Netanyahu insults U.S. general. Republicans applaud.

[RandySF]

US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Martin Dempsey made news over this week by calling an Israeli-led attack on Iran foolish if attempted anytime soon. Israeli officials aren’t impressed, however, and are responding with words of their own.

Gen. Dempsey denounced a strike on Iran in the near future as “destabilizing” and “not prudent” over the weekend while speaking to CNN in regards to America and Israel’s effort to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear warhead. Israel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has now addressed that statement himself, calling into question the US official’s intentions.

Netanyahu is now suggesting that the US is adopting policies that will favor Iran, and not their historical ally: Israel.

Israeli newspaper Haaretz (“The Land”) is reporting that PM Netanyahu had harsh words for the JCOS commander, saying that his on-the-record comments over postponing any strike are remarks that “served the Iranians.”

http://rt.com/usa/news/netanyahu-dempsey-iran-israel-883/

When Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu charged US General Martin Dempsey as a puppet of Iran this week, two top-ranking US lawmakers were also visiting abroad. Neither Senators John McCain nor Lindsey Graham came to refute those claims, however.....

Siding separately from Dempsey, McCain told reporters in Jerusalem on Tuesday that “There should be no daylight between America and Israel in our assessment of the [Iranian] threat.”

“Unfortunately there clearly is some,” added the Senator.

The remarks came only hours after the senator sat down with Netanyahu, who just earlier had called Dempsey a servant of Iran.

http://rt.com/usa/news/mccain-dempsey-netanyahu-iran-063/

[Bonobo]

1. So because Repub applauded, we should automatically become military bootlickers?

In the automatic "they did that, so we will do this" of US politics, the Democrats MUST do the opposite of what Republicans do.

So if they "insult" a US Genreal (who is after all, a holy figure?) then WE must stand up like patriotic little puppies and DENOUNCE IT.

Who are the REAL PATRIOTS!? Why it's not them, no, no, it has NEVER been them. It has always been US!

We love America MORE than they do! Boo hiss!

How DARE anyone insult a general!!!?

[RandySF]

3. I'm pointing out hypocrisy.

When Barack Obama voiced some criticism toward Netanyahu, Republicans, bloggers, pundits, AIPAC and the ADL all went bonkers. Now, we hear crickets.

[Bonobo]

5. At this point, we do the same thing.

Dems take a Reoub idea and suddenly the Repubs are against it.

Repubs criticize a war, suddely we are for it.

You see this behavior everywhere you look.

It is the sign that there are nod defining positions anymore, few with moral compass.

Everyone goes with the prevailing political wind and it is a recipe for trouble and grief.

[Behind the Aegis]

6. The ADL went bonkers? Links?

[Tunkamerica]

7. But he is saying starting a war with Iran would be bad. I think that too.

If you are a democrat and agree that a war with Iran would be a bad thing that makes you a patriotic little puppy? Maybe that's how you think, that anything a military person says must be disagreed with, but not me. If he said attacking was a good idea I would disagree.

[Bonobo]

8. Well I agree as well. But I will not categorically flinch at the IDEA of insulting a general.

That's what I am saying.

[joshcryer]

10. But surely you could agree that if the Republicans are insulting a general...

...it must be over something we actually disagree with the Republicans about!

[Bonobo]

11. Hmmmm, not necessarily, no. It need not be the case. nt

[joshcryer]

13. Likely though?

I mean, 90% of the time or something.

[Bonobo]

15. Hmmmm, The problem is though...

That I seriously DOUBT I would agree with a US general 90% of the time.

So how often is it that Repubs criticize a US General? Well, only if they think they can score political points and of course only when a Dem president is in charge.

But since I am against 99.9% of military actions, I really can't agree that I would DIS-agree with criticism of a US general 90% of the time PARTICULARLY since it is divorced from any true moral considerations and is just political football stuff.

So that leaves open the possibility that I would agree with the Repubs since I so strongly DISagree with Obama's use of drones and intensification of Afghan war, etc.

[joshcryer]

17. Fair enough.

Not trying to get the last word, and I agree with your other post, so there's that.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

18. Nice last words!

Generally speaking.

I suspect that 90% of generals are against war at least 90% of the time, because they know how unpredictable and deadly it is.

[joshcryer]

9. WTF! I agree with the general, don't you?

Does agreeing with the general make either of us "military bootlickers"?

[Bonobo]

12. Yes, in this case.

However, as I stated, the tone of the OP title suggested that merely the act of "insulting" a general is somehow an action that is so far out there that it must be rejected as unpatriotic... THAT would be something I oppose.

[joshcryer]

14. I can agree with that to an extent but after I read the articles posted...

...it became clear to me that the Republicans were warmongering and I'm quite pleased with Obama's foreign policy decision here.

Now if only he'd stop the targeted killing... *sigh*

[Bonobo]

16. Agreed.

The very worst thing is for these things to be only being used for political reasons divorced from any consideration of their moral connotations.

[Angry Dragon]

2. mccain and graham

are they in the Israeli parliament??
because I know mccain spends a lot of time there
good thing everything in this country is taken care of
so he has all that extra time traveling around the world taking care of the world problems

[ChairmanAgnostic]

19. Rather have him in DC? Me neither.

[Behind the Aegis]

4. Wonderful example of bullshit propaganda, but it is RT, so no surprises.

Israel has protested to the United States over recent comments by senior American officials critical of any Israeli attack on Iran, saying this criticism "served Iran's interests."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and other senior officials made their displeasure known to Tom Donilon, U.S. national security adviser who has been in Israel this week.

A senior Israeli official said Netanyahu and Barak told Donilon of their dissatisfaction with the interview given by Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, to CNN on Sunday.

Dempsey said "I don't think a wise thing at this moment is for Israel to launch a military attack on Iran," and a strike "would be destabilizing" and "not prudent."

Israel: Public U.S. objections to military attack serve Iran's interests

[Politicalboi]

20. Your on your own

If you attack Iran is what I would have told them. I think that is what he said, but not in those words.

[malaise]

21. All politics all of the time

Fuck them all.