Obama to Iran and Israel: 'As President of the United States, I Don't Bluff'

The Atlantic ^ | 2 March 2012 | Jeffrey Goldberg

[ShadowAce]

Dismissing a strategy of "containment" as unworkable, the president tells me it's "unacceptable" for the Islamic Republic of Iran to have a nuclear weapon.

At the White House on Monday, President Obama will seek to persuade the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to postpone whatever plans he may have to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities in the coming months. Obama will argue that under his leadership, the United States "has Israel's back," and that he will order the U.S. military to destroy Iran's nuclear program if economic sanctions fail to compel Tehran to shelve its nuclear ambitions.

In the most extensive interview he has given about the looming Iran crisis, Obama told me earlier this week that both Iran and Israel should take seriously the possibility of American action against Iran's nuclear facilities. "I think that the Israeli government recognizes that, as president of the United States, I don't bluff." He went on, "I also don't, as a matter of sound policy, go around advertising exactly what our intentions are. But I think both the Iranian and the Israeli governments recognize that when the United States says it is unacceptable for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, we mean what we say."

The 45-minute Oval Office conversation took place less than a week before the president was scheduled to address the annual convention of AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobbying group, and then meet, the next day, with Prime Minister Netanyahu at the White House. In the interview, Obama stated specifically that "all options are on the table," and that the final option is the "military component." But the president also said that sanctions organized by his administration have put Iran in a "world of hurt," and that economic duress might soon force the regime in Tehran...

[Pollster1]

Obama will argue that under his leadership, the United States "has Israel's back,"

I believe him. If the Israelis are ever stabbed in the back, they will find Obama right behind them . . . holding the knife.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

The title brought a much needed laugh after such a sad day yesterday!

[ShadowAce]

I thought so, too.

[exit82]

Obama always talks tough, like the street thug he pretends to be.He has bluffed his way through life.

Netanyahu is not coming to listen to a poser’s diatribe.

He is coming to tell the Liar-in-Chief to stay the hell out of Israel’s way.

Watch for more pouting and body language signals from the Head Muslim in the White House.

Netanyahu has been dealing with Islamic terrorists since Obama was attending a madrassa in Indonesia as a child.

Pray for Israel. It has heavy lifting to do.

[Tallguy]

"I think that the Israeli government recognizes that, as president of the United States, I don't bluff."

Did I just walk into the filming for the sequel of "Doctor Strangelove"?

[Common Sense 101]

Obama to Iran and Israel: ‘As President of the United States, I Don’t Bluff’

You’re whole worthless socialist-loving life has been a bluff, that no one has bothered to call... so far.

[Blado]

[Farmer Dean]

“I don’t bluff.”
I will however lie my ass off at the drop of a hat.

[musicman]

"Obama to Iran and Israel: 'As President of the United States, I Don't Bluff'"

[chainsaw]

‘As President of the United States, I Don’t Bluff’

Doesn’t that statement make you sick? It’s too bad he never spent a minute in the military.

[TYVets]

President Golf n Grovel speaks

[MestaMachine]

Well, he doesn’t techically ‘bluff’. He flat out lies.

[US Navy Vet]

Somebody needs to “Bitch-Slap” this Halfrican BASTARD into NEXT week!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Watch this video:

Grateful Libyan people thank Britain for their liberation from Gadaffi

Graves of British troops smashed and desecrated by Libyan Islamists...

[DonkeyBonker]

Great, a golfer trying to use a poker face.

[nuconvert]

“I also don’t, as a matter of sound policy, go around advertising exactly what our intentions are”

Since when?

[golux]

Anyone who has studied negotiating or who has been involved in high level negotiations of almost any kind knows that statement effectively castrates you.

When he says “I dont Bluff” he:

1) later MUST bluff and loses credibility

2) is forced NOT to bluff by this statement and so gives his opponent an extraordinary advantage at the negotiating table.

Reagan who masterminded the SDI bluff - the greatest of our time, perhaps the greatest of ALL time - is doing a MAJOR facepalm right now.

[circlecity]

"Obama will argue that under his leadership, the United States "has Israel's back,"

Thanks Obama, Israel needs a good laugh. A whole brigade of screaming Iranians in front of you is less dangerous than Obama "having your back". Or as Patton said, "I'd rather have a brigade of Germans in front of me than an regimient of French behind me.