Cantor: Obama Mid-East Policy "Dangerous" And "Misguided"

House Minority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) ripped President Obama's Middle East strategy Tuesday as "dangerous" and "misguided." Cantor hit Obama for making critical remarks of Israel Monday and suggesting, in a BBC interview broadcast Tuesday, that Iran has "legitimate energy concerns."

"What I do believe is that Iran has legitimate energy concerns, legitimate aspirations," Obama said.

On Monday President Obama was critical of Israel on National Public Radio. "Part of being a good friend is being honest," he said. "I think there have been times where we are not as honest as we should be about the fact that the current direction, the current trajectory, in the region is profoundly negative, not only for Israeli interests but also U.S. interests."

"I strongly disagree with President Obama's dangerous suggestion that Iran may have some right to nuclear energy." said Cantor in a statement provided to the Huffington Post. "Iran forfeited any right to nuclear energy when it made the decision to illicitly enrich uranium to levels that can be used for nuclear weapons."

He also pushed back on Obama for his critique of Israel, suggesting that Obama favors the Palestinians.

"As Palestinian terror shows no sign of abating, President Obama's insistence that it is in America's best interest to pressure Israel sends the wrong message to the region. Where is the outrage at the Palestinians' continued refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state? Where is the concern for their failure to root out the terrorists in their midst?" he asked. "It is misguided to assume that if we deal with the Israel-Palestinian question, somehow all the problems in the Middle East -- including in Iran -- will be solved."

Iran has vast fossil fuel resources but is short on refining capacity, leaving it vulnerable to swings in energy prices and disruptions as a result of sanctions. The nation contends that it needs nuclear power to give it consistent access to energy.

UPDATE: Media Matters thinks its Cantor's foreign policy that's dangerous.

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Comments

[Dbos]

Be sure to wash your hands after listening to him .

[AhnAmuru]

Cant - or, being childish - as usual.

[StrongEagle]

Mr. Cantor is clearly uninformed if he doesn't believe that Iran has real energy concerns. At it's current rate of growth Iran will become a net importer of oil in about 10 years. It makes sense to invest in nuclear power so that it can continue to sell oil, one of it's chief sources of foreign exchange.

[Corral]

Ok, then, we have Cantor, who is for sure one of the most dangerous Republicans in the house. Why? Because he lacks the intelligence and integrity to respectfully represent any faction of our country. Everything he says is to kiss up to his special interest obligations. Let's see, why would he be opposed to Obama's honest dialog with Israel? Maybe because the way we have been trying to gain peace has worked so well for all these years? Hm, couldn't be that. So, is it just more profitable to ship weapons and increase military options for profit, perhaps. Gosh, if there were peace, that just wouldn't be American! I am daily disgusted at these Republicans and their un-American ways. Are there really 21% of Americans who like the Republicans? That seems rather high. And, why do the Republican talking heads get more news time than the Democrats, considering that the majority of Americans are so done with them.. Hm, let's see....who owns the cable networks again?

[GLT21]

Cantors policy has been working great for the past 30 years. NOT!

[rosiebond007]

The Agreement signed in 1917 quotes

"Nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religions rightssof the existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine."

Actually both sides want the same for each other - but stealing land, housing , education, medical aid, the right to work, the right to keep their own homes (which have been in their families for decades), lying continually to the outside world, and cheating anyone who may not agree - this is what has happened to Palestine and the Palestinians facilitated by the Israelis.

Cantor - you need help to see the world as it really is and how the world views the Israelis war games - time to get your Jewish community to read their good book again and again and again.

And do stop taking their money and whining .....

[Gidster]

Israel did not exit before 1947. What agreement are you referencing?

[rosiebond007]

I'm sorry - I don't hear a positive alternative suggetion from either you or your party.

Could it be that you don't have one ???

[never-ever-give-up]

I am sorry. Is he some expert on the Middle East or another jerk with an ax to grind? Me thinks that he is the latter.

[lagumbo]

Cantor has been silent and out of sight for a while. I guess he has been taken off punishment now.
This is what he is suppose to complain about now. Poor junior, he is sucha dunce.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

I guess the new GOP and the lisening tour didn't work out so well for him.

I agree such a dunce.

[iridium53]

As far as I'm concerned, we've been at war with Hezbollah since October 23, 1983.

Any President that gives aid or comfort to that enemy should be impeached.

Semper Fi.

[Imhotep40]

Funny, I always thought the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces (including the Marines) decides who our enemies/allies are?

[Gidster]

I lost some friends in that attack, but Hezbollah has evolved, if you carry a grudge, you will never get past it, and you will always carry that hate for people long dead.

Hezbollah is the legally elected government there, it is in the best interests of the US to negotiate a diplomatic solution. Then if they break it, then they become the enemy and may be dealt with in your preferred fashion.

[FebM]

Wingnuts have been mis-characterizing this statement from Obama's great uncle Charles Payne to get a cheap shot at Obama. Never mind the senior has more class than all of them and understands war

On Tuesday, Payne said that quote has been taken out of context on political blogs.

"He didn't choose to go there because I was there. He has his own political agenda, which is what the president ought to have," Payne told the Tribune. "This is not a family affair."

Obama plans to deliver a speech Thursday in Egypt on U.S. relations with the Muslim world, before traveling to Germany.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-obama-uncle-03-jun03,0,4036860.story

[Layman23]

I guess there wasnt any Britney Spears show around... Yawn !

[junior111]

CANTOR, another WEIRD Middle East expert wannabe. Please go back to grade school.

[Yuma]

He wants to get more money from them.
That is the bottom line.

[BigAl72]

Obama's Mideast policy dangerous and misguided. Is this clown for real? Where was he for the last 8 years when the previous administration practically destroyed our foreign policy.

[Gidster]

I guess "Bring it on" was the policy Cantor had his heart set on....

[123dee]

Last time Cantor had anything to say he had a mouth full of pizza.
Now he is speaking out about misguided and dangerous, maybe he
should have used those words to describe Cheney.