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Krauthammer: Netanyahu Address To Congress ‘Extraordinary’ [VIDEO]

Al Weaver Reporter
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Charles Krauthammer reacted favorably to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress Tuesday, calling the speech “extraordinary,” while saying it had “two very sharp messages.”

Krauthammer added that he thinks Netanyahu’s main goal was to show that he has the support of the U.S. Congress if Israel decides to strike Iran in the future.

KRAUTHAMMER: I thought that was an extraordinary speech and it had two very sharp messages. The first was, and I think this is sort of the essence of his critique of the deal, what the Israelis are worried about, what the Israelis think is utterly intolerable is the sunset clause. And that is the idea that after about 10 years, with all restrictions removed, with the sanctions lifted. With Iran’s economy restored, they would have unlimited ability to develop a uranium enrichment, which is something no country is allowed, not even for example, our ally South Korea, is allowed that. He says as long as this regime is in charge that would be catastrophic. And he seemed to be conceding that if that were dropped, he could live with the rest of the agreement. Remember, he said he wouldn’t like it, but there are ways we could live with it. I think what he means, if they were kept under some kind of restriction, indefinitely until the regime either altered its behavior or was changed, the Israelis would accept that. That is an interesting sort of offering on their part.

But the second thing he said was that at the end. I think you can understand why he came. He said, if we have to, we will act alone. Meaning, he is telling the Congress, if this deal is enacted or if it begins to go through, we reserve the right to attack Iran on our own. I think what he did here is he tried to show the world that he would have the support of the Congress if that happened because we know the administration has been discouraging that. Arguing against it, in some way sabotaging the very idea of an Israeli attack. But I think what he did. he got standing ovation when he said Israel would act alone. I think what he was saying is ‘I came here to show the world that we might have to act, and if we do, we want to have the support to the Congress,’ and he wanted to show the world that he did. Those were two very important elements.