Community | February 09, 2012 | 7 comments

Israel vs. Iran: The Truth Slips Out | Common Dreams

source: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/09-1

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Israel vs. Iran: The Truth Slips Out
by Ira Chernus

Just days after the New York Times Magazine’s lurid cover story, “Israel Vs. Iran,” the Washington Post struck back with a two-fisted effort to win the “most dire prediction” contest. The Post’s foreign policy pundit David Ignatius wrote a widely-circulated column claiming inside information: U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta “believes there is a strong likelihood that Israel will strike Iran in April, May or June.” The next day the Post’s front page headline warned ominously, “Israel: Iran Must Be Stopped Soon.” [Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Both stories reported that the Obama administration opposes any Israeli action, just like the Bush administration before it. The risks to U.S. interests are incalculable, as the Pentagon and State Department have been telling us for years.

Yet both stories added a new note: Israel might strike without U.S. support or permission. “The administration appears to favor staying out of the conflict unless Iran hits U.S. assets,” Ignatius wrote.

Of course the U.S. is already in the conflict, as the Iranians know perfectly well. Israel’s ability to strike depends largely on its high-tech weaponry, paid for by the $3 billion a year coming from Washington. With that kind of money flowing -- plus U.S. diplomatic support, which many in Israel see as their last barrier against international isolation -- the Obama administration has powerful leverage to stop any Israeli action that threatens U.S. interests.

When the administration tells the Washington Post that the U.S. is unhappy but helpless, it’s obviously looking for deniability if the attack occurs. But it’s also a clear signal to the Israelis: Though we could stop you, so far we have not decided that we will. This is a major shift in the message coming from Washington.

Why now? Ignatius put it delicately: “Complicating matters is the 2012 presidential campaign, which has Republicans candidates clamoring for stronger U.S. support of Israel.” Obama, the Republicans, and the mass media all assume that a red light from the White House to the Israelis would hurt the president on Election Day.
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7 comments // Israel vs. Iran: The Truth Slips Out | Common Dreams

  • dadevil
    • +2
      dadevil  
    • Image

    • By Dr Subhash Kapila

      “The main Iranian threat is not nuclear. It might become so, but even without nuclear weapons, Iran remains a threat. If Iran abandoned its nuclear program tomorrow, the situation would remain as complex. Iran has the upper hand, and the United States, Israel, Turkey and Saudi Arabia are looking at how to turn the tables.” –Thomas Friedman, STRATFOR

      Introductory Observations
      Iran-United States confrontation has acquired hysteria in the last two months as a result of the upset in the balance of power in the Middle East arising from the United States military withdrawal from Iraq and the United States strategic pivot to the Asia Pacific.

      The above developments seamlessly push into prominence the emergence of Iran as the naturally predominant regional power in the Middle East. This is a serious strategic upset for Saudi Arabia, the other contender with claims to be the regional power. It is also a serious upset for Israel which views a possible emergence of Iran’s nuclear weaponization as a foremost national security threat and Iran’s emerging predominance giving a military boost to Israel’s enemies like Hezbollah.

      Iran - United States Relations
      At issue all along in the Iran-United States confrontation over decades has been the singular underlying fact of United States containment of Iran for balance of power considerations. Earlier, the US stimulus was to limit the contagion of Iran’s Islamic Revolution spreading wider in the Middle East. In 2012, the US stimulus for containment of Iran stems from Iran’s inevitable emergence as the predominant regional power in the Gulf Region, and the prospects of a nuclear weaponized Iran getting more stiffened and less prone to strategic coercion.

      Notably, it needs to be stated that currently the United States confrontation with Iran is strongly fuelled by intense pressures from Israel and Saudi Arabia. With the United States security architecture in the Middle East hinged to Saudi Arabia and Israel, the United States is unable to resist such pressures.

      (1) Iran-United States Confrontation: A Reality Check (2) United States and Iran Confrontation: Strategic Losers Both (3) United States or Israel Military Strikes Against Iran: A Self Defeating Proposition

      http://www.eurasiareview.com/10022012-iran-us-confrontation-strategic-losers-bot...

    • 4 months ago
  • EmperorThan
  • ROSERITA
    • +1
      ROSERITA  

    • Oh please, this good cop bad cop is pure bullshit.. War with iran would guarantee re-election for Wallstreet Obama. What better way to sell war, than by pretending you were "PULLED" into it.. Baaaa

    • 4 months ago
  • warman1138
  • GENERALNATTY
    • +1
      GENERALNATTY  

    • Netanyahu looks at ahmadinejad as hitler, thats not propaganda that was on secret wikileaks cables that got leaked, if you stop and think about the gravity of that statement, that is not a label jews throw around lightly, i wouldn't be shocked if ahmadinejad gets shot or iran gets bombed in the next few months, there is no way isreal will tolerate any type of nuclear threat from ahmadinejad.

    • 4 months ago
  • Conniepae
    • +2
      Conniepae  

    • I 'hope' President Obama does not want to be the first black President, partially responsible for the start of World War III. The Military Industrial Complex makes large sums of money from war, but I'd rather be poor than go into another war.

      Diplomacy, diplomacy, diplomacy! Be accountable and hold the one's who are spinning war accountable. I hope he speaks up and forces the war mongers to stand down. If President Obama stands up, maybe he can get them to stand down. The Iranian people do not deserve the wrath of war! We don't deserve for war to come to our shores.

      Many American's think we are protected from other countries striking back on our shores. We are not protected! They have chosen' not to bomb the shit out of our country. We don't have the capabilities to actually stop a major attack from another country. Some may boo the Golden Rule, but I thank God other countries haven't.

      The Republican debates brought out the worst in some, making it look like we are all heartless. I was ashamed that they represent any part of America, regardless of party. They don't speak for me!

    • 4 months ago
  • figgdimension
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