January 22, 2015

Republicans seek to one-up Obama on foreign affairs

Featuring Richard Fontaine

Source: The Washington Post

Journalist Greg Jaffe

Republicans on Wednesday delivered a swift and bold response to President Obama’s exuberant State of the Union address by taking direct aim at the administration’s foreign policy authority.

House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) invited Israel’s prime minister to address Congress next month on the danger posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

The invitation was a strong signal by Boehner that he intends to challenge Obama on his handling of Iran and other foreign policy matters, such as the spread of Islamist extremism, where support for the president’s policies has sometimes been tenuous.

In a meeting with his House GOP colleagues, Boehner said that if the president “expects us to stand idly by and do nothing while he cuts a bad deal with Iran,” he will be disappointed. “Two words: ‘Hell no!’ ” Boehner said. “We’re going to do no such thing.”

Read the full article at The Washington Post.

Authors

  • Richard Fontaine

    President

    Richard Fontaine is the President of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). He served as a Senior Advisor and Senior Fellow at CNAS from 2009-2012 and previously as fo...