
Rep. Eliot Engel (D – N.Y.) issued a statement:
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech showed that there remain serious and urgent concerns about the nuclear negotiations with Iran. These are not new—and many of them are shared by Republicans and Democrats, including officials in the Obama Administration. Together, we must work to curb Iran’s nuclear program and prevent them from accessing any pathway to a bomb. I expect that Democrats and Republicans will move forward together in the interest of our national security and strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship.
A joint statement written by Reps. Doug Lamborn (R – Co.), Peter Roskam (R – Ill.), Leonard Lance (R – N.J.) and Lee Zeldin (R – N.Y.) expressed similar sentiments:
As demonstrated by the prime minister’s address, the House of Representatives is now, and forever must be, the crucible for our nation’s public policy discourse. Through floor debate, the President’s State of the Union Address and the opportunity for world leaders to be heard on the globe’s most pressing issues, Congress is where solutions are proposed, crafted, amended and authorized. The prime minister’s message needed to be heard – now- days before a major deadline in the ongoing P5+1 negotiations.
The consensus is clear: a nuclear Iran would forever change the international dynamic. The balance of power in the world would slip away from those who have given blood and treasure in the fight for freedom and justice, while rewarding the perpetrators of some of the most heinous crimes against humanity. The principle of peace through deterrence would be defunct and the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty would be a footnote as rival and regional powers race to acquire their own nuclear weapons. A nuclear arms race will be yet another element of unpredictability in the world’s most volatile region. The safety and security of the United States and Israel would be in extreme peril.
The prime minister and those of us in the Congress do not oppose any agreement. We oppose a bad agreement. We oppose any deal that needlessly surrenders valuable leverage in the name of taking Iran’s word. Sanctions brought Iran to the table and sanctions will keep them there. There is simply not the trust that state-sponsors of terror will suddenly and uncharacteristically prove honest.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D – W. Va.) released the following statement:
I was honored to attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress this morning, which I thought was tremendously strong and informative. I was also very pleased to have a West Virginian, Rabbi Victor Urecki, join me in representing West Virginia at the address. The United States has always been a strong friend, ally and partner of Israel in the goal of preventing Iran from developing its dangerous nuclear weapons program, and we understand and share the Prime Minister’s serious concerns. I look forward to talking with the State Department and the White House so that we can work with the Prime Minister to reverse Iran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon.
In advance of the speech, Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R – Fla.) released a statement saying:
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to Congress is an important message at an important time. Today, the representatives of the American people will host the leader of our strongest ally and the world will be watching. When the Prime Minister ascends to the podium to warn Congress about the threat of a nuclear Iran, he will bear the weight of history. I stand with my Republican and Democratic colleagues in support of Prime Minister Netanyahu. Israel is our strongest ally and America must continue to support this bipartisan friendship in the face of adversity.”
In addition, former ambassador Dennis Ross, who served in the Obama administration during the president’s first term in office, offered his support for the prime minister’s position in an interview with the Times of Israel:
Former ambassador Dennis Ross uses unusually acerbic language to throw his support behind Netanyahu’s speech and concerns about Iran’s nuclear program.
“President Obama must stop making concessions during the ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran,” Ross warns. “Iran has the largest and most diverse missile arsenal in the Middle East and is in the process of developing a longer range missile capable of reaching our homeland.”
Apart from 2 close Obama allies (Kaine, Adam Smith) mainstream Dems are present. Boycott is black caucus and liberals http://t.co/BzdjMamjU4
— Jackson Diehl (@JacksonDiehl) March 3, 2015
[Photo: PBS NewsHour / YouTube ]