Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani: PM Benjamin Netanyahu is doing exactly what he needs to do -- to come and speak out against a bad agreement with Iran, even if the Obama administration doesn't like it. Most Americans agree with Netanyahu.
Boaz Bismuth
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani
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Photo credit: AP |
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani caused quite a storm last week when he said U.S. President Barack Obama does not love America. Despite the criticism he faced, Giuliani did not apologize and, in an interview with Israel Hayom, he expressed strong support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's upcoming address on Iran to Congress on March 3.
Q: The Associated Press reported on Friday that the Obama administration is considering a number of potential responses to Netanyahu's address to Congress, including sending a lower-ranking official than normal to the upcoming AIPAC conference in Washington. So is perhaps Netanyahu's speech a mistake?
Giuliani: "Netanyahu's speech is absolutely essential. If I had been in his position, and the third most important person in the U.S. [the speaker of the House of Representatives] invited me to speak before Congress to explain the danger of a nuclear Iran -- of course I'd accept the invitation and come. You have to understand that I, as an American, fear a nuclear Iran no less than the prime minister of Israel and no less than the people of Israel. Think for a moment -- a bad agreement with Iran would give a group of irrational and insane people nuclear capability. If I were Netanyahu, I would go to the ends of the earth to discuss Iran's nuclear program -- on any stage I was given and in every situation. In our case, it's the Congress."
Q: But is there a danger that the speech will harm U.S.-Israel relations?
Giuliani: "I met with Bibi privately on two occasions two weeks ago. I told him I would be doing the exact same thing if I were him. I told him that the American people respect him and agree with him, even if Obama and his administration are trying to paint a different picture. Netanyahu is doing exactly what he needs to do: to come and speak out against a bad agreement, even if the government doesn't like it. Most Americans agree with Netanyahu on the Iranian issue."
Q: What is the opinion of the American public on this matter?
Giuliani: "American public opinion supports Netanyahu on the Iranian issue. It's possible there are those who think he insulted the president's honor, but they also think he should speak [to Congress]."
Q: How can Obama not see the danger of a nuclear deal with Iran? Netanyahu sees it, the Gulf states see it, the French see it, you see it, the American public sees it and Democratic Senator Robert Menendez sees it.
Giuliani: "I don't know President Obama. I don't know his psychology or way of thinking. As someone who was involved in government for 35 years, at the highest and lowest levels, and as someone who worked with President [Ronald] Reagan and President [Gerald] Ford and knows the White House, I can only say that President Obama's policy on Iran is very dangerous. Iran is the number one sponsor of terrorism in the world and a country like this cannot be allowed to attain nuclear capability. Let's be honest for a moment, Iran does not need a nuclear capability for civilian purposes. It has enough oil and gas reserves for hundreds of years. So it is clear why Iran is seeking nuclear capability. Let's not be naive, Iran is seeking nuclear capability for military purposes."
Q: Sorry for returning to Obama, but a nuclear Iran would represent a U.S. failure. So why is Obama so eager for an agreement with Iran?
Giuliani: "Obama has a foreign policy which, I don't want to call obsessive, lest they deem this offensive, but he has a foreign policy that is completely focused on achieving a nuclear agreement [with Iran]. Everything else is secondary for him. All other American foreign policy goals are of lesser importance for him."
Q: Will there be empty Democratic seats when Netanyahu addresses Congress?
Giuliani: "You must remember that these people are Democrats and they have to show where their loyalties lie. The Democrats are divided into three groups. There is a group who are loyal to the president and think like him -- they won't come. Then there are those who don't agree with him but are loyal to him, therefore they also won't come. And then there are those -- I call them the brave ones -- who don't agree with [Obama] and they will come listen to the speech. Remember, all the Republicans will be there and I believe that at least half the Democrats will come listen as well. This is a far greater majority than Obama could muster today on Capitol Hill for any proposed bill."
Q: Could it be that the Obama administration is trying to harm Netanyahu's electoral prospects?
Giuliani: "There are elections all the time and you can't stop implementing policy just because of elections.
Q: Recently, you caused an uproar when you said Obama does not love America and does not believe in American exceptionalism. You have declined to apologize. Can you explain?
Giuliani: "I don't plan to go back on myself. I didn't say Obama is not a patriot, but I did say that I don't see in him the same love for America, American exceptionalism and everything America has done [as other presidents had]. I haven't heard from him the words I've heard from other presidents."
Q: Will Obama's legacy be a nuclear agreement with Iran?
Giuliani: "If Obama's legacy is a nuclear deal with Iran, this will be a terrible legacy. If Iran goes nuclear, this would be the most dangerous thing to happen in the world in decades. I don't even want to think about this. Iran can't be allowed to go nuclear."
Q: Some in the media claim Netanyahu's speech is superfluous, as Congress has no real power in foreign policy due to the president's veto power.
Giuliani: "This is completely not true. First of all, there is of course the important symbolism of coming to speak to Congress and explaining to the world as a whole and Americans in particular the Iranian danger. Also, you don't refuse an invitation from [House Speaker] John Boehner, No. 3 in America's political hierarchy, to speak. Moreover, you must understand there are legislative means Congress can use to make things more difficult for the president, such as refusing to lift sanctions. They [members of Congress] can oppose lifting sanctions and explain that they were the ones who voted for the sanctions, so they are also the ones who must lift them. Congress can take the president to court and this is a two to three year process. So this speech is of great importance.
"The president faces a hard time achieving an agreement with Iran, as Congress must first lift sanctions. I think Congress has a sympathetic ear for Netanyahu. Two important senators, Lindsey Graham and John McCain, have already announced they don't accept the president's position. Netanyahu's speech is not only important in terms of symbolism and the media, but it is also very important legislatively. This speech is of the utmost importance, particularly at a time like this, when a nuclear deal with Iran is getting closer."
