Israeli PM Olmert running US foreign policy?

[Empty Hands]

A truly bizarre story surfaced a few days ago, in which the Israeli PM Ehud Olmert claimed that he forced President Bush to reverse Secretary Rice's vote on a UN resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

"In the night between Thursday and Friday, when the secretary of state wanted to lead the vote on a ceasefire at the Security Council, we did not want her to vote in favour," Olmert said. "I said 'get me President Bush on the phone'. They said he was in the middle of giving a speech in Philadelphia. I said I didn't care. 'I need to talk to him now'. He got off the podium and spoke to me.
"I told him the United States could not vote in favour. It cannot vote in favour of such a resolution. He immediately called the secretary of state and told her not to vote in favour."

To many of course, this confirms their every conviction that Israel controls the foreign policy of the US. Myself, I doubt Olmert actually did what he claimed, but what puzzles me most of all is why he would say it. Sure, bragging for a home audience, but certainly he knew that this would be broadcast far and wide, and would hurt a key ally politically and abroad. What gives?

 

[Carol]

Greed and corruption. He doesn't give a rat's whisker about the U.S., he's more concerned about keeping Tzipi Livni from gaining control of Kadima in the special elections occurring in the next few weeks.

 

[rhn_kenpo]

This is normal diplomacy and it happens all the time. Big difference here is that those involved don't typically shoot their mouth off to the media immediately afterwards. Olmert is facing some major domestic political challenges (what Israeli PM hasn't?) and needs something, anything, to stimulate his poll ratings.

Friend or foe, governments are constantly negotiating, exchanging views, figurative jabs and favors, etc....as they pursue whatever path is judged to be in the national interest. And just like in any family, senior govt. officials often disagree about which path forward is best. There would be nothing odd about Rice wanting to vote yes, and Bush wanting to vote no. People disagree all the time.

If Israel really 'controlled' US foreign policy, there would be Marines alongside the IDF in Gaza right NOW. But there aren't. And remember what we learned from sources in Israel LAST WEEK. When the Israelis asked for special US weapons systems to launch an air-attack on Iran's nuclear assets, they we flatly refused by Bush. No word on whether or not Rice wanted to grant that request.............
R