House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) accused the Obama administration of sending “mixed messages” to Israel’s enemies in a speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Monday, as President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to show a publicly coordinated front at the White House.
Cantor said confusion has raised questions about where the United States stands on numerous conflicts in the Middle East, adding that “strength” is the only message the country’s enemies understand.
“Let us not send mixed messages when it comes to Israel. That only serves to confuse the world, including Israel’s enemies,” Cantor said, according to prepared remarks of Cantor’s speech. The speech itself was closed to the press.
“Confusion about where America stands has raised questions about what some of our leaders in Washington are willing to put up with,” he said. “That’s not just about Iran, it’s about Syria, it’s about Iraq, it’s about Egypt and it’s about Libya.”
Cantor also chastised the Obama administration over its policy toward Israel, saying that “America’s job should not be to micromanage Israel.”
Speaking at the same event, House Minority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said that Obama has upheld the commitment to Israel’s security, just like past presidents of both parties.
“No one should misconstrue difference of opinion or emphasis as in any way weakening a bond forged by principles, values, history, and common interests,” Hoyer said.
Cantor’s address continued his criticism of Obama from Monday morning, when he questioned Obama’s “resolve” and commitment to keeping Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Obama and Netanyahu, meanwhile, emphasized their unity Monday ahead of an Oval Office meeting that’s focused on the threat of a nuclear Iran. “We face common enemies,” Netanyahu said. “Iran’s leaders know that, too.”
Obama has said that he “has Israel’s back” and that all options are on the table to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, including military ones. He warned about the “loose talk of war” in his speech to AIPAC.
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One Response
Unfortunately for Cantor and the Republicans, Nethanyahu seems to be on the same page as Obama. In his speech to AIPAC that just ended, Bibi states without reservation that the U.S. has committed to taking whatever action is needed to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapons capabilithy. The feeble efforts by Republicans to make Iran into an election issue is transparent and Bibi just helped drive a nail into the heart of the Republican agenda by refusing to meet separaely with the Republican congressional leadership and by his clear and unequivocal support of the Obama position.