Related: Obama Has Power Over Israel
"UN envoy pick gets cordial grilling in Senate" by Brian Knowlton | New York Times, July 18, 2013
WASHINGTON — Samantha Power received a mostly cordial reception Wednesday from senators weighing her nomination as the next US ambassador to the United Nations, although Republicans pressed her to explain past comments on Israel and Palestine and certain “crimes” she once said had been committed by the United States.
Power, 42, a former journalist and national security specialist, appeared to face no serious obstacles to confirmation during the hearing by the Foreign Relations Committee.
Related: The Return of Congress
If confirmed by the committee and then the full Senate, Power would succeed Susan E. Rice, whom President Obama has named as his new national security adviser.
Several key Republican senators, including Bob Corker of Tennessee, the ranking member of the committee, and John McCain of Arizona, offered their support.
“I know you’re going to be received very well,” Corker said at the outset of the hearing.
Still, she faced some difficult questions from Republicans, perhaps most notably Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, over controversial remarks and positions she has taken in the past.
His first question was about a 2002 interview in which she suggested that the United States might have to spend billions of dollars to support a “mammoth protection force” and “a meaningful military presence” if Palestinian statehood were ever to be realized.
As she has before, Power distanced herself from the remarks.
“I gave a long, rambling and remarkably incoherent response to a hypothetical question that I should never have answered,” she said.
Power vowed to fight within the UN against what she called “unacceptable bias and attacks against the state of Israel.” She went further, saying she would “absolutely” press for Israel to be given its first rotating seat on the UN Security Council.
Which will soon be made permanent. My take on the lack of Israeli opposition is they know she will be directed to exercise the U.S. veto on matters Israel, so why bother?
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Also see: Israelis to Get Immigration Exemption
I'll bet they finish that bill of goodies for Israel before they leave town.
