On Monday, President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in the Oval Office to discuss Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The United States and Israel agree on much of the subject of Iran but the differences in red lines and timelines are important. As for red lines, Obama reportedly says Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, while Netanyahu says Iran must not be permitted to garner the capability to develop a weapon and he wants Iran to put a halt to enriching uranium. Israel is also requesting the United States to severely warn Iran not to proceed and directly threaten the use of military force. President Obama is in disagreement and tells an interviewer “I don’t bluff.”
In terms of timelines, in President Obama’s speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on Sunday, he made it clear that he believes there is a cushion of time for diplomatic efforts and economic sanctions at work. The White House reportedly believes Iran should be allowed to work, while Israel feels more urgency about the timeline, given its proximity to Iran, and threats the leaders of Iran have made about the Jewish state.
