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What are we to make of President Barack Obama's latest pronouncements about Iran's movement toward nuclear bombs? His tough talk might have had some influence on Iran a couple of years ago, when he was instead being kinder and gentler with the world's leading terrorist-sponsoring nation. Now his tough talk may only influence this year's election — which may be enough for Obama. The track record of Barack Obama's pronouncements on a wide range of issues suggests that anything he says is a message written in sand, and easily blown away by the next political winds. Remember the "shovel-ready...

It wasn’t long ago that the White House was angering Israeli leaders with statements seen as critical. But 2012 is an election year, and that makes all the difference. It was one of those moments you could experience only at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) annual conference. At the lectern was Susan Rice, President Obama’s ambassador to the United Nations. In the audience were 300 rabbis, Jewish-community leaders, and AIPAC delegates who were allowed to attend Rice’s speech, an event left off the public agenda for the conference. Rice, an African-American, began her remarks by quoting in stilted...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama declared Tuesday that diplomacy can still resolve the crisis over Iran's possible pursuit of nuclear weapons, and he accused his Republican critics of "beating the drums of war." "Those folks don't have a lot of responsibilities," Obama said. "They are not commander in chief."

Amb. Gillerman on Fox now. He is amazed that one day after talking with Israel's Netanyahu and saying "all options are on the table," Obama today has announced that he will depend upon discussions with Iran to stop their creation of a fission bomb.

Israeli reactions to US President Barack Obama’s speech at the AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington on Sunday were divided along party lines. Deputy Negev and Galilee Development Minister Ayoub Kara (Likud) criticized Obama for saying that too much bluster played into Iranian hands and suggesting that it led to higher gas prices. “There is a saying that it’s easier to watch a fire from far away,” Kara said. “We are facing an existential threat, not the US. If Israel doesn’t bluster, the US will also be in danger, because Iran’s missiles will reach them too. Israel is doing everything possible...

US President Barack Obama stressed Sunday that he opposed containment on Iran and could use military force if necessary to stop it from acquiring nuclear weapons, but said there was still time for diplomacy to work. One day before he hosts Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office, Obama hit on many Iran policy points Israel is looking for from the United States. But his words to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference also underscored the differences in the country’s perspectives, including on the prospects for diplomacy, as he warned against voices who are talking up the...

Iran On Radar As Obama Talks to Israel Supporters President: Israel must be able to defend itself but that 'loose talk of war' only helps Tehran BEN FELLER 3/4/2012 WASHINGTON— President Barack Obama said Sunday the United States will not hesitate to attack Iran with military force to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon, but he cautioned that "too much loose talk of war" recently has only helped Tehran and driven up the price of oil. Speaking to a powerful pro-Israel lobby, Obama appealed to Israel for more time to let sanctions further isolate Iran. He sought to halt...

US President Barack Obama criticised "loose talk of war" as he pleaded for patience in ending the nuclear stand-off with Iran, arguing that sustained international pressure would force Tehran to the negotiating table. On the eve of White House talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr Obama sought to reassure a powerful pro-Israel lobby by vowing to use force if necessary. Speaking to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington alongside Israeli President Shimon Peres, he said sanctions were working and cautioned against the saber-rattling of recent months. "Because of our efforts, Iran is under greater pressure than...

"Four years ago, I stood before you and said that, 'Israel’s security is sacrosanct. It is non-negotiable.' That belief has guided my actions as President. The fact is, my administration’s commitment to Israel’s security has been unprecedented," President Obama said at the AIPAC convention on Sunday. "Our military and intelligence cooperation has never been closer. Our joint exercises and training have never been more robust. Despite a tough budget environment, our security assistance has increased every single year."

Woe is me. President Obama claims he is the best friend Israel ever had in the White House, yet doesn’t get any respect. This is no Rodney Dangerfield act. He is deadly serious. “Every single commitment I have made to the state of Israel and its security, I have kept,” he told The Atlantic magazine. “Why is it that despite me never failing to support Israel on every single problem that they’ve had over the last three years, that there are still questions about that?” The question deserves an honest answer, though the truth is not likely to cut through...

President Barack Obama said Sunday that United States will not hesitate to attack Iran with military force to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon, but he cautioned that "too much loose talk of war" recently has only helped Tehran and driven up the price of oil. Speaking to a powerful pro-Israel lobby, Obama appealed to Israel for more time to let sanctions further isolate Iran. He sought to halt a drumbeat to war with Iran and hold off a unilateral Israeli strike against Iran's nuclear facilities. "For the sake of Israel's security, America's security and the peace and security...

This was the winning photo of the year in Turkey in 2010 – a battered and bloody Israeli soldier aboard the Mavi Marmara. Nine people were killed onboard the Gaza-bound Turkish ship after IDF troops who raided it encountered violent resistance by “peace activists” armed with an assortment of weapons. The “peace activists” threw stun grenades and beat the Israeli soldiers with pipes and chains. In August 2011 the Obama Administration warned Israel to apologize to Turkey over its bloody interception of a Gaza aid flotilla in 2010, or risk strained ties with Washington. There were also reports that Barack...

US President Obama reaffirms commitment to Israel, calls the Jewish State's security sacrosanct and non-negotiable; announces he will present Shimon Peres with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. By Screenshot US President Barack Obama said Sunday that he "make[s] no apologies for pursuing peace" between Israelis and Palestinians. Israel's own leaders, he said, understand the importance of peace. Speaking at the AIPAC Conference in Washington, the US president said he believes "peace is profoundly in Israel's security interests." Various issues from shifting demographics to emerging technologies "demand a resolution to this issue.

On the eve of a meeting between President Obama and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the president has orchestrated the publication of his most revealing interview yet on the state of relations between the two countries. Instead of bolstering his pro-Israel image, however, the interview is proof-positive of his dangerous animus towards the Jewish state and its elected leaders. The interview with The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg took place earlier this week but was released only today. In it, the president exasperatedly asked: “Why is it that despite me never failing to support Israel on every single problem that they’ve had...

President Obama’s advisors wanted him to get out in front of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress on Monday. So they preempted Bibi’s own peace proposal by having Obama call for Israel to return to its 1967 borders, give or take a few land swaps. There was one problem with the timing. It overlooked the fact that President Obama is addressing the largest gathering of AIPAC ever this coming Sunday, with 10,000 pro-Israel activists in attendance. It’ll be fun to see what happens. Here is Obama who just became the first president to ever call on...