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Utah Republican Congressman Jason Chaffetz, a co-author of legislation that would ban most forms of online gambling, spoke vehemently in support of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled speech before Congress on Tuesday.
The Prime Minister’s appearance is aimed at getting those in Congress on both sides of the aisle to impose further sanctions on Iran unless that nation completely abandons its nuclear program.
Appearing on CNN’s Wolf Blitzer Monday evening, Chaffetz was asked if he believed the U.S. should launch a pre-emptive strike against Iran to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons even while negotiations are still going on.
"If it was up to me, if I was the president of the United States, I would take out that threat," Chaffetz said.
He repeatedly said that those in opposition to Netanyahu’s appearance before Congress should “get over it”.
U.S. President Barack Obama’s Administration has been lukewarm to Netanyahu’s visit, suggesting at times the move is more about politics back home than policy in the United States. Elections in Israel are set to take place in two weeks. Netanyahu and his opponent are currently in a dead heat.
Approximately 35 Democrats, many of whom are of the Jewish faith, have already announced they will boycott the speech. One in particular, Dianne Feinstein, even went as far as to call Netanyahu “arrogant” for suggesting he speaks for all Jews.
"Get over it. Get over it. He's going to come here and speak to the joint session of Congress," Chaffetz said. "There are 535 members between the House and the Senate. So yeah, you have a couple that are not going to show up...."
Chaffetz, who was raised half-Jewish, half-Christian Scientist and has since converted to Mormonism, re-introduced his Internet gambling prohibition bill to the Congress last month. That bill is the brainchild of GOP mega donor and casino mogul Sheldon Adelson.
Last year Adelson, one of Israel’s staunchest supporters, took the rhetoric one step further by suggesting the U.S. should nuke Iran.
From the Huffington Post:
In response to my question as to what the United States should do to show Iran that we are serious about preventing them from getting a nuclear device, Sheldon said that an atomic bomb should be detonated in an empty Iranian desert as a warning to the regime of the lengths to which we will go to stop them from obtaining nuclear weapons. The nuclear demonstration in a desert wasteland should "not hurt a soul, except for a few rattlesnakes," but should serve as a shot across their bow.
Asked the next day how earnest Sheldon had been, Ron Reese, his spokesman, said, "As one of the country's most successful entrepreneurs, Mr. Adelson was using hyperbole to make a point that -- based on his nearly seven decade-long experience negotiating business deals -- actions speak louder than words."
Chaffetz routinely speaks of how the Iranian regime is one that oppresses its people and prevents most forms of freedom Americans often take for granted like….say….the freedom to play poker online for real money.
If Chaffetz has his way, American poker players may have to move to….well, Iran.
There is a certain amount of irony in that GamingZion.com claims there are some 191 online gambling sites accessible to those living in Iran and only 56 such sites accessible to those living in the United States. The site goes on to claim Iran is “one of the biggest online gambling nation’s in the region”.
Granted, like Chaffetz, the Iranian Mullahs don’t want gambling in that Muslim majority nation either. Unlike Chaffetz, they haven’t exactly made Web gambling prohibition a priority though.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
