Benjamin Netanyahu can’t tell fantasy from reality. Ignore him.

[riqster]

http://bluntandcranky.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/benjamin-netanyahu-cant-tell-fantasy-from-reality-ignore-him/

Just a few hours ago, Ol’ Bibi (yes, he really likes to be called that) denounced the preliminary deal with Iran. You might not see that as a problem: after all, Iran has threatened to annihilate Israel on more than one occasion. So, perhaps Bibi is not talking s***?

Nope, he’s talking s*** all right: you see, back in October, right after the talks started, Mr. Netanyahu denounced “the deal” as “a bad deal”… when there was no deal. That’s right, the Israeli Prime Minister was denouncing something that did not exist.

So why listen to him when he denounces something that does exist?

[Igel]

1. There's a lot of that.

People are saying how great the deal is, as though it's already been fully implemented.

Its implementation is yet future.

The future tense is an irrealis tense. Which means it's not real. It hasn't happened, and doesn't rise to the status of fact; it's not happening yet, and isn't a fact. It takes a special kind of deity to call what isn't as though it is, a deity that's both omniscient and omnipotent. I must humbly say that I'm neither. Then again, I don't make much pretense about my own personal "deitiness."

Like lots of other things, it's easy to confuse plans with implementation, words with referents, form with substance. There was great rejoicing at the last Iranian deal. Just like there was rejoicing at the first anti-recession stimulus for the 2008/09 recession. How did those work out?

[riqster]

2. My point is that in mid-October he was blasting a deal that did not exist.

There was nothing there to blast.

[Jester Messiah]

3. He's just pissed that Obama isn't letting him pull the US's puppet-strings anymore.

He's at least got that in common with the Saudis. Maybe they should work something out that doesn't involve the US dancing to their tune.

[Scootaloo]

4. He can't tell reality from fantasy, but he has control over the region's strongest military force

Ignoring him seems possibly counter-productive. Confronting him might work better.

[riqster]

5. The US has no leverage with that messianic nitwit.

Kudos to Obama and Kerry for recognizing that reality.

[Scootaloo]

6. I think you'd be surprised.

Putting that three billion per annum gift package up for review might rein Nutty Yahoo in. As might assurances that should Israel attack someone, Israel will find itself very alone in the UN for several rounds of voting. Israel is largely dependant on the United States for many things. While nutty himself might hold his breath 'til he turns blue, other parties in the coalition government won't. All it would take is for yesh Atid or Hatnuah to step out of hte coalition, and it's back to the polls for Israel - and I don't think Likud would do too well this time around (of course, Jewish Home or Yisrael beitinu might do better, so not a perfect solution by any means, I suppose)

[riqster]

7. Possibly true.

Cutting him out of the process for this deal was a good first step , in any case. "Hey, Bibi, we just made a deal without consulting you, let me tell you about it..."

[Scurrilous]

8. Boink

[riqster]

9. And a Boink for you too!