Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) told a gathering of anti-war activists in Los Angeles on March 12 that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was misleading the public about Israel’s willingness to confront Iran alone, and that he had privately assured President Barack Obama that Israel would not go to war without U.S. backing. The week before, Netanyahu had used a visit to Washington to convey the message that Israel was prepared to act alone if necessary. That message was necessary, given the Obama administration's record of wavering on Iran, and its public attempts to dissuade Israel