House Speaker invites Israeli PM to address Congress in show of defiance over Iran sanctions

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Republicans have started their assault on Obama’s State of the Union measures. In a show of defiance over Obama’s decision to veto Iran sanctions, the house speaker, John Boehner, has invited the Israeli Prime Minister to address Congress.

In a statement on Wednesday, Boehner said that he invited Netanyahu “to address Congress on the grave threats radical Islam and Iran pose to our security and way of life.”

The Mail Online reports: Republican leader John Boehner is using his authority as House Speaker to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress next month.

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Boehner informed the White House and State Department this morning of the coup. As far as the speaker’s office is aware, it is an unprecedented offer, as the two executive branch entities normally coordinate visits to the U.S. from foreign heads of state.

The GOP’s strike on Obama, intentionally timed for the morning after his own address to lawmakers, the annual State of the Union speech, is the latest in a set of moves and countermoves being played out by the newly empowered Republican Congress and the Democratic president.

The objective of the power play is to force Obama’s hand on Iran but has the effect of embarrassing the president on the international stage as his administration attempts to negotiate a deal with Iran.

The invitation to address Congress extended without having consultations with the White House and the State Department, marks a sharp rejection of Obama’s plea for the new Republican dominated Congress to stay out of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, Press TV said.

“We haven’t heard from the Israelis directly about the trip at all,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest , the Presidents spokesman said on Wednesday.

“The typical protocol would suggest that the leader of a country would contact the leader of another country when he is travelling there. That is certainly how President Obama’s trips are planned,” he said. “So this particular event seems to be a departure from that protocol.”

Earnest said the White House would “reserve judgment” on any possibility of a meeting between Obama and Netanyahu.

Obama warned Congress that any measures to impose new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program would result in the failure of US diplomacy.

Politician Condit Jr., who ran against Boehner in Cincinnati, Ohio, said that the invitation is “another slap in the face to the American people whether the American people realize it or not.” He also believes that Netanyahu should be arrested if he turns up to address congress next month.