Netanyahu Vs. the Shadow of Annihilation
By Ron Radosh and Allis Radosh
There were a few surprises at Monday night’s AIPAC meeting. Throughout the previous two days, AIPAC spokesmen regularly championed the bi-partisan nature of Congress’s resolve to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, but by the end of the evening the differences in their approach and resolve were apparent, and so were the sympathies of the more than 13,000 attendees.
First up was Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. He laid out the many ways in which Iran has acted as a dangerous and terrorist rogue state, and noted that while the Obama administration may share the common goal of stopping Iran from going nuclear, they had not come close to achieving success.It was the failure of Obama’s diplomacy from the beginning of his term that had forced Congress to act and would do so again.
The reason, McConnell said, was that the administration’s policy contained a “critical flaw.” At first, the Obama team tried to negotiate with Iran by extending an open hand in friendship, but two different offers and deadlines to meet with their leaders in September and December of 2009 came and went with no results. Iran just continued to work on getting their bomb. As Congress grew impatient, it initiated a sanctions policy which the president opposed, eventually reluctantly signing it.Congress then handed the president an additional tool “he did not seek or ask for,” that of sanctions against the banks doing business with Iran.
But now, according to McConnell, the president’s current error is to rely too heavily on sanctions alone. To say “all options are on the table,” McConnell said, might be a good talking point, but it is not a policy. Threats alone, he noted, “have lost their intended purpose.” A red line only works if the definition of that line is clearly spelled out and what the painful consequences will be if crossed. In light of the president’s reluctance to do it, McConnell laid out his plan:
If at any time the intelligence community presents the Congress with an assessment that Iran has begun to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels, or has taken a decision to develop a nuclear weapon — consistent with protecting classified sources and methods — I will consult with the President and joint congressional leadership and introduce before the Senate an authorization for the use of military force. This authorization, if enacted, will ensure the nation and the world that our leaders are united in confronting Iran, and will undermine the perception that the U.S. is wounded or retreating from global responsibilities.
I feel very guilty. A few decades have passed since the most horrifying crime in the history of mankind and the Prime Minister of Israel finds himself with such a terrible burden to carry.
I thought that a minimum of decency existed and that others, and not the Jews, would have been the first to defend the Jews, after the Holocaust.
I am so wrong.
Congratulations to Bibi. Shame on the rest of the world. The nuclear plants in Iran should have been destroyed years ago, by a coalition of righteous.
Ron said, “Now the Jews had ceased to be the powerless people incapable of stopping the Holocaust.” I have to tell you Ron, as your run of the mill american, I could not be happier for, nor prouder of the Jewish state for accomplishing this goal.
I am glad America had a hand in helping Isreal with the task. I just wish I could say that someday “politics” would not be the obstacle to the truly dignified things that enlightened man could accomplish in the world-but I would be an ignorant fool to think that.
At the beginning of their penultimate paragraph, the authors undoubtedly meant ‘transpired’ rather than transferred. Needs editing…
Obama is the ultimate liar and lets be clear that he would personally not stop his golf game to aid Israel. He also thinks that we are dummies. How else does he have the arrogance to lie to us on a continuing basis. Just repeat the same tired ass statements long enough and the MSM will believe him.
Yep, you’ve got Obama’s number all right, a liar to the core.
The MSM, however, need no convincing, they’re just like him.
The public’s gullibility and ignorance – that’s the problem.
If BHO is serious about stopping Iran then Bibi should have asked him straight to sell and deliver without delay the planes, the bunker-busters bombs, the arms-systems, missiles and anti-missiles to allow Israel to do the job.It seems Bibi missed a golden opportunity to unmask BHO’s bluff.
MCCAIN IS FIRST OUT THE GATE TO CALL FOR BOMBING SYRIA Posted on March 5, 2012
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/mccain-is-first-out-the-gate-to-call-for-bombing-syria/
Try to stay on topic. This isn’t your personal blog.
Thank heavens we have Mark v the policeman and ‘censor extraordinaire’ who puts everyone in their place when they drift away.
Too bad Mark v also away wanders off-topic when he tries to correct others not to wander off-topic!
There are many opinions of what is “Christian,” but the candidates identify themselves as follows:
Romney: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon)
Santorum: Roman Catholic
Gingrich: Roman Catholic
Paul: Baptist
Obama: United Church of Christ
Do you need a primer class on basic Internet courtesy? HELLO? The comment section is intended for discussion of the ARTICLE ABOVE, not just whatever you happen to want to talk about. This isn’t Town Hall – basic courtesy is expected here.
The Second Holocaust is already in place. If Israel successfully attacks Iran and succeeds in stopping their nuclear program, the Moslem shock troops are still in place all over Europe. They and their left wing allies will conduct the Second Holocaust right where the first one was. Jews all over Europe now live in fear of their neighbors and for good reason. You have only to look at places like Denmark and Norway to see the preparation.
I wish you were a paranoid idiot.
But, you aren’t.
as long as b Hussein Obama is in the WH, Israel is on her own
Bibi knows this
worse, Iran knows this
From one perspective, the crisis is about conducting a crisis: the game is brinkmanship. Israel has been forced to play brinkmanship since its inception. The usual way to start a fight is when shove comes to push comes to kill. Brinkmanship is about how far one can push without the war. If we use the phrase, mad mullah, let us take the “mad” and apply it to Mutually Assured Destruction. In that scenario both or all parties cultivate the crisis up to and not beyond the starting point of terrible war. Preparation for war is the deterent for war unless the enemy is suicidal, then short rounds cure rabies.
This is brinkmanship, I agree. After a certain point in the Iranian nuclear bomb building process, Israel will not be able to hit the target. The invaluable and usually right Caroline Glick has a good column about this on her site. In short, if Israel waits as long as Obama wants them to wait, Israel will not be able to hit Iran’s nuclear sites and has put its very existence in U.S. hands. While this might have been thinkable with a true friend in the White House, it is unthinkable with Obama based on his record. Thus, Israel will act alone if it needs to. Netanyahu gets it. Blue and white all the way.
Pray for strength and clarity in that man Netanyahu. He has never yet faltered, but he’s on the spot now as few have ever been. When the Chicago Cheshire Cat says he ‘has your back’, Mr. Prime Minister, please at least half-hear it as ‘look out behind you’.
Indeed.
Aside from the immaturity shown by a head of state using such a term in such a dire situation, BHO’s track record should cause that phrase to translate into Hebrew something like, “We’ve got a knife ready for your back.”
Excellent idea that, getting congressional consent before going to war. Funny it used to actually be a requirement.
Actually, not always so. Jefferson did not go to Congress before he sent the Marines into Tripoli. One could argue that he was acting quickly to kidnapping and piracy on the high seas. Still, there is something about that part of the world and the level of, uh, civilization that invites quick response. The Bey of Tripoli declared that he was perfectly justified in making war against the “infidel.” Sound familiar?
Same war, different century. Anyone who thinks it’s not about Islam is closely related to the ostrich.
Obama’s entire political career has consisted of voting “present” when the time came to make the hard adult decisions. What makes you think he will change now?
Kick the can and blame Bush = YES WE CAN!!!
“Instead of talking about the great costs of stopping them, he said, one has to talk about the cost of not stopping them.“I promise you,” he said, “as Israel’s prime minister I will never gamble with the security of Israel.”
I think we are entering one of the most dangerous times in history right now. Obama would never start a war with Iran just before the November election. His far-left base would never tolerate that, and that’s about all Obama has left supporting him. If he goes into another war, Obama will lose what little support he has left with his base and he’ll be finished.
And the Iranians know that and will milk it for all it’s worth. They are going to work overtime to try and get the bomb made before a Republican president can stop them. So Israel knows that it may be up to them to end the madness in Tehran. I still say the best way to do this is through regime change inside of Iran using massive Special Ops to overthrow the government. It can and should be done. Let the Iranian people take the lead to overthrow the government they are not too enamored with. It just may work, especially with the upcoming “elections” reminding them how many people were killed during the last elections in 2009.
And don’t forget, Netanyahu is a historian too. Not only is he determined to prevent another Holocaust, but there’s also another historical site that shows all too clearly what happens when Jews are attacked by a military force that is determined to destroy them. It’s a place called Masada.
Hamas has now stated that it would not participate in any Iran-Israel conflict. This leaves only Iranian long range missiles and Hezbolla to worry about.
At least some of the Iranian missiles could be intercepted by the Arrow system already in place. Hezbolla is another matter.
IDF has undergone extensive reconfiguring following the 2006 war with Lebanon. The artillery corps has been outfitted with guided rockets in place of the old howitzers. Tanks are now fitted with the Trophy anti-rocket system which has already been battle tested. New bunker busting bombs specifically designed for use against Hezbolla positions have been developed.
There has been time to prepare. Israel now has an air force configured entirely around an attack against Iran. It also has a ground force configured specifically to counter a Hezbolla attack.
Playing the Holocaust card may evoke strong emotions and seem to give your argument moral sway but it kind of cheapens the actual historical event.
The above statement may be a very good place to start, Kill off any and all extremists,..go after any missle systems and hopefully there is under cover Jewish agents already on the ground….That i am sure of because of the attacks against the Scientist…Mr. Bibi needs every prayer that we can muster….Friends when the first nuclear weapon goes off anywhere in that part of the world, it will be Massive open and all out nuclear war….”Except those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the Elect`s sake, the days will be shortened….”
And likewise, Scripture says that more than half of the population will die because of what is coming upon the Earth. The days are coming when Christians will be hunted by the government the world over, and no man will be able to buy, sell, or live in peace without worshiping the dictator, that Man of Sin. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
To me Israel has as obvious an ok from the US as they are ever going to get. All this passive please don’t use all this hardware we are shipping as fast as we can, who are we kidding?
It looks to me like the civilized world is busy holding Israel’s coat and nudging it toward the barbarians with significantly raised eyebrows.
Which is a good idea on our parts. We will need to see how all the hardware works up against Russian air defenses anyhow, for the upcoming rematch with the new Soviet Union.