Politicians Invite Foreign Leaders, Fail to Build Consensus

 © 2014 The Wired Word

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John Boehner, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, announced on January 21 that he was inviting Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress about the threat from Iran. "Prime Minister Netanyahu is a great friend of our country," said Boehner, "and this invitation carries with it our unwavering commitment to the security and well-being of his people."

Such invitations to foreign leaders are usually coordinated with the White House and State Department, but this one was not. The speech by Netanyahu to a joint session of Congress will be offered as lawmakers consider additional sanctions against Iran in the event that negotiations fail to curb the country's nuclear enrichment program.

President Obama vowed during his recent State of the Union address to veto any such legislation, currently supported by many Republicans and some Democrats. Because of this, Fox News described Boehner's invitation to Netanyahu as "a sharp rebuke to President Obama."

But Obama has reached out to a foreign leader as well. One week earlier, British prime minister David Cameron visited the White House and expressed his support for Obama on the question of sanctions. In addition, he used his time in Washington to call U.S. senators and urge them to vote against any sanctions legislation.

"It's the opinion of the United Kingdom that further sanctions, or further threat of sanctions at this point, won't actually help to bring the talks to a successful conclusion," said Cameron. He warned that further sanctions could "fracture the international unity" that has allowed the United States and other countries to present a united front in dealing with Iran. At a White House press conference with Cameron, Obama said, "I respectfully request [Congress] to hold off for a few months to see if we have the possibility of solving a big problem without resorting potentially to war."

White House press secretary Josh Earnest described the Netanyahu invitation as a breach of protocol. But he went on to say that the administration would reserve judgment until they speak with the Israelis. After issuing the invitation to Netanyahu, Boehner said, "Let's send a clear message to the White House -- and the world -- about our commitment to Israel and our allies."

In the past, it was assumed that "politics stops at the water's edge." This phrase, first coined by Republican senator Arthur Vandenberg in 1947, means that American leaders are to work together in a bipartisan way to address issues of national security. It also means that our leaders are to present a united front to other countries, despite our internal partisan disagreements. But this approach to politics is abandoned when foreign leaders are invited to address or lobby Congress over controversial legislation.

Today, American leaders are struggling to build consensus around important national and international issues. Many citizens sense that the art of persuasion is being replaced by sound bites and partisan posturing. Respect between members of our political parties seems to be trending downward, along with effective communication and artful negotiation. And boundaries shift when foreign leaders are pulled into American debates.

"Iran's nuclear program is one of the most significant national security issues we face and an even larger issue for Israel, and Israel is one of this country's closest allies," writes Elliot Abrams in a blog for the Council of Foreign Relations. Even so, Americans should take note when these deliberations, typically performed by the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government, are influenced by foreign leaders.

More on this story can be found at these links:

Boehner Invites Netanyahu to Address Congress on Iran, After Obama Veto Threat. Fox News
White House Says Boehner Broke Protocol With Netanyahu Invitation. Los Angeles Times
Obama, Cameron Urge Congress Not to Pass Iran Sanctions. Politico
About That Netanyahu Invitation to Address Congress. Council on Foreign Relations

The Big Questions

1. How might the American legislative process be undermined or aided by the input of foreign leaders? What boundaries, if any, should be put on their involvement? How can outsiders impact church communications and family communications?

2. Why is it so hard to build consensus in Washington today? Where do you see similar problems in the life of the church?

3. What role does mutual respect play in the work of government? How has it been lost, and how could it be restored?

4. What are the qualities of effective negotiation? Where do you see a need for better negotiation in local, state and national politics? In the Church universal, your denomination and/or the local church? What are the formal and informal rules of cooperation?

5. What does the phrase "politics stops at the water's edge" mean to you? Where should such boundaries be drawn in the lives of our families, congregations and denominations?

6. What are the hot-button issues in your church? Which issues that you think ought to be unifying turn out to be controversial?

Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:

1 Kings 12:13-14
The king answered the people harshly. He disregarded the advice that the older men had given him and spoke to them according to the advice of the young men. (For context, read 12:1-19.)

After the death of Solomon, his son Rehoboam becomes king of Israel. King Rehoboam seeks the counsel of a number of older men on the matter of how to deal with a group of northern rebels. The men advise him, "If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever" (v. 7). But the king disregards their counsel and instead follows the advice of a group of younger men who encourage him to treat the rebels harshly, saying, "My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions" (v. 11). The result is that the northern tribes secede from the nation.

Questions: Why do you think the older men who had served Solomon recommend that King Rehoboam "speak good words" to the rebels? What motivates Rehoboam to reject this advice? What kinds of voices can we use in negotiations, and what difference do they make? How do we know what advice to accept and what to reject? What builds and maintains mutual respect?

Psalm 133:1
How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! (For context, read 133:1-3.)

This short psalm speaks of the blessedness of unity, describing it in vivid poetic terms as being like "the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard" (v. 2). Those who find ways to live together in unity are promised the blessing of God, "life forevermore" (v. 3).

Questions: Why is unity a desirable quality in our life together as families, churches, communities and a nation? What actions help us build consensus around issues of common concern? Under what conditions can "we'll agree to disagree" be a viable outcome? What are the formal and informal rules of cooperation? As you understand them, describe the qualities of "life forevermore" promised to those who can work together in this way.

Matthew 5:22
But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council ... . (For context, read 5:21-26.)

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus holds his followers to a very high standard. Not only is murder prohibited, but so are anger and insults. Additionally, he instructs his disciples to settle disputes before making religious gifts, telling them to "first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift" (v. 24).

Questions:  Why do you think Jesus is so concerned about anger and insults? Where do we encounter such behavior today? Why is the settling of disputes so important to Jesus? How can we be reconciled to our brothers and sisters in local, national and international arenas?

2 Corinthians 5:17-19
So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. (For context, read 5:16-21.)

The apostle Paul understands the ministry of reconciliation to be at the heart of what God has done through Christ, and at the center of what we are supposed to be focusing on as Christ's people. God worked through Jesus to repair the relationship between God and humanity that had been broken by sin, and he calls us to restore broken human relationships as well. God has entrusted "the message of reconciliation to us," a message with divine and human components.

Questions: How can we repair broken relationships through "the ministry of reconciliation"? Where can we do the work of peacemaking in our families, congregations, neighborhoods and world? What attitudes toward friends and enemies can help this work to be successful? Since God has shown us grace through Jesus Christ, how can we show grace to one another?

Ephesians 4:1-3
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (For context, read 4:1-16.)

As a prisoner of the Roman Empire, Paul has personal experience with international relations and the relationship between church and state. But his focus is always on the vitality of the Christian community. In the middle of his personal struggles, he calls for unity in the church and a style of life that includes humility, gentleness, patience and mutual forbearance. In his own way, he knows that "politics stops at the water's edge" -- that is, Christians should not take their disputes into the wider world, but instead make every effort "to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

Questions: How can Christians today show more humility, gentleness, patience and mutual forbearance? What effect do such qualities have on peace and unity in the church? How can such behavior be demonstrated in the wider world of politics and international relations?

For Further Discussion

1. What qualities do you look for in an advisor? Is it important that the person be a Christian and a member of your church? Why or why not? When (or under what circumstances) might it be important or acceptable to seek out an advisor or consultant who is not a member of your church, or even a Christian?

2. How can your congregation do a better job of building consensus around issues of shared concern? Be specific.

3. Most Christian communities could improve their communication. What types of voices should be used within the community of faith? Which are helpful and which are destructive?

4. Where do you see mutual respect being fostered in your family, your church and your community? What does it mean to "fight fair"? Where do you see dangerous lines being crossed?

5. "There is no more sensitive task -- or a more hazardous one -- than trying to keep nuclear weapons out of Iran's hands," writes the editorial board of USA Today. "It would be a shame if all that effort was lost because of political gamesmanship here or in Israel." Do you agree that partisan politics should not have been allowed to influence talks with Iran? If so, why? If not, how should partisan politics be involved in the negotiations, and how might this be done constructively? What issues in the Christian community should be "off limits" to politics, if any?

6. In your own life, is there an area in which "politics stops at the water's edge"? If so, why is it important for you to maintain a united front as a family, congregation or community?

Responding to the News

Listen carefully to the ways politicians talk to one another, and the ways they talk about one another. Try to avoid communication that is disrespectful and polarizing, and work to build consensus in your own family, church and community. Make an effort to "maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3).

Closing Prayer

How very good and pleasant it is, O God, when we live together in unity! Help us to see each other as brothers and sisters, and to work for reconciliation in all that we say and do. In Jesus' name. Amen.