BS: Will Israel Attack Iran?

Subject: RE: BS: Will Israel Attack Iran?
From: Paul Burke
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 04:08 PM

Oi! Mordechai Vanunu. No, Israel has no nuclear weapons, and it needs to hide the fact that it has no nuclear weapons, which unlike Iran makes it immune from inspection, and it (mercifully unsuccessfully) advised apartheid South Africa how not to have nuclear weapons too.

USA policy is made by a few religious nutcases in Israel, Iranian policy is made by a few religious nutcases in Qom, and British policy is made in Washington. Usually by a few religious nutcases, but we've been spared a bit of that because the current top dog is only mildly nutty. And of course we've got our own homebrewed religious nutcases (see John Sentanamu).

Subject: RE: BS: Will Israel Attack Iran?
From: artbrooks
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 04:00 PM

"sole ownership of the nuclear threat in the region"? Have you heard of Pakistan? It borders Iran and sits at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. And it really does have nukes.

Subject: RE: BS: Will Israel Attack Iran?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 03:45 PM

Little Hawk- "Who dares to?" Some truth to that!
Too many people excuse the bullying and agressive takeover policies of Israel.

Zionist policies of Israel guarantee continued resentment of others, both Christian and Muslim, as they insist that your land is my land, and hold sole ownership of the nuclear threat in the region.

I cannot understand the support Israel gets from the U.S. and most European governments.

Digression-
Oil from Iran and other Middle Eastern countries, except Saudi Arabia, ceased to be of any importance to the United States long ago.
Canada and Mexico are the other major sources of U.S. petroleum imports. (One might add Nigeria, if their country doesn't end up in a civil war between the Christian south and the conservative Muslin north. Another Sudan situation, only more explosive.)

Subject: RE: BS: Will Israel Attack Iran?
From: artbrooks
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 02:09 PM

Does anyone really think Israel has nuclear weapons? Based on exactly what proof? Greatest ever deterrent - based upon a myth.

Subject: RE: BS: Will Israel Attack Iran?
From: MarkS
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 02:07 PM

Very likely after Iran nukes Israel.

Subject: RE: BS: Will Israel Attack Iran?
From: Greg F.
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 01:42 PM

And this really seems to rankle the haters of Israel who would like to see it wiped off the map

No, it rankles those who object to those who would apologize for and excuse any and all atrocities the State of Israel cares to commit for any reason whatsoever.

And before you bring up the anti-Semitic shibboleth, anti-Zionism and its imperial policies is not anti-Semitism.

Subject: RE: BS: Will Israel Attack Iran?
From: EBarnacle
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 12:22 PM

A neglected factor is that Iran's current regime has repeatedly stated that it intends to wipe Israel out. The means to do so will exist very soon. The conclusion of the article is that regime change is the only long term non-military solution. This is worth considering. As is stated at several points in the article, the genie is out of the bottle. Iran posssesses the knowledge base and the dispersion to resume their program after an attack and go back to designing and building nuclear arms.

Subject: RE: BS: Will Israel Attack Iran?
From: Ed T
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 12:09 PM

""That's an interesting, and I think an utterly fallacious viewpoint""

It entirely depends on from how (the perspective) you view the quote in the article and the siuation. It does not seem anywhere like an "utterly false" perspective to me.

I suspect the meaning of the quote (from the discussion) had little to do with upholding the interests of the World, but more to do with supporting the interests of the USA (thay can differ).

A main interest of the USA has been financial, stable oil supplies and prices. The other interest, which has evolved, is keeping anti USA regimes at bay (Iran is clearly one), or cutting them down. Like it or not, Israel has been the closest and most stable USA ally in that region,with military and intelligence capacity they can mostly count on. So, keeping Israel in place and militarily strong has been a USA interest (they receive much aid). One can argue that this has not been an effective or the correct approach, but, regardless, it has indeed been an approach in the region.

Who has the "right" to be the most fearful and to take measures to defend (even proactively) their interests, Iran or Israel? I suspect both have a valid point and that is a main reasoon for the situation. Both feel increasingly sourrounded by unfriendly forces,fear for the future and act accordingly. I suspect that either country, with the support of some other nations, would prefer (for a variety of their own reasons) the the other would "dissapear".

What is clear to me is that both Iran and Israel have the most to loose from an direct conflict. While other countries may feel they have a stake in the matter and something potentially to loose (thus their actions), they have less to loose than the people of these two nations.

If there were no oil in the region, I wonder if the potential conflict would be treated more like the world deals with such matters in neighbouring African nations, with no such oil reserves?

Subject: RE: BS: Will Israel Attack Iran?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 10:34 AM

That's an interesting, and I think an utterly fallacious viewpoint...but it must play great in Israel. It is themselves the Israelis are thinking about, but they may have a messianic enough belief in their own God-given importance that they imagine they're doing it for the entire world.

And you might say that about the Iranian leaders too. It's a case of grandiosity and megalomania on both sides as far as I'm concerned.

The Iranian regime, however, is the one who is really being threatened with being "wiped off the map" by 2 great nuclear powers...and repeatedly so. And who publicly questions or upbraids those 2 great nuclear powers for making such death threats?

To put it more pointedly: Who dares to?

Subject: RE: BS: Will Israel Attack Iran?
From: Ed T
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 10:05 AM

Itteresting quotes from the article I posted:


Hadden (USA): "I don't know what the significance of American aid is for you."

Amit(Israel): "It isn't aid for us, it is for yourselves."

Subject: RE: BS: Will Israel Attack Iran?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 10:04 AM

Here's another recent article on the same subject.

The Likelihood of attack on Iran in 2012

Subject: RE: BS: Will Israel Attack Iran?
From: bobad
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 09:58 AM

"Hardly. The US will back ANYTHING that Israel does."

And this really seems to rankle the haters of Israel who would like to see it wiped off the map.

Subject: RE: BS: Will Israel Attack Iran?
From: Silas
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 09:41 AM

"Only if the U.S. backs the move."

Hardly. The US will back ANYTHING that Israel does.

Subject: RE: BS: Will Israel Attack Iran?
From: Greg F.
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 09:37 AM

Only if the U.S. backs the move.

Subject: BS: Will Israel Attack Iran?
From: Ed T
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 09:36 AM

TYhere have been plenty of Middle East related threads to put this article under. But, I decided, right or wrong, it is now important enough for it's own place (as could not found a direct thread).

I found this article well researched, thought out, and presented. While some put this issue/discussion on the side burner, the article leads me to believe it may be the news maker of 2012.

Will Israel Attack Iran?