It’s a bit late to complain about Netanyahu breaking protocol toward Obama.
First off, Congress can invite whomever they want, which is what they did. Congress technically runs all matters of peace and war (and particularly the Senate). The Executive Branch is supposed to follow their lead, merely “executing” the will of the people expressed through our Legislative Branch representatives.
Obama constantly bypasses Congress on these matters. And yes, the “imperial presidency” model has been pushed for a long time, but Obama is pushing it the most.
Congress is pushing back a tiny little bit. They are supposed to. It is part of the “checks and balances” built into our Constitution and our system of government.
Second, Obama has insulted most of the heads of state of Europe, Asia, and the Americas. He has insulted our closest historical allies the most, even sending back most of the gifts that the UK has given the White House over the years. He has done a lot of terrible stuff to Poland, which certainly never did anything nasty to him or us.
He explicitly said that one of his goals for his second term was to cut down Israel’s power and influence, and that at a time when we have aggressive things being done by Russia, China, Pakistan, and various Middle Eastern groups. He has not taken that back. Now we have ISIS as well as Al-Qaeda, Iran, etc. So why would he want to focus nastiness on a country not attacking us, and which is our ally?
Third, Queen Esther did have power herself. She was the most powerful person in the land outside of the King and the Prime Minister.
The point was that, instead of pushing her power (which still would have been insufficient to save her people, because the Prime Minister and the King were against them), she abandoned all pride and protocol and begged the King directly, showing vulnerability to him, in a bid to encourage him to show humanity instead of power, and to remember the gratitude he should feel for things the Jews had done in the past to save his butt.
Now, Israel is not perfect. It is not always our friend, per se. But ISIS is always going to be our enemy, and constantly messing with our allies is something that no country can afford to do. Israel has a right to try to talk to Congress directly when invited. It certainly has a right not to inform Obama if Obama’s people have been instructed not to answer Netanyahu’s calls, which apparently did happen. (And btw, that’s an awfully stupid, passive-aggressive way for the officials of a superpower to act toward anyone, even some Lower Slobovian Obscuredom.)
Congress is following its constitutional responsibilities. For once. Kudos to all.
Obama’s actions reflect no credit on his office. Netanyahu’s are the actions of a man of determination and patriotism. I’m sorry that the comparison can’t be more flattering.
