Quantcast
 
 
 
Top Story
The Politics of Gay Marriage in Campaign 2008
My Journey to the Top
 
 
Latest News
Signs point to imminent Simpson-Wentz wedding
 
 
expand

What Will Israel Do?

A unilateral military strike against Iran is much more likely following the latest intel report about Tehran's nuke program.

By Michael Hirsh | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Dec 20, 2007 | Updated: 6:21  p.m. ET Dec 20, 2007

« Return to Article

 
Discuss
 
Member Comments
  • Posted By: new_york_loner @ 01/13/2008 10:11:38 AM

    Comment: Mike Hirsh wrote, "The Israelis also know that the Arab states are terrified of an Iranian nuclear power, possibly to the point of looking the other way at another such strike."

    How can Mike, or anyone else, reach that conclusion? Where's the hard evidence supporting that dangerous assumption? Justification for an Israeli strike on Iran is a shaky argument based on faulty or dubious premises, wishful thinking and pro-Israeli emotion.

    We Americans have heard rosy, pre-war predictions before, from the same pro-war crowd. The Israel lobby helped push us into an ill-concieved war in Iraq.

    Now, the Israel Lobby, through highly-silled shills like Mike Hirsh, is orchestrating American sympathy for any future, unilateral, Israeli aggression against Iran.

    If Iran should respond to an Israeli airstrike or misslile attack, by launching a counter-attack on the Jewish State, this pro-Israel sympathy would grease the skids for US military action against Iran, as Israel would then be facing another "existential threat".

    China and Russia would not sit back quietly while Uncle Sam delivers "shock and awe" destruction upon Iran. All hell could break loose quickly.

    Under such dire circumstances, Israel might have the last word, by way of the Samson Option; the ensuing "Armageddon" would be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

    Mike, someone needs to inform you, what's good for Israel is not always good for the USA, or for mankind. .

  • Posted By: Door to Perception @ 01/12/2008 1:47:45 PM

    Comment: Also.... air attacks on Iran are not enough; history has proved this time and time again. Only a massive land invasion could accomplish the mission. ................... actually at this point in history we don't want Iran to go nuclear and be a dominant player because we see them as the enemy... but in fact history has shown us that we often make the wrong assessments. In the 70's we were supporting the Taliban against the Communists in Afghanistan when it turns out that the people that were closest to us (the West) were not the Taliban but the Communists. What a better place Afghanistan would be today if we had supported the Communists. And how much weaker the global Jihad movement would be!!! Similarly, in the long term the Iranians will prove to be better friends for the West than the Arabs. We should support friendship and mutual beneficial relationships between the West and Iran....

  • Posted By: Door to Perception @ 01/12/2008 1:42:36 PM

    Comment: The NIE was a political document, drafted at the behest of the White House in order to let Bush back down from his hawkish rhetoric on Iran and his promise not to let them get the Bomb. Now he can leave office without launching a war and if the Iranians get nuclear weapons later it can be someone else's fault. Even his team of lunatics are rational enough to know that an attack on Iran by the USA would cause havoc in the Persian Gulf, the world and here at home., not to mention in Iraq. So they just don't have the stomach for it... thus they ordered a new NIE. I am surprised so few commentators point this out.

  • Posted By: yuriy @ 12/31/2007 10:12:27 AM

    Comment: Iran is curently nazi ruled state. Israel Must do whatever it sees fit to protect itseff

    • Posted By: yahshua22 @ 01/11/2008 22:30:24

      Comment: Amen to it. Necessarily Yirael defends self against whoever curses Yisrael: thus, YHVH bless Yisrael via Abraham .

  • Posted By: yuriy @ 12/31/2007 10:07:29 AM

    Comment: and Iran is for Whom? You are missing the point, Israel has the right indeed the duty to protect itself. Iran is curently ruled by the Nazis

  • Posted By: TheWatchman @ 12/30/2007 10:00:38 PM

    Comment: Israel and the surrounding area belong to Israel, as God has spoken it. There is no palestine, period.

  • Posted By: the raprot @ 12/29/2007 5:40:51 PM

    Comment: oh, and one little thing, israel is for israelis, period

  • Posted By: the raprot @ 12/29/2007 5:39:40 PM

    Comment: alright, so before you listen to people like the one below me, let someone like me (israeli) to comment- so really, things are not like you read here on the internet, come for yourself and have a look how those terror groups pretend they are regular people. and ill tell you waht, i am not that yound and about to enter the israeli army, and articels and people 9like that one below me for example) makes me wanna go there even more, so chill before you say something about israel alright?

  • Posted By: mdvlstn3 @ 12/28/2007 9:10:09 PM

    Comment: Why does Isreal....think it can treat Palistinians....like the Nazis...treated them
    As long as they have the military and financial backing of the US.....they do anything they want
    You have to lie in the bed you make.....I would like to see them do this on their own...
    Is their anyone more aggressive....or quicker to violence then Israelis....

    • Posted By: frenchpatou @ 12/29/2007 13:05:22

      Comment: YES, PALESTINE BELONGS TO THE PALESTINIANS, WE WOULD NOT HAVE BUT HALF THE TROUBLES IN THAT REGION, BUT WE DO BECAUSE OF THE NAZIS OF THAT AREA, THE PEOPLE OF "ISRAEL", ISRAEL IS PALESTINE !

  • Posted By: mdvlstn3 @ 12/28/2007 9:06:30 PM

    Comment: why does Isreal....think it can treat palistinians like the nazis treated them....
    and think things are going to work out in their favor....(as long as the Us bails them out, militarily and financially)....they should have to sleep in the bed they have made....on their own

  • Posted By: mdvlstn3 @ 12/28/2007 9:03:28 PM

    Comment: why does Isreal....think it can treat palistinians like the nazis treated them....
    and think things are going to work out in their favor....(as long as the Us bails them out, militarily and financially)....they should have to sleep in the bed they have made....on their own

  • Posted By: Lindie @ 12/28/2007 1:45:09 PM

    Comment: Israel needs to stay put.

  • Posted By: pfreedma @ 12/28/2007 9:07:39 AM

    Comment: The fervent comments posted previously really don't address the article, which is not about the United States but Israel and which fundamentally confirms that Israel faces an "existential threat" from an Iranian nuclear program--i.e., that Israel could cease to exist culturally, politically, and biologically. Even if posters are positing some linear relation between American and Israeli governments and the posts are not misplaced the thrust of the article is that Israeli officials fear that lack of action against Iran will encourage the extermination of Israel. That raises the bar for external pressure on Israel to defer action.

  • Posted By: Depletion @ 12/27/2007 9:05:04 PM

    Comment: What is said here, is very disturbing, a way of change of information gathering and only comes within from the inside is not reliable, once it was started a lot of things will happen, if the course is started its hard to stop and waste effort and money invlove, eager to have nuclear power, its very sad, very qquestionable, people never get old in terms of thinking , state of the mind, only the flesh is getting old. Once the character is always a character it can only pause for a while but it will never give up in itself, once there is a chance it will take it and it will only observe the reaction from others and it will move slowly and until it will reach the goal, after all fossil fuels are on the process of depletion. one way or another the earth may destroy it self its beacause the structure of earth is continue alter in my point of view, once you disturb the natural process, and it cannot return to its self, something wrong will happen. thank you

  • Posted By: eddiewhere @ 12/27/2007 2:52:45 AM

    Comment: Hillary Clinton voting for the war, and a blank check for the war is against everything she stands for, unfortunately there are forces that control individuals in Washinton that is beyond our realm. Inotherwords if a politician is in trouble they will go against their own principles just to save themselves. This is why I say Hillary should be appointed to a health and childrens welfare committee under an Obama presidency. That way she will not be susceptible to scandal. The Clintons have shown time and time again that they are too political. Their decisions are based on what's best for them first and the people second. Hillary Clinton laughs at the fact that there are individuals who can tell her what kind of president to be. If going negative assists her she will do it, if going family helps her she will do it. These individuals in Washington have been programed to adhere to the will of special interst lobbyists. Why do you think we fund Israeli security forces. The politician is guided by their own narrow interests. This the conclusion I have come too over the holidays. The democrats that have been in the Senate and in the Congress for the last 6 years and have done nothing on a national scale. Edwards has done nothing as a Senator, his voting record indicates he has gone along with whatever the mainstream has wanted him to do, Clinton has done what ever the mainstream has wanted her to do, and pelosi has been playing games and is getting schooled everyday. I have no choice but to vote for OBAMA, what other hope is exist. We need someone who is not programmed and that can bring unity. Obama has not flip floped, he has run a steady and unified campaign even when he was down in the polls, his campaign has stayed focused and positive. Clinton went from negative, to bashing, to family . What is going it is like a script has been written everyday and Hillary is just the actor reading the lines. Like I said there are those that think they are far more experienced and knowledgable than us, but when you look at their individual record it is as if they never had experience. We are stupid and this is why our candidates act stupid. Remember our candidates are a reflection of our society, do what you half to do to get ahead even if it means going against your principles. Experience.

  • Posted By: eddiewhere @ 12/27/2007 2:52:27 AM

    Comment: You do not control the Government the Government controls you, and this has to change. We are not talking race we are talking constitution. The Government is cleverly taking over our civil liberties, slowly, intelligently. Keeping us dumb. Romney is playing the same card Bush did. There stupid so do not play smart.

  • Posted By: hots @ 12/25/2007 7:37:48 PM

    Comment: washington ought to step back and take a very serious look at the Iranian NUCLEAR POWER affear.. And be very sure before it makes any more public statments :Am pretty sure that the Israel's Would feel diffrent and not so bad that the U.S.A. did not ran out on them in the thick of the heath.

  • Posted By: nawawimohamad @ 12/25/2007 12:34:02 AM

    Comment: Why is everyone talking about war? Why not talk and discuss about peace? Don't we have enough wars? Why is the "greatest nation on earth" so fearful of Iran? What does Iran have? Why is Isreal so afraid of Iran when it has "the greatest nation on earth" by its sides? For that matter why is "the greatest nation on earth" so afraid of Osama, who is just one sick person(maybe dead) running the Al Qaeda with no sophisticated set up and no technological advance? Why is the "greatest nation on earth" so afraid of the improvised explosives? It doesn't make sense at all! As for Mr. Hirsh, he can write whatever he desires but the readers must be critical. It is better to read an article written by somebody stupid or reading a stupid article rather than be a stupid reader.

  • Posted By: mkf1 @ 12/23/2007 3:37:55 PM

    Comment: This tone of jounalism suggesting that any state, has the right to arbitrarily bomb another state is not acceptable in a civlized world of laws. Hirsch you know better. What is the reason you set civilized laws aside when in comes to Israel? I believe you are a closet Israeli, and your "journalism" takes second place to you being a law abiding person. This atttude is why Israel is damned by so many, you jumped in with them.

  • Posted By: Turdchaser12003 @ 12/23/2007 1:27:48 PM

    Comment: Bush is an Idiot and he is cowering to Iran because he is making too much money in the war with Iraq, he dose not want to dilute his effort by taking care of this obvious problem. Insted he will continue to wage war on a nation that has never harmed one American.

  • Posted By: Turdchaser12003 @ 12/23/2007 1:26:51 PM

    Comment: Bush is an Idiot and he is cowering to Iran because he is making too much money in the war with Iraq, he dose not want to dilute his effort by taking care of this obvious problem. Insted he will continue to wage war on a nation that has never harmed one American.

  • Posted By: John the postmaster @ 12/22/2007 3:08:47 PM

    Comment: The US doesn't want nuclear weapons in Iran because of the chance of those weapons getting into the hands of terrorists. We've managed to avoid war with the other nuclear countries to this point because these countries were believed to be under stable leadership. Our past with Iran doesn't give us hope of that in this case.

    As to the comment about "some crazy American" using nuclear weapons first because "we've done it before", are you seriously saying that Harry Truman was crazy and we didn't have a good reason to use our nuclear weapon first? No to mention that no one else had nukes at that time.

  • Posted By: Gray307A @ 12/22/2007 1:46:16 PM

    Comment: Can anyone answer a question for me? This may seem like an elementary question, but I would point out that the article doesn't answer it. Nor, amazingly, do any of the dozens of news articles I've read on the issue. Nor do any statements I've heard from American political leaders. My question is this: WHY does Israel oppose a nuclear Iran so much that it would be worth bombing them and going to war? Why does the U.S. feel the same? Before anyone answers, I'd like to clarify that I am not seeking anyone's OPINION of what the reasons are, rather I am interested in actual stated reasons given by Israeli and U.S. leaders and the general populace. I used to feel stupid for not knowing the answer to this question until I noticed that it is the American media that perpetuates this ignorance by never providing the necessary answers to important questions such as these. The media are failing to do their duty now as they failed to do so in analyzing the evidence for going to war with Iraq. Our political leaders are no better. All they do is keep repeating their mantra, "Iran must not acquire 'new-kyew-lur' weapons," without ever deigning to tell us WHY. Is the American media that dull-witted that they don't think an answer to that question is worthy journalism? Do they really just expect us to take the politicians' word for it after the Iraq debacle? Perhaps they consider the question too basic or self-evident to waste ink answering, but I imagine if a poll were conducted on the issue, most Americans would be as ignorant of the reasons as I am. Perhaps an older generation is more aware of the reasons than I, having lived through more of Mideast history than I, but I happen to be of a younger generation, and if we are ignorant on these issues, it is because the older generation, which runs the government and the media, has failed to enlighten us. Since my leaders and media have failed me, is there anyone out there who would answer that question for me? I would also like to know why other Arab nations fear a nuclear Iran, as the article mentions, yet fails to explain. Again, I seek not opinions, but actual stated reasons from the concerned parties.

    • Posted By: C. MacLean @ 12/22/2007 14:37:30

      Comment: I can answer the question. Isreal and the US both oppose a nuclear Iran because they are afraid.

      Israel opposes a nuclear Iran because Iran has publicly stated it's intentions to "drive all the Jews into the sea." Iran has said so repeatedly, as have several other of Israel's neighbors. A nuclear weapon would make this goal much easier, since conventional weapons have not worked - the Israeli's have proven very effective at staying dry and on land, and would like to remain so. A nuclear Iran could finally have the power to drive all the Jews into the sea.

      Until very recently, the US opposed a nuclear Iran because Iran has, or effectively influences, oil, and the US desparately needs oil. The fear is that with a nuclear weapon, Iran can withhold the oil and we would be too afraid to attack Iran to get the oil, because of fear of nuclear retaliation. Since 9/11, the fear is heightened: if terrorists can attack with 2 airplanes and threaten lower Manhattan, think what they could do with a nuclear bomb.

      The real question is not why Israel and the US oppose a nuclear Iran, since the answer is fear; fear is the motivating factor for almost all of our foreign policy, and a good portion of our domestic policy. The real question is - are there other ways to deal with our fears concerning a nuclear Iran besides going to war with them?

      After all - many countries - Israel, Russia, China, France, and India among others - have had nuclear weapons for several decades, and we have managed to avoid going to war with them. Why can't we avoid going to war with Iran? Or North Korea?

      Maybe the real fear isn't that Iran will use nuclear weapons - maybe the real fear is that if Iran has them, some crazy American might feel so afraid that we will use our nuclear weapons first.

      After all - we've done it before.

  • Posted By: SAQIB @ 12/22/2007 12:32:08 PM

    Comment: The war aginst terror was a pretext to invade afghanistan OSAMA WAS discovered and he was made to play the role of the USSR as the union had collapsed and there was no enemy to fight with for maintaining the velocity of progress.Then came the weapons of mass destruction who became the cause of attack on Iraq.Now it would be the nukes which ould become a pretext to wage a war against Iran.The world and especially the muslims think that the policies of Israel and THE WEST the same.Who comes forward and becomes an invader would be premeditated.If so happens it will push the whole world into a war,as already analyzed by the writer about Russia and company.It would add oil to the fuel and would be scareful for whole the humanity.

  • Posted By: vpitt @ 12/22/2007 12:04:59 AM

    Comment: It is good that the Arabs are terrified of Israel, it may slow down their terroristic activities. Israel has fanatic terrorists that surround it. They have shown great restraint in spite of the repeated terroristic threats and actual murders carried out by these barbaric fanatics. Iran has shown that it is a terroristic government led by an insane fanatic. Israel has shown that it is a nation dedicated to peace and prosperity. Take your choice, who would you rather have in control of nuclear devices.

    VPitt

    • Posted By: RedAaron @ 12/24/2007 08:52:25

      Comment: Small-scale violence by Arabs and Muslims against Israel and its U.S. bankroller is nothing compared to the large-scale, high-tech terrorism by Israel and the U.S. against anybody who gets in the way of their imperialist ambitions. Over 2 million Iraqis have died as a result of 13 years of virtual blocade (a.k.a. "sanctions") sandwiched between two wars led by the U.S., all with the strong encouragement of the powerful Zionist Lobby. If you add in the roughly 20 million people who die unnecessarily each year as a result of economic policies imposed by the U.S. and its allies on the neo-colonized countries, nothing that the people labelled "terrorists" by the U.S.-Israel Axis have done is worthy of more than a footnote in the terrorism account books.

  • Posted By: pinkpanther87413 @ 12/21/2007 11:59:16 PM

    Comment: Regardless of who you are or what holiday you celibrate!! I do not mis spell holidays or names as its rude! so i'll just say happy holidays to all in your own way, be well.

  • Posted By: kemet @ 12/21/2007 8:08:36 PM

    Comment: Those who thinks that Arabs are terrified of Nuclear Iran not of a country who has at least 300 Atomic bombs at its disposal are Idiots. Iran does not kill arabs every day in the west bank and Gaza. Iran did not invade its neighbor Lebanon last year.. It is only the Arab goverments who are terrified of saying No To USA

    • Posted By: Planet@Vertigo @ 12/21/2007 23:34:51

      Comment: If that???s right, why then countries like Egypt, Jordan, the Saudi???s have recently, expressed their plans to develop their own nuclear programs (for ???energy??? of course???) why now??
      Is it because of Israel (that has a program since the 60???s ) or Iran?? this point alone proves that Israel is not a true threat to middle east but Iran is!!

      • Posted By: pinkpanther87413 @ 12/21/2007 23:56:57

        Comment: what point?/All you have done is name all the countries that the terrorist came from to wipe out the WTC?

        • Posted By: Planet@Vertigo1 @ 12/22/2007 01:38:43

          Comment: No??? I have named the countries that have expressed a desire to build a nuke program, because of Iran??? they are Sunni and they have a say in the middle -east???

          They are afraid of Iran not Israel

          Do you really want a region like the middle -east, known for its instability having nukes? And it???s all because of Iran! Imagine Osama having nukes!( this is what will happen if Iran is not stopped) ??? this is all because of Iran NOT Israel ???

  • Posted By: kemet @ 12/21/2007 8:02:30 PM

    Comment: Those who thinks the Arabs are more terrified of Nuclear Iran than a 200 Nuclear Bombs Israel are idiots. The Arabs Governments are underr great pressure from USA to think that way . But Every Arab in the Middle East Think that the problem is Israel not Iran. By the Way Iran did not invade any country. Iran do not kill arabs In the west Bank and Gaza every day . Iran did not Invade Lebanon last year.

    • Posted By: pinkpanther87413 @ 12/21/2007 22:00:17

      Comment: your right

  • Posted By: theinformationist @ 12/21/2007 5:00:05 PM

    Comment: the US. problem with Iran is not nuclear its all about Iraq and the fax that based on whats happening on the ground is that the Iranian are not try to make things harder for the Americans.

  • Posted By: pinkpanther87413 @ 12/21/2007 4:17:06 PM

    Comment: What's cheaper and yet far more profitable?
    Swarm Iran with alt energy wind and solar, sell them all the equipment, and send engineers if needed, and totaly retro fit there country, so nuclear is not nessary, no spent fuel to dump, no nuclear threat, and no lose of life, and ,show, the world, what, and ,how, it CAN be done!
    Go to war lose 50,000+ American lives, and still get no where, as they live there, we don't. spend yet another few hundred trillion or more, for China to buy off ,and profit Americans in America next to nothing, as we are not self suffecient, and have outsourced our military needs to other countries, we don't work in, and stand a good chance of, no parts, to replace the ones lost in battle!
    Personaly I like the retro fit, its far more profitable to America as we build the parts and lose no American lives, and get a lot of orders for the same from other third world countries, including the USA who if retro fitted could once again be self sufficent country, and lead by example, not by threat. If we supply alt energy to the world, nuclear energy would be a atari thing of the past, and its threat free! Consider this, do you want your kids in war, or rebuilding our country and others, to eleminate ALL nuclear possible threats, and waste !!

  • Posted By: pinkpanther87413 @ 12/21/2007 3:45:15 PM

    Comment: So let me get this streight. A first world country can play with ther MP3 and cell phones but the first time a Third world country puts down there 8 tracks and start to play Atari pong vidio game they become a tech threat??? and should be blown back to the stone ages, while we steal there oil??? Till they are happy with reel to reel?? While the world speeds right by and as long as there bow and arrow can't take out our nukes we ain't happy or secure??? Because they live, unlike some Native Indians tribes?? Beware the blankets!!
    What a waste of time !

  • Posted By: fillip mars @ 12/21/2007 3:23:49 PM

    Comment: One further comment on the issue of other countries' nuclear activities: Shortly after North Korea tested
    their nuclear device, "experts" were quoted in the news as stating that the detonation was rather small. Shortly after that, China warned the North Koreans to stop their testing, which they agreed to with unusual
    willingness, and then shortly after that Kim Jung Il agreed to talk. I suspect that their nuclear test went off badly, perhaps causing unexpected damage either to equipment, or maybe personnel, leaving them with nothing to work with so that they had to bow to China's demand.
    Someone once remarked that many of the spy cameras used by "Big Brother" in George Orwell's "1984" would've been defective because in such a demoralized society, the maintenance personnel would lack the motivation and, perhaps the educational quality, to keep the cameras working. Reports of the shoddy workmanship in just about any civilian area behind the "Iron Curtain" were legion. Only the Soviet's space program seemed to excel. Even in East Germany, whose people were noted for excellent mechanical ability before they became communized (Mercedes, Audi, even VW), the one automobile they built, the Trabant, known as the "trabby," was universally condemned, along with Yugoslavia's Yugo, as a piece of junk, although the Yugo was apparently a better piece of junk than the trabby, inasmuch as the Yugo was able to enter the U.S. market. The point being that the North Korean nuclear scientists were living, probably, under worse pressures than most of the rest of the communist world, what with an estimated 2 million, or more people starving to death in North Korea, some of those scientists must've had family or friends affected by those conditions, thus diminishing their enthusiasm for their work. Maybe, just maybe. Peace.

  • Posted By: newpatriot07@yahoo.com @ 12/21/2007 2:48:27 PM

    Comment: Israel became a Nation in May 14, 1948 and was unanimously voted into the United Nations by the United States. Jerusalem was captured by Israel in June 6, 1967 in the Six Day War. The World has witnessed two of the greatest events in modern history. Now Israel has been abandoned by the world and will be saved by her Creator.

    • Posted By: pinkpanther87413 @ 12/21/2007 15:04:37

      Comment: YA AMERICA HER CREATOR

  • Posted By: newpatriot07@yahoo.com @ 12/21/2007 2:42:01 PM

    Comment: Israel became a Nation in May 14,1948 and was voted in unanimously by the United States at the United Nations Assembly, Jerusalem was captured by Israel in The Six Day War of June 1967. 1948 - 2008 = 60yrs , A generation has passed and witnessed one the greatest World events in history. Israel is not going away , on the contrary it will continue to exsist , only to be saved by her Creator!

  • Posted By: pinkpanther87413 @ 12/21/2007 2:36:51 PM

    Comment: TONY
    YOUR RIGHT AS BUSH DID NOT GET HIS BODY COUNT HE WANTED WHEN WE WALKED INTO IRAQ SO THE NEXT BEST THING IS TO GO TO WAR WITH IRAN AND GET THE COUNT HE WISHS FOR AND THE WORD IS DICKTATOR=BUSH

  • Posted By: tonyforademocraticworld @ 12/21/2007 2:31:07 PM

    Comment: Israel strikes Iran, Iran retaliatesagainst Israel, forcing george bush to strike at Iran. Now george bush has is war with Iran, claiming national security and stays in Washington as a dictator.

    • Posted By: Westcoast @ 12/21/2007 17:51:34

      Comment: You're more dramatic than a soap-opera tony. If Israel attacks Iran, Iran won't attack Israel in retaliation at first. Iran will attack U.S. armed force bases in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and other U.S. bases in the region. Then the U.S. will have no choice but to launch strikes against Iran and for legitamate reasons. If this does happen, count on a republican candidate being ELECTED into the white house.

    • Posted By: Westcoast @ 12/21/2007 17:45:07

      Comment: What a dramatic person you are tony. If Israel attacks Iran, Iran won't attack Israel in retaliation at first, Iran will attack U.S. armed force bases in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and any other base the U.S. has in the region. Then that will leave the U.S. no choice but to attack Iran, and for legitamate reasons.

  • Posted By: fillip mars @ 12/21/2007 2:10:59 PM

    Comment: Posted by fillip mars @ 12/21/2007 - The USA has 18 nuclear submarines in the seas around the world at
    least 8 of which are said to have more firepower than all the weapons that were used by all sides in World
    War II. You can bet that at least one of these is withing striking distance of Iran, and, probably, the whole
    middle east, and we're concerned about Iran's POSSIBLE developing ONE BOMB? Gimme a break! Let 'em
    have their firecracker. D'you think they'd risk being turned to glass by attacking, or preparing to attack anyone
    with one, or even, a few "nucular" (sic) weapons? During the 1973 Yom Kippur war against Israel, existing
    satellite technology detected Israel, in desparation, loading their aircraft with the 13 atomic bombs they then
    had, because they were about to be overrun, according to a report by "Friends of Israel," A U.S. group. The
    result was a panic of diplomatic moves which included Henry Kissinger, the Russians (who were loading
    troops aboard planes in response), and others. Fortunately, the Israelis stopped the Arab advance by less
    drastic means. With the much more advanced technology we have today, nobody could prepare to launch
    a nuclear attack, except, perhaps, by shipping such a weapon under deep cover, and even that would likely
    be detected because it would require the activity by so many people that it would attract attention.
    We need to stop doing so much sabre-rattling toward other nations and treating them like inferiors, even
    if they act that way, sometimes. Iran was the only middle east nation that actually had demonstrations in
    sympathy with us after the WTC /pentagon attacks. At the same time the Iranian government offered to have
    talks with ours in an attempt to resolve our differences, which our government, in its wisdom declined, and
    so, here we are. Ain't it beautiful! Let's conduct our foreign affairs with courage instead of fear(mongering)!

    • Posted By: Westcoast @ 12/21/2007 18:13:10

      Comment: The #1 reason why Israel, the U.S., and most of the nation in the Middle East don't want a nuclear armed Iran is because they are the primary supporters of Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the hamas party in palestine (which are the primary group that launches attacks against Israel from the gaza strip). Think about that, if Iran produces nuclear weapons and they currently support these terrorists groups with money, training and most significantly weapons, then what would stop from arming them with a dirty bomb or a compact atomic bomb that can destroy most of Israel and thereby fulfilling Irans' Ahamadinejad's goal of wiping Israel off the map. And then guess who would be next in Irans crosshairs, the U.S. Also on those proposed talks that the Iranian gov't offered were bologna. In March of 2000, former secretary of state Madeline Albright took part in talks with the Ayatollah Khamenei of Iran and despite a willingness of mutual agreement at first on many issues by Albright and the Ayatollah, the Ayatollah later dismissed the agreement as an apology by Satan.

  • Posted By: pinkpanther87413 @ 12/21/2007 1:45:14 PM

    Comment: I JUST LOVE TO SEE ALL THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT NUKES, AND COUNTRIES WHO HAVE NO CHANCE TO EVER HIT US SOIL, EVER yet we call it a threat, when there is not one country we can't hitl!

    • Posted By: pinkpanther87413 @ 12/21/2007 13:56:53

      Comment: OR ONE PLANET WE CAN'T DESTROY

  • Posted By: pinkpanther87413 @ 12/21/2007 1:31:36 PM

    Comment: Rice urges N Korea and Iran to disarm-TODAYS HEADLINE
    Rice has been head buried in the sand to long!!
    N Korea started to disarm months ago, and as per intell Iran HAS NOTHING TO DISARM!
    INTELL ALSO SUGGEST THAT, AMERICA, WHO DID NOT SIGN THIS TREATY, AND COMPLAINS ABOUT COUNTRIES WHO DID??? AMERICA DOES NOT DISARM, WE REARANGE, AND WE DID SIGN THIS TREATY.
    IF N KOREA IS, AND IRAN HAS NOTHING TO DISARM THEN IT SHOULD LEAD TO THE ONE COUNTRY WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY THE TREATIES THEY SIGN-AMERICA!! WHO HAS NOT HELPED RUSSIA DISPOSE OF YELLOW CAKE AS WE SAID WE WOULD, AMERICA, TODAY BUILDS NUKES AND BIO-WEAPONS AGAINST SAID TREATY, AND STARTS *** ANYWHERE WE PLEASE, DESERVES TO BE FINED, AND ALLOW THE IAEA INTO OUR COUNTRY! FOR ALL THOSE WHO ARE PISSED AT THE THOUGHT OF THE IAEA IN OUR COUNTRY!! NOW YOU KNOW HOW THE COUNTRIES WE COMPLAIN ABOUT IN BREACH OF A TREATY, WE ARE NOT EVEN PART OF, FEEL! DEAL WITH IT! WE ARE THE WORST AND MOST DANGEROUS COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, AND NOT BY EXAMPLE BUT BY THREAT OF GENOCIDE! LAST BUT NEVER LEAST-"SOLDIERS DO NOT FAIL-THERE LEADERS DO"!!! NOTE TO THE WORLD-"DO AS WE SAY NOT AS WE DO" OR ELSE!
    AUS-THANKS MUCH, SERIOUSLY, I HAVE ASKED ON MANY OCCASIONS WHY WE BLEED FOR THE STRONGEST COUNTRY IN THE REGION?? YOU HAVE DONE A MASTERFUL EXPLANATION, THANKS IN EARNEST.

  • Posted By: fillip mars @ 12/21/2007 1:27:12 PM

    Comment: The U.S.A. has 18 nuclear submarines in the seas around the world, at least 8 of which carry more fire-
    power than all the explosive power detonated, fired, etc., by all sides during World War II, or so it is claimed.
    And we're ready to go to war, or, at least attack, Iran, who has, perhaps the ability to produce ONE BOMB?!
    Gimme a break! You can bet we have at least one of those subs within striking distance of the whole mid-
    east, and then there's Israel with a rumored 200 "nukes." "What, me worry?" Nah!

  • Posted By: Cleverman @ 12/21/2007 1:20:23 PM

    Comment: Considering our own intelligence services have admitted we do not have any "humint" capability on the ground in Iran, I would urge my fellow Americans to take this latest "National Intelligence Estimate" report with an extremely large grain of salt,otherwise it will smell and taste very foul indeed. A wiseguy leader like Ahmadinejad did not stop nuclear research out of the kindness in his heart, if he has a heart. This is a petty dictator with some very big plans. As long as American intelligence wants to hide its head in the sand about the capabilities and intentions of the Islamic republic with regard to development of nuclear weaponry, the world is a less safe place. I believe in Ronald Reagan's famous words: "Trust, but VERIFY."

    • Posted By: pinkpanther87413 @ 12/21/2007 13:37:44

      Comment: AND I TRUST WHAT REAGAN AND OLIVER NORTH HAD TO SAY "WE DID WHAT" END OF INVESTIGATION AS TO THE ARMING FUNDING AND TRAINING THE AL-QUEDA AND THE WARNING FROM LOCALS ALL 100,000+ OF THEM WHEN THEY SAID TO US "YOU HAVE CREATED FRANKENSTEIN IN BIN-LAUDEN" DID WE LISTEN OR IS THE BUSH FAMILY EVEN MORE FRIENDLIER NOW THAN BEFORE??? ASK LAUDEN FAMILY WHO USHERED THEM FROM USA BORDERS BACK HOME AFTER 9/11

  • Posted By: AusCitizen @ 12/21/2007 1:01:57 PM

    Comment: As we say in the south ???It is easy to forget why you got into the pond when you are up to your neck in alligators???.
    Current map of the middles including its geopolitics was created after WWI and WWII. Having said that it is easy to see after a passage of a century, especially after the fall of the Soviet Union, the geopolitics of the world and the Middle East in particular has changed. Iran no longer fears an expansionist Soviet Union and Israel no longer holds its strategic important as it once did. There is only one reason for 50+ yeas of US backing of Israel. It is in line with our interest in the region. If you think it???s anything but that then you are more emotional that you are analytical.
    As the world changes so does the US global strategy. This has never been more paramount than the rise of Iranian nationalism or spread of its influence in the Middle East. No one can deny that the Iranian nation is on the rise. It exerts far more military and political influence in the region than it has for the past 300 years. This is what Israel fears not the Nukes.
    As Iran emerged intact from its 8 bloody years of war with Iraq and watched its three neighboring enemies (Soviet Union, Iraq and the Taliban in Afghanistan) fall it quickly moved to exert its influence thru trade and politics. Iran sits on some of the largest deposit of energy in the world. Due to this simple fact at some point in the near future Iran and the west (US, Brittan, France and Germany) will normalize their relationship. This will only come thru strength by the Iranians as Americans do not respect the weak. There is no room for denying any country of its right to acquire knowledge (nuclear technology). This was true during the Galileo era as is true today.
    Israel needs to make peace with the Arabs while it holds military and political power. Its power will not go unchecked for ever.

  • Posted By: kirt @ 12/21/2007 12:57:44 PM

    Comment: Isreal can find itself politicaly isolated if it acts alone. The world has not forgotten how WMDs were explotted in the invasion of Iraq. Other Arab nations who have sat on the sidelines and are silently happy Iran has stopped its' weapon program will be pressed by its' people to express their dissaproval and give the extremess grounds to sway new recruits.

  • Posted By: Judge Bean @ 12/21/2007 12:28:43 PM

    Comment: The strident anti-Iran talk out of the White House needed more substance behind it to avoid a repeat of the anti-Iraq prelude to war. This time, they'd prefer to have the proof of WMD up front, and therefore need Iran to take more obviously dangerous steps toward having nukes; they therefore need to give Iran room and time to get them-- and therefore need an "intelligence estimate" allowing the U.S. to back off for now.

  • Posted By: TheVoiceofReason @ 12/21/2007 11:50:24 AM

    Comment: First and foremost, people need to put down the Tom Clancy novels and pick up, "Support Any Friend: Kennedy's Middle East and the Making of the U.S.-Israel Alliance" by Warren Bass. Second, Iran has exactly no incentive or advantage by launching a nuclear attack on Israel. The nuclear fallout would have a devastating impact on the Mediterranean Sea, the countries that border it and the countries that surround Israel including alleged Iranian ally, Syria. Given, that Syria would be exposed to the fallout in the event of an attack, Israel has the incentive to keep Syria as a formal adversary. Hence, Israel is using Syria as a buffer. Therefore, one must conclude that a nuclear attack by Iran would lead to a harsh response by Mediterranean Sea countries and their respective allies, and at best, isolation by Iranian allied countries such as Syria, if not new antagonistic states towards Iran. The expected argument to this is that Iran will just attack regardless of strategic collateral damage to itself. However, this argument relies on the assumption that a given country, in this case, Iran, collective suffers from schizophrenic rationality. Some how they are rational enough to put together a nuclear program but they throw that same rationality out the window in the context of nuclear armament strategy. Nice try, but any country that ???suffers??? from this ???condition??? does not last two days. So in conclusion, we should expect Israel and U.S. hawks to spout out about Middle East ???nuclear threats???, but when applying logic and understanding the incentives that are involved, such ???dire warnings??? are more heat then light. Further more, the U.S. armed forces should never be a de facto defense for Israel.

  • Posted By: Jion @ 12/21/2007 11:50:24 AM

    Comment: This is to correct some misinformation posted by others. 1- Iranians are not Arab, and that does not mean that they are a better race, just that Iran literelly means the land of the Arayans and are not Arab. Jews are not the only Semites, Arabs are Semites too 2- In the Iran-Iraq war, which lasted 8 years, Iran never used biologial weapons against Iraq while the Iraqis were using mustard gas and other WMD, which were supplied by the US. Why would anyone think Iran would use WMD now against Israel?

    If it were not for the Iranians, there would have not been an Israel today. Cyrus the great saved the Jews from despair and slavery. The Jews called this Persian king the Messiah (Isaiah 44:28) and Christians praise him as Lords Shepherd (Ezra 1:1-4). But the Judeo-Christians no longer like to acknowledge Cyrus because he was a gentile and there is a double standard in Judeo-Christianity against non-Jews. Israel is on the map thanks to the Iranians.
    Islam will eventually be kicked out of Iran, but an Israeli attack on Iran will give more authority to the government, turn the world against itself and Israel will no longer be!

    • Posted By: kirt @ 12/21/2007 13:18:53

      Comment: I totaly agree, Iran has not develope her weapons yet and is in no statigic position to launch any attact without a devestating counter much greater that they can inflict. Not even dictators start wars they know they are going to lose ( Hitler Tojo) Nations can not afford to be suicidal regarless of rhetoric. Antagonistic goverment have not used nuckes against each other for a very good reason, the end results is just not good there is no victory in a burnt up nation.

    • Posted By: pinkpanther87413 @ 12/21/2007 12:16:15

      Comment: tentions between them allows us to interfere and the [ thought] of would allow the USA to waste more lives of American soldiers, and use our nukes as much and as often as we see fit!! there tension is our delight!

  • Posted By: pinkpanther87413 @ 12/21/2007 10:35:08 AM

    Comment: well we have learned nothing!!!
    as we just made every CEO rich, as merrill lynch sells America to China for a large flux of cash!! American going once? oh America allready gone! Sold to the Chineses! who bought our debt!

  • Posted By: mkea @ 12/21/2007 10:22:23 AM

    Comment: I suspect that there was a secret agreement made with Iran and the U.S. agreeing to make announcemnets by the U.S. in a retreat from the Iranian nuclear crisis in order for Iran to stop supplying ieds to Iraq. If you notice there has been a sharp decline in the use of these weapons in Iraq all of a sudden. We look weak in my view of such a possible agreement because Iran killed hundreds of U.S. troops, again, and got away with it. A sharp 96 hour bombing capaign of terror training camps, nuclear sites and ied factories would have led to a shocking change of Iranian attitude towards the U.S.. Their fragile economy and the new fear of the U.S. military strikes for future problems would have led to a 180 degree turn in Iranian attitude and maybe even leadership in Iran. Israel should consider airstrikes, although they can do only lmited ones with their limited resources, on key Iranian nuke sites. This would even be difficult to do with out U.S. okay and as a result of that okay to use the air space of nations such as Iraq and Jordan. Now Israel is in a tight spot because of this military limit on using air space in an Israele strike. Unless they use missiles from Israel to strike at area targets in Iran over a continuous campaign then their military option is limited due also to the new U.S. stance. The launching of missiles from Israel itself will also escalate Iran's efforts to get similar missilies from North Korea to do the same to Israel. It might though lead to Iranian concessions if the Israeli attacks are severe enough. ALso it might lead to Iran's withdrawal of suppling of rockets to Hamas that are killing Israelis every week.

    • Posted By: pinkpanther87413 @ 12/21/2007 11:05:09

      Comment: what agreement? Iran is not manf IEDs! as the Iraquis are going twords Iran to there stash of OUR MISSING 4 TONS OF RX EXPLOSIVES WHICH CAN MAKE IEDS TILL MARTIANS LAND ON EARTH!! so find the missing explosive, and then tell me Iran needs to teach, what we taught, to build IEDs as they have enough explosives to finish the job. If we spend 2 BILLION a DAY, and they spend nothing to stay HOME, time is on there side, they have time, location, home field adv, and we spend CHINISES funds daily to stay -no win situation coupled with 4 TONS of missing RX [the most powerful explosive we got] which they have acess to, as we blame the Iranians, dang, Iraquis ain't so dumb and backwoods as we thought!!! Does not matter what WE think, if Israel attacks without provication,[ besides a biblical one] we will have our kids bleed, for the strongest country in the region, who sells China weapons to them against the arms bann, but arming OUR enemies is not taboo for the Jew!

  • Posted By: seanbak @ 12/21/2007 10:21:48 AM

    Comment: Israelis desire to self preservation should be respected. IRAN's desire to be a world super power by possessing a nuculer weapon mirrors that of Hitler during WWII. It seems that the world as a whole learned nothing from the loss of life during that time and unless swift action is taken the end could truely be near. With that being said Israel should attack with everything they have to ensure IRAN never has the capability to make a nucular weapon even if it means sending them back to the stone age.

    • Posted By: pinkpanther87413 @ 12/21/2007 13:53:56

      Comment: As per your own explanation then the world should take out the USA on the same therory!!! Except today Hitler is in charge of the USA! THE NUCLEAR WORLD POWER!!!

  • Posted By: William.Demuth @ 12/21/2007 10:02:52 AM

    Comment: Many historians enjoy showing parallels between the collapse of the worlds last singular superpower Rome, and the worlds only current superpower the United States.

    Some of these are silly and some absurd, but this circumstance is absolutely painful in it's similarities to the Third Punic War.

    When we will ever learn?

    Beware the men of power with an agenda who might inflame societies for their own aggrandizement. Some of us remember the call Carthago delenda est and the lives and treasure it cost.

    We do not need to create super enemies to still be a super power, but if it is our or the Israelis' desire to pursue a Casus Belli, we WILL find one.

  • Posted By: chandd @ 12/21/2007 10:00:01 AM

    Comment: I am not an international scholar on the issue of nuclear proliferation. But I do have an understanding of sphere of influence, financial dependence, and political strategies.
    When one looks at this issue it seems rather obvious that all these points have a place marker in the situation. Looking the other way makes sense when many hidden agendas
    are in motion. I will use you and you will use me and we both profit even if in the end we are light years apart in our individual philosophy. This makes sense when you look at the history of Russia and Iran not pleasant in any way as a matter of fact many atrocities occurred. Russia hopes to use Iran and vice versa they both get what they want at this moment in history and the minute one does need the other the relationship will be discarded.

  • Posted By: chandd @ 12/21/2007 9:52:03 AM

    Comment: I am not an international scholar on the issue of nuclear proliferation. But I do have an understanding of sphere of influence, financial dependence, and political strategies.
    When one looks at this issue it seems rather obvious that all these points have a place marker in the situation. Looking the other way makes sense when many hidden agendas
    are in motion. I will use you and you will use me and we both profit even if in the end we are light years apart in our individual philosophy. This makes sense when you look at the history of Russia and Iran not pleasant in any way as a matter of fact many atrocities occurred. Russia hopes to use Iran and vice versa they both get what they want at this moment in history and the minute one does need the other the relationship will be discarded.

  • Posted By: chandd @ 12/21/2007 9:51:31 AM

    Comment: I am not an international scholar on the issue of nuclear proliferation. But I do have an understanding of sphere of influence, financial dependence, and political strategies.
    When one looks at this issue it seems rather obvious that all these points have a place marker in the situation. Looking the other way makes sense when many hidden agendas
    are in motion. I will use you and you will use me and we both profit even if in the end we are light years apart in our individual philosophy. This makes sense when you look at the history of Russia and Iran not pleasant in any way as a matter of fact many atrocities occurred. Russia hopes to use Iran and vice versa they both get what they want at this moment in history and the minute one does need the other the relationship will be discarded.

  • Posted By: eddiewhere @ 12/21/2007 6:22:04 AM

    Comment: Iran does not have the capability of striking Israel with a nuclear attack. There all talk and not weapons just like Hussein. Does a country have the legal right under international law to strike a nation if they have not been attacked? In fact, attacking Iran does not solve the problem of Russia's vunerable nuclear arIsernal. IF you really want to solve a problem you have to go to deal with the source of the problem which is Russian and it's breakaway Republics. They do not seem to mind sharing their technologies with the highest bidders. Terrorist will take a page out of the Chinese playbook; why re-invent the wheel when we can just steal it and put our sticker on it. We continue to invent that certain countries in The Middle East have the military capbilities to compete with Israel. We are completely taking our eyes of the real threat; the source of nuclear proliferation; China and Russia.

  • Posted By: LG17a @ 12/21/2007 6:15:25 AM

    Comment: nuke iran w ~200,000 or so US troops N civilians in Iraq?

    "why would the NIE release a report like this at a time when America is working hard to pass a third resolution against Iran"
    new processes to keep it from influence of policy makers after Iraq embarresment

    "The actual NIE process makes clear how impossible it would be to cook the books in order to damage the administration. Sixteen separate intelligence agencies contribute to the report and must concur on key judgments. In the case of the Iran NIE, every detail of evidence for the report???s conclusions was looked at repeatedly and from all angles. In the classified version, there are more than 1,500 footnotes describing the sources used. When the draft came to tentative conclusions, the findings were attacked by analysts acting as a ???red team??? to determine if there were flaws in the analysis or whether Iranian disinformation was being used to mislead CIA analysts. This process was repeated over and over again until everyone was satisfied with the results. A final no-holds-barred review took place in the White House in mid-November, attended by Bush, Cheney, Robert Gates, Condoleezza Rice, and senior staff members, where objections to sourcing and conclusions were aired. No agenda-driven judgments could possibly survive the process."

    • Posted By: Braes @ 12/21/2007 09:52:31

      Comment: Thank you. Nothing like the process exposed to shed a little light on it. I do not believe Iran is a threat to anyone but themselves. They can't even refine oil and make electrical power. I can not fathom the paranoia.

  • Posted By: howdy @ 12/21/2007 5:59:39 AM

    Comment: Stoping Iran from getting nukes is like stopping Iran from getting helicopters. There both 50 year old technologies. Seriously its like stopping a kid from learning how to ride a bike. Its too easy. I heard them Iraninans have laser beams! How can they not be building a death star??

  • Posted By: howdy @ 12/21/2007 5:39:54 AM

    Comment: The logic of weapons of mass distruction is harsh. Isreal can't just launch a pinprick against Iran. Taking out the nuke sites will only cause a massive missile counterattack with chem/bio weapons causing the destruction of many an Isreali city. The only solution? Total nuclear anihilation of Iran. Just look at the old version of WWIII 80's style. The west thought that they could have a war and slowly lose in Germany. Then they'd lob a nuke. The ruskies respond with a nuke. Peace? No? OK a couple o nukes this time. Then the ruskies lob a couple back. Eventually peace would break out. The Ruskies had different plans. They would annihilate W. Germany from the start. Hundreds of nukes launched. They hoped the West would let the radioactive death stay in Germany, if not the next step was armaggedon.
    The idea of a surgical strike against Iran's nuke sites is ludicrous. If Isreal attacks it wll be with dozens of nukes nothing less. Were playing harball folks. Stop thinking it little leagus.
    Isreal v Iran

    • Posted By: William.Demuth @ 12/21/2007 09:09:14

      Comment: Flawed logic is dangerous if it REQUIRES nuclear war.

      Israel can accomplish it mission through political destabilization and assassination. If Mossad and it's agents where to selectively eliminate four or five figures within the regime, the impetus for change would collapse the whole group. Just create the impression it was Arab versus Arab strife by laying the blame at the feet of the Saudi's and Syrians.

      The key will be in separating Syria and Iran, probably by using Lebanese proxies. Pair that with returning Jewish occupied Syrian land in return for Syrian controlled elements inspiring Iranian trained extremists to turn on their keepers.

      A few truck bombs, and the whole paradigm could be shifted.

  • Posted By: mongoman @ 12/21/2007 5:18:59 AM

    Comment: Humans do war. Humans have been at war since they climbed down out of the trees. So it isn't a case of "will there be another war?", it's a case of "when will the next war start?". You can blame Israel, or Bush, or Iran, or North Korea, or the little men from Mars, but it doesn't matter. War is in our genes. We will have war.

  • Posted By: zeejer1982 @ 12/21/2007 4:34:23 AM

    Comment: why would the NIE release a report like this at a time when America is working hard to pass a third resolution against Iran, May be they want Iran to moderate it's position by hearing this report, who knows, but one thing regarding Iran is clear here and that is the fact that any attack against Iran would have consequences that will not be containable, if Isreal were to attack Iran, the US would also pay for it and that will bring the US into a direct fight against Iran, not to mention it will make it harder for Arab states to support America against Iran in case of a war, add all this to the fact that Iran has Hez, Hammas and all the those folks, plus it can hit back with it's ballistic missiles, target Israeli interests around the world and has the will to fight for it's dignity as it's history in the case of the Iran-Iraq war has shown it will.

  • Posted By: RFFNY1 @ 12/21/2007 3:06:27 AM

    Comment: I havew a question for Yuval Steintz who said "something like this should have been presented to the Israelis through professional channels"...... Was the observation by one of your agents and the information about the car filled with explosives that subsequently killed a lot of Americans presented to Ameria through professional channels. I remember reading **** the Americans, let them be made at the Arabs. I guess Steintz suffers from convenient amnesia or selective memory syndrome. RFFNY1

    • Posted By: Braes @ 12/22/2007 14:42:09

      Comment: And Israel gave American secrets to the USSR, spied on us repeatedly, etc. It has been a one sided relationship. The minute you call them on it, you are called a Nazi or worse. Israel wins the propaganda war.

  • Posted By: RFFNY1 @ 12/21/2007 3:01:46 AM

    Comment: I have a question for Yuval Steintz, who said "Something like this should have been presented to the Israelis through professional channels" ... Did I read years ago, that one of Isreal's agents saw the vehicle with the explosives that killed Americans and was told, let it happen so the Americans can be mad at .......???
    That's just one of the many hypocrital actions I have been informed of. RFFNY1

  • Posted By: SteveMD2 @ 12/21/2007 2:50:13 AM

    Comment: Given the catastrophe that Bush has given us with his war based on lies and ignorance in Iraq, I would not be surprised if this is all a setup. Israel attacks Iran. Iran has 20 times the population of Israel, so Bush now has the excuse to get us involved in Iran. Has this maniac learned nothing. Of course not. Underlying his religious beliefs is the concept of the Apocalypse, where billiions could die, civilization collapses, but the Christians believe that Jesus will return and save them, never mind the billion others who will be left to rot. Bush most like ly stole both elections, his family is fascist from before WWII when his grandfather's bank helped pay for the nazi war machine. Wit people like him running the USA, our greatest danger isn't Bin Laden,. It is the man and his gang sitting in the white house, who would chance destroying civilization to avoid admitting how terribly wrong he has been. And thanks to him and his Iraq Catastrophe, Bin Laden still lives.

  • Posted By: SteveMD2 @ 12/21/2007 2:43:58 AM

    Comment: We can't know what is in the 'mind' of Bush, but we sure know how he lied to the world and to himself about Iraq, and with his invasion validated to much of the Muslim world that we are the enemy. In effect, he has been Bin Ladens unwitting ally. I would not be surprised if Bush is doing all this, hoping that Israel will attack Iran, then be confronted with a nation attacking them that has 20x their population, giving Bush an excuse to start another war. And for Bush being strong, like Isaiah Eagle Cloud said, so was Hitler and stalin.

  • Posted By: Jion @ 12/21/2007 2:36:39 AM

    Comment: If it were not for the Iranians, there would have not been an Israel today. Cyrus the great saved the Jews from despair and slavery. The Jews called this Persian king the Messiah (Isaiah 44:28) and Christians praise him as Lord???s Shepherd (Ezra 1:1-4). But the Judeo-Christians no longer like to acknowledge Cyrus because he was a gentile and there is a double standard in Judeo-Christianity against non-Jews. Israel is on the map thanks to the Iranians.
    Islam will eventually be kicked out of Iran, but an Israeli attack on Iran will give more authority to the government, turn the world against itself and Israel will no longer be!

  • Posted By: IsaiahEagleCloud @ 12/21/2007 2:27:48 AM

    Comment: Perhaps the intel community influences things, like the U.S. State Department does. But they are simply an entrenched group/bureaucracy in many cases, and have organizational inertia, infighting, organizational climbing, and so forth.

    What we truly need is leadership. Like it or not, leadership requires a thick skin. Our last two presidents (USA) have had thick skin. How they survive depends on their inner makeup, and having a good circle of people to protect the president.

    One must ask, has the Jewish community ever had better friends than the good ol' USA? No. But we also share friendship with the Saudis, and economic ties. The wisdom of the presidency is to garner assistance and manage the international relationships with wisdom. I must say that our current secretary of state surpasses the last two, though I admire Colin Powell greatly. She and the president speak with one voice. So do the VP and the president, though some may say that the VP is the intellect behind the throne (especially post-Rove era). However, listening to Cheney reveals something. That is, that he truly believes that the president is good. Not a manipulator. Not a people-pleaser, for politics' sake. But he is good, and warm, and kind, and thoughtful, AND a genuinely strong, perhaps amazingly strong person. Nixon withered under criticism, three times in his life. Has Bush really ever had any great reversals in his outlook? No. He graciously welcomed Putin. But has Putin done anything in reciprocation? Maybe privately, I hope so, for even Russia has no better friend than the USA, and George W. Bush. Bush is perhaps to be remembered as the toughest president of the last one hundred years, since he did not have the popularity to ease the criticisms as Reagan did. And as tough as he is, he is still capable of great grace under fire, and forthright leadership. God bless George Bush, and may God keep blessing our country! Merry Christmas!

  • Posted By: eddiewhere @ 12/21/2007 2:23:08 AM

    Comment: ???Citizens of the United States are not aware of what is done on behalf of their name. They are not aware that their tax money is building the separation wall, that their tax money is financing the Israeli security budget. If the United States uses its tax money to build schools and hospitals, and not walls, then things will change.???
    In an existential conflict, no great power that is distant to the region can impose or will a solution. The Middle East is littered with the remains of great powers who believed they could impose their will on small tribes. America should not play that kind of role. Iraq is just a cautionary tale. However, the United States has carried out effective diplomacy in the past and is capable of doing so again when certain basic concepts and assumptions are understood. Without a different kind of American role, however, there will be no resolution of this conflict.
    Obama understands America's capability to bring peace. However, America need to realize that this process will take a generation and it has to go through trial and error.

  • Posted By: eddiewhere @ 12/21/2007 1:17:02 AM

    Comment: THe International Community needs to step up the pressure. The problem is the International Community is not United(ie. Russia and China; the forces behind this disaster of nuclear and "technological" armament around the world. America will determine when and how Irsrael attacks. WHY? U.S. Interest are directly affected by an Israeli Attack. What is the use of attacking Iran IF THE REGIME REMAINS INTACT. If the International COmmunity sent a force to support Free and Fair Elections in Iran, this threat would be nulified. To attack without removing the regime would only embolden the Iranian REgime and make them more defiant. WHy is the International COmmunity not forcing Iran to have Free and Fair Elections. We are about to make the same mistake again, invading without the flag of the Inernational COmmunity (Causing people to hate us). AN international force has the legal right to force Free and Fair election and it would be led by the Iranians themselves. The Iranians themselves would be part of the International Force forcing free and fair elections. That is as far as our responsiblilities should go.free and fair elections. We have to let the Iranians themselves lead the attack on this crazy regime. For Israel or the United States to attack Iran by themselves would be a mistake and destroy the peace process.

  • Posted By: eddiewhere @ 12/21/2007 1:06:56 AM

    Comment: A successful use of force would produce the following results:
    1. Free and Fair elections in Iran; where even the dictator himself can run.
    2. The use of force must be lead by an International Force; it must include Iranians themselves and soldiers from Arab nations.
    3. America begins to pull our troops out of the region which are replaced by an International Force that is funded by all parties involved.
    4. The International COmmunity must force Israel and Palestine to continue the Peace Process.
    5. An Arab-Israeli Council should be started made up of citizens of both countries. THis council would act as a watch dog on issues concerning the stability of peace between Israel and Palestine. They would act like an NGO in their respective countries and have representation at the U.N.. We have to keep these parties in the same room as much as possible even though tensions are high. Peace will never happen with only one party at the table. They have to start getting use to their new peaceful neighbors.
    6. The forces that want to disrupt this process on both sides must be tamed.
    There are solutions to this problem, unfortunately, there are those who believe their own narrow interests would not benefit from peace. THese forces are so strong that they continue to ignite this problem, until war finally breaks out. Let's learn from Iraq; and use force intelligently not just to provoke War. BOTH SIDES ARE RIGHT AND BOTH SIDES ARE WRONG; to use Unilateral force would be a grave mistake and a foreign policy blunder.

  • Posted By: the ood @ 12/21/2007 12:54:53 AM

    Comment: Hey betz55 and joshttt,

    You are morons. Who was it that took out the WTC? Who was dancing in the streets as they came down as hundreds of innocent Americans lost their lives? You think this is propaganda? Who is blowing themselves up in Israel? The israelis? C'mon! Where are your brains? Are you BLIND? Are you moronic enough to say stuff like "don't believe everything you read?" It's idiots like you that believe in the things you do that just fuel the fire, the mess we are all in.

    Regardless of what anyone here cares about or believes in, Israel is a sovereign nation that like the US, UK, Russia, etc has every right to defend itself from its enemies. Iran is an enemy. Syria is an enemy. The PLO is an enemy. Every one of these nations have stated unequivocally that they want to see the destruction of Israel. If virtually every Arab nation in the Middle East sees things from that point of view and constantly threatens Israel, do you really think ANY nation would never have the right to a unilateral first strike to eliminate this threat?

    It makes me want to vomit that there are so many like you that believe in what you do. Albert Einstein said it best: "There are two sure things that are infinite: the universe and human stupidity. And we're still only asking questions about the universe."

    • Posted By: howdy @ 12/21/2007 05:54:48

      Comment: Ahh yes the Fascist version of Isreali defenders. Did not Hilter see enemies on all sides? He struck first. Also his enemies were not quite human (in his eyes) being Jews/Poles/Russians/French. When one side declares themselves superior (by divine right?) and their neighbors subhuman Then just attach their regime to the long list of genocidal regime throughout the ages.

    • Posted By: joshtttttt @ 12/21/2007 03:53:19

      Comment: hi the ood. Thanks for your reply, I can tell you that 9/11 had nothing to do with Iran and there were no Iranians dancing in the street after that event. I can also tell you that Irans president was the first to send a letter of condolences to the White house. I think perhaps you should educate yourself more before you start spitting insults at people. The fact is that YOU are wrong and although it is an emotional situation for you it does not change the fact that you are wrong. Also, i wonder what Albert Einstein would say if he were around today about his fellow jews comming the same kind of vicious hateful crimes that the nazis commited against them.

      • Posted By: pinkpanther87413 @ 12/21/2007 12:12:34

        Comment: you are