Eli Clifton's Article in Talking Points Memo

++"Bibi's Fearmongering War-Red Meat for Iranian Hawks--but a Dealbreaker for Democrats" in Talking Points Memo.

++Clifton's article is a must-read on all the times Bibi has made apocalyptic predictions and how none of them came true. From Clifton's article , it is apparent that Bibi has played a major role in encouraging the greatest American foreign policy blunders since Vietnam and he should be stopped.

++In 1995, he told Congress that Iran would have a nuclear weapon in 3-5 years.
++In 1996--he told Congress Iran was" getting extremely close."
++Then he turned toward Iraq. Remember this was after the first Gulf War when the United States had documented that they had destroyed Saddam's nuclear weapons plan. But in 2002, Bibi warned that Iraq had "centrifuges the size of washing machines". He said there was no question Saddam's seeking and working and advancing toward the development of nuclear weapons.

++The consequence of Bibi's actions is to prevent Washington from reaching a compromise with Iran.His biggest fear is that there might come greater cooperation with Iran and the United States on a range of regional issues.

++A US poll shows that 61% support a deal with Iran that allows them some enriched uranium, 36% are for increasing sanctions.

++Politico shouts loudly this afternoon that Mitch McConnell was introducing legislation that Congress must approve any Iranian deal. He said the timing was right--after Bibi spoke.

++Meanwhile Bibi's speech got decent reviews at home except Haaretz said that Bibi's speech omits the critical strategic threat at home. They editorialize that Israel has three times gone to war in Gaza while the West Bank was peaceful and that Bibi used these national resources to maintain the status quo. They argue that Israel has to both maintain a democratic country and pay for the apartheid regime of occupying 500,000 Palestinians. They note Bibi didn't address that threat that is eating at the heart of Israel everyday. 

++Times of Israel noted that Bibi no longer insists that Iran doesn't have the right to enrich anymore.

++General Martin Dempsey said that Iran's actions against ISIS might not turn out very badly for the United States. 

++Maybe I am just getting cynical but for all the years writing and organizing against the Iranian regime, it seems to me Bibi legitimized them more than they deserve. You could even think that he was a double agent almost ensuring a deal would go through. After all he bragged that he could get Americans to do anything he wanted. I sense those days may be passed.